Only a fraction of Fabian Gottlieb Benjamin Bellingshausen’s (aka Thaddeus, 1778-1852) long career in the Russian Navy was devoted to Antarctic exploration, his two-year expedition exploring Antarctic in 1819-21. It was nonetheless a notable venture as the second circumnavigation of the continent (the first was by Captain Cook in 1773-74), and the first actual sighting of the Continent in January 1820. His discovery of Alexander Island and the naming of the Bellingshausen Sea were not much honored in Russia since they were of little immediate practical use, but his achievements are now much more fully recognized, At least as translated and then edited in this version, Bellingshausen appears to have an easy-going if formal style of writing and shows himself to be a most judicious man in both his navigation and his leadership of the voyage, a character much doubted by his critics.
The Voyage of Captain Bellingshausen to the Antarctic Seas 1819-1821
- 1819-21 First Russian Antarctic Expedition commanded by Captain Thaddeus Bellingshausen (aboard Vostok and Mirny).
- “Discovery” of Antarctica.
- Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
The Fanning-Pendleton Sealing Fleet, 1821-1822
- Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
This voyage was barely successful financially because of their capture of hair seals off Chile. But geographically the fleet is credited with discovery of South Orkney Islands, by Nathaniel Palmer and Britisher George Powell.
Bellingshausen and the Russian Antarctic Expedition, 1819-21.
- 1819-21 First Russian Antarctic Expedition commanded by Captain Thaddeus Bellingshausen (aboard Vostok and Mirny).
- “Discovery” of Antarctica.
- Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
In an excellent overview of the Bellingshausen expedition, comprising both translations of relevant materials and commentary about the journey, Bulkeley’s Chapter 4, “Wanted on Voyage,” begins with an important section on Books and Instruments, telling us more about specific titles available on this trip than any other early voyage, with the possible exception of La Pérouse (q.v.):
Captain Nathaniel Brown Palmer: An Old-Time Sailor of the Sea
- 1820-21 American Sealing Voyage to South Shetlands and Antarctic Peninsula aboard Hero and Express (commanded by George Pendleton with Nathaniel Palmer).
- “Discovery” of Antarctica.
- Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
This is a thoroughly hagiographic and somewhat jingoistic account of the American sealer and whaler many have considered the discoverer of the Antarctic continent. There is little about any extracurricular reading on Palmer’s voyage, but there is an emphasis on journals and log books, navigational manuals, and hydrographic charts.
Narrative of a Voyage to the South Seas, and the Shipwreck of the Princess of Wales Cutter, with an Account of Two Years Residence on an Uninhabited Island.
- 1820-22 British South Seas Sealing Voyage (Princess of Wales).
- Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
Account of a sealing voyage (starting May 1820) off the Cape of Good Hope which led to shipwreck and abandonment (in Crozet Islands). Curious blend of adventure, piety, and natural history (esp. birds). The unpaginated preliminaries include a preface, index (contents), opinions of the press, and lengthy subscriber lists organized by place and edition.
A Voyage Towards the South Pole, Performed in the Years 1822-24 Containing an Examination of the Antarctic Sea (1827).
- 1822-24 Weddell Whaling Expeditions.
- Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
It’s obvious that Weddell was well-read on the history of the region he explored (cf. his translation and abstracts of earlier Spanish reports, on p. 61-9), but this isn’t evidence of books aboard—he does speak of the credibility of some books inducing him to search certain islands, implying that copies were on the ship. And the obligatory prayer-books on British ships were certainly present.
Narrative of the Wreck of the ‘Favorite’ on the Island of Desolation [Kerguélen Island]
- 1825-26 British Sealing Voyage (from London, with Royal Sovereign and Favorite).
- Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
p. 22: …according to the captain’s promise [the whalers] received their extra allowance of grog, with which they retired to their cabins and wiled away the evening in happiness and joviality, telling merry tales and drinking to their absent wives and sweethearts, a prosperous season in the whale and seal fishery, and a happy return to old England!” [The traditional officer’s toast to “wives and sweethearts, may they never meet,” dated appropriately enough from Nelson’s era until January 2014 when it was banned by the Royal Navy.]
James Eight and the Palmer-Pendleton Expedition of 1829-1831,
- 1829-30 First Preliminary US Exploring Expedition (Annawan and Seraph with Captains Nathaniel Palmer and Benjamin Pendleton).
- Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
p. 146-47: The scientific program of the expedition was sponsored by the Lyceum for Natural History of the City of New York. Newspapers encouraged private citizens to lend books, charts, and instruments to the expedition, and when the Annawan sailed it was said to have on board a fine collection of instruments and several hundred books.
James Eights, 1798-1882: Antarctic Explorer, Albany Naturalist, His Life, His Times, His Works.
- 1829-30 First Preliminary US Exploring Expedition (Annawan and Seraph with Captains Nathaniel Palmer and Benjamin Pendleton).
- Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
Eights was listed as “Naturalist and Surgeon” on the Annawan Antarctic voyage of 1829-1831 and there are fragmentary results of his work on natural history in the published record, but he is an enigmatic figure, excluded like Reynolds from the Wilkes ExEx in 1838. I see no signs of his readings in the impressive library he helped create for the preliminary expedition.
Two Voyages to the South Seas. Volume II: Astrolabe and Zélée 1837-1840.
- 1837-40 French South Seas Voyage of Astrolabe (Jules d’Urville).
- Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
D’Urville proposed this second voyage to the South Seas but it was the French King who suggested that its first goal should be toward the South Pole as ice permitted. Through the Admiral Minister the King “approved everything I asked for.” This volume is taken from D’Urville’s journals of the second voyage with a great deal of connective commentary and paraphrases by the editor. It is her writing that appears in quotes below and his journals without quotes.
Americans in Antarctica, 1775-1948.
- 1838-42 U.S. Exploring Expedition (Wilkes).
- Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
With some anomalies, this is a remarkably sound guide to American exploration in the Antarctic.
“As the Wolf from the Dog”; American Overseas Exploration and the Compartmentalization of Humankind: 1838-1859.
- 1838-42 U.S. Exploring Expedition (Wilkes).
- Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
Examples used are the Charles Wilkes’ US Exploring Expedition 1838-43, and Elisha Kent Kane’s search for Franklin in 1859.
List of books recommended to be taken on the Expedition [US Exploring Expedition 1838-42] for the Use of the Officers and Scientific Company.
- 1838-42 U.S. Exploring Expedition (Wilkes).
- Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
Transcript of Memo, possibly from Jeremiah Reynolds: List of Books recom.d to be taken on the Expedition for the Use of the Officers, and Scien-tific Corps.
Ships and Squadron Logistics,
- 1838-42 U.S. Exploring Expedition (Wilkes).
- Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
p. 152, describing accommodations on the flagship Vincennes: Wilkes own stateroom and pantry, and a large reception room that accommodated drafting tables and a library of charts and scientific works, as well as the ample conference table and sideboards customary in small frigates.
Thulia: A Tale of the Antarctic.
- 1838-42 U.S. Exploring Expedition (Wilkes).
- Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
A narrative poem about the sailing travails of the US schooner Flying-Fish on the US Exploring Expedition (1838-42). An appendix describes the circumstances that the poem portrays. Basically this is doggerel poetry describing two vessels of the Wilkes Exploring Expedition, the Peacock, and the Flying-Fish. An appendix describes the adventures of the latter ship: