A Voyage to the Arctic in the Whaler Aurora

This voyage was in 1884 to Greenland fisheries via Newfoundland. His introduction is prescient: I cannot imagine it being read by many, as the subject can only interest a few who have themselves gone down to the sea in ships. (p. 11). Lindsay was a lively reader but more in retrospect than in this book.

p. 12: Being fond of adventure, and having read as many works on the subject as most boys of my age, it was with great pleasure that I looked forward to hearing a lecture by commander Cheyne, R.N…. For days after I could not think of anything else. During study at night, I used to spend a good deal of time looking at a map of the Arctic seas, and picturing Melville Bay with its dangers. After leaving school, and while at college, I read Walter Scott’s “Pirate.” It told about the Orkneys and Shetlands, and its frequent allusions to the whaling industry set me thinking….

p. 21, during a long bout of seasickness enroute across Atlantic: My room was illuminated by a small light set in the deck overhead and by a partially submerged port, so it was not cheerful. Above my head there was a book shelf. I tried to read, but could not feel interested as it was so very depressing to look forward to months and months of this sort of thing.

p. 146, a passage about Greely when their ship stopped at Cape Sabine