A Voyage Towards the South Pole, Performed in the Years 1822-24 Containing an Examination of the Antarctic Sea (1827).

Weddell, James. A reprint with a new Introduction by Sir Vivian Fuchs. Second edition. London: David & Charles Reprints, 1970.
  • 1822-24 Weddell Whaling Expeditions.
  • Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
 Preview 

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.

In a Crystal Land: Canadian Explorers in Antarctica

Beeby, Dean. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1994.
  • 1943-44 Canada Taberin Expedition.
  • Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
 Preview 

Despite the common publicity gimmick of the blurb about “the first to set their feet” or eyes on some piece of godforsaken territory, this is still a sound collection of stories about Canadian involvement in Antarctic exploration. Although Canada never mounted an expedition of its own, its citizens were leaders of important expeditions starting in the 1890s.

Voyages from Montreal, on the River St. Laurence, Through the Continent of North America, to the Frozen and Pacific Oceans; In the Years 1789 and 1793. With a Preliminary Account of the Rise, Progress, and Present State of the Fur Trade of that Country.

Mackenzie, Alexander, Sir. Philadelphia, PA: John Morgan, 1802.
  • 1789-93 Overland Voyages of Mackenzie Exploring the Far North.
  • Arctic Reading: Canada
 Preview 

Mackenzie was the first white man to cross the Rockies, discover the river named for him, following it to the Arctic Ocean, and to write the early history of the fur trade.

A Voyage Round the World by the Way of the Great South Sea, performed in the Years 1719, 20, 21, 22, in the Speedwell of London….

Shelvocke, George. London: Printed for J. Senex, 1726.
  • 1719-22 English Voyage around the World in War with Spanish Crown (George Shelvocke aboard Speedwell and other ships).
  • Global Circumnavigations and Cape Horn Transits.
  • Maritime Reading
 Preview 

p. 14-15: But having read in Frezier’s Voyage of the Island of St. Catherines, on the coast of Brazil, in the Latitude of 27, 30. So. which according to his account, afforded every thing we stood in need of, even without any expense, or, at least, in exchange for salt, which is very valuable there; and this being confirmed to me by one of my Officers…it was indisputably advisable to put in there….

Herman Melville’s Charles and Henry Book List, 1849

  • Maritime Reading
 Preview 

“Hardly the carefully ordered reading program of a university, but since Melville declared in Moby-Dick (Chapter 24) that ‘a whale-ship was my Yale College and my Harvard,’ this little library should be taken into account among his early formative influences.”

Farthest North.

Nansen, Fridtjof. Jan Krakauer, Series Editor. Introduction by Roland Huntford. New York, Modern Library, 1999.
  • 1893-96 Norwegian North Pole Expedition (Fridthof Nansen aboard Fram).
  • Arctic Reading: Europe including Scandinavia
 Preview 

On Nansen’s 1893-96 Fram expedition and the first wintering over.

The Cruise of the Florence; Or, Extracts from the Journal of the Preliminary Arctic Expedition of 1877-78.

Tyson, George E. Edited by Captain H. W. Howgate, U.S.A. Washington, DC: James J. Chapman, 1879.
  • 1877-78 US Preliminary Arctic Expedition for IPY 1881-84 (led by Howard Howgate).
  • Arctic Reading: United States
 Preview 

This expedition had three stated objectives, preparation for a colony at Lady Franklin Bay, collection of scientific data, and commercial whaling (p. 8-9). Despite Howgate’s description of books aboard Florence (see below), there are no references to reading in Tyson’s abstracts, though he has an engaging and easy-going style.

Personal communication from David H. W. Wilson, Emeritus Fellow, British Antarctic Survey, January 20, 2014.

Walton, David H. W.
  • 2013-14 Antarctic Study Cruises to Patagonia and Antarctica aboard Seabourn Quest.
  • Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
 Preview 

The late David Walton was a lecturer on this cruise and his description of library facilities on the cruise tells a good deal about changes in book and information provision aboard expeditionary ships, including commercial trips, in the 21st century.

Master of Desolation: The Reminiscences of Capt. Joseph J. Fuller.

Fuller, Joseph J. Edited with introduction and notes by Briton Cooper Busch. Mystic, CT: Mystic Seaport Museum, 1980.
  • 1873-75 American Kerguélen Sealing Expeditions.
  • Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
 Preview 

An informal account of a whaleman and two of his sealing voyages to the Kerguélen Islands, the first fairly routine [aboard Roswell King, 1873-75], the second a shipwreck [Pilot’s Bride, 1880-83] and a difficult period of survival there. He clearly was not a great reader but there are a few references.

Dr John Rae.

Richards, Robert L. Whitby, Yorkshire: Caedmon of Whitby Publishers, 1985.
  • Arctic Reading: General
 Preview 

p. 35: Rae happily spent the winter [1845] at York Factory. He built a ‘laboratory’ and occupied himself with meteorological observations and he taught some of his men to assist him. The company [HBC] maintained a small library at York and Rae used it to continue his study of natural history, botany, geology and other subjects.

The Greatest Show in the Arctic: The American Exploration of Franz Josef Land, 1898-1905.

Capelotti, P. J. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 2016.
  • 1898-1905 US Expeditions to Franz Josef Land (Wellman, Baldwin and Ziegler).
  • Arctic Reading: United States
 Preview 

A lengthy study of three incompetent American attempts on the North Pole from Franz Josef Land. The first left two Norwegians, hired by the American Wellman, isolated at Fort McKinley advised by second-in command Evelyn Briggs Baldwin, for the winter of 1898-99 on poor rations and little fuel for cooking or heat.

Danish Arctic Expeditions, 1605 to 1620. In Two Books: Book I. The Danish Expeditions to Greenland…; Book II. The Expedition of Captain Jens Munk.

Gosch, C.C.A. Edited, with Notes and Annotations by C.A. Gosch. Two Volumes. London: Hakluyt Society, 1897.
  • 1605-1620 Danish Arctic Expeditions.
  • Arctic Reading: Europe including Scandinavia
 Preview 

Book I: The Danish Expeditions to Greenland in 1605, 1606, and 1607; to which is Added Captain James Hall’s Voyage to Greenland in 1612.

“Samuel Hearne’s Accounts of the Massacre at Bloody Fall, 17 July 1771”

Maclaren, I. S. Ariel No. 1 (1991) 25-51.
  • Hudson's Bay Company.
  • Arctic Reading: Canada
 Preview 

By comparing Hearne’s field notes to the posthumous published vision of Hearne’s Journey, Maclaren calls into question the later Hearne account of the young woman at Bloody Fall. George Back was the first to call it into question. The horrid elaboration comes in the published version, not before, and indicates a good deal of editorial meddling. In his notes Hearne is only a neutral onlooker; in publication he is a reluctant participant.