Frank Wild

Mills, Leif. . Whitby, Yorkshire: Caedmon, 1999.
  • Antarctic Reading: General
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Frank Wild served widely in Antarctica on various expeditions including the first Scott voyage of Discovery, with Mawson’s 1912-13 expedition, Shackleton’s Imperial Trans-Antarctic attempt with Endurance, and finally taking over Shackleton’s Quest expedition when Shackleton died. His finest achievement was leading the 22 unhappy explorers marooned on Elephant Island in 1916, for the 105 days while Shackleton was struggling to South Georgia. Mills’ book is a sound if somewhat solemn biography of a remarkable leader.

Newspaper clipping

New Zealand Press. SPRI MS 7354/1 BPC leaf 13.
  • 1901-04 British National Antarctic Expedition (Scott aboard Discovery).
  • Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
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Clipping from this newspaper in SPRI speaking of the “pretentious library” aboard Discovery, and noting that Shackleton had organized it. Probably from the period when Discovery was in Lyttleton, NZ November 1901. See above under Discovery.

A Voyage of Discovery and Research in the Southern and Antarctic Regions, during the Year 1839-43.

Ross, James Clark. Two volumes. London: John Murray, 1847.
  • 1839-42 British Antarctic Expedition (James Clark Ross/Terror and Erebus).
  • Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
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The author, who discovered the north magnetic pole on an earlier expedition, here describes his Antarctic voyages, in part in search for the south magnetic pole, in the ships Erebus and Terror. 'Ross' experience, daring and good luck combined to provide the first detailed, close-up and prolonged examination of Antarctica. . . He penetrated 7 degrees further south than Cook and 4 degrees further south than Weddell. Scott, Shackleton, Amundsen and Byrd all followed in his large footsteps. . . These men were heroes.' Joseph Hooker was aboard as naturalist and John Edward Davis was responsible for many of the illustrations.

The Natural History of the Sperm Whale…, to which is Added, a Sketch of a South-Sea Whaling Voyage.

Beale, Thomas. London: John van Voorst, 1839.
  • Whalemen's Reading
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Part I is a scientific and fairly analytic description of the sperm whale, from physiology to diet to reproductive systems. Part II on the voyage begins in October 1830, observing no land between England and Cape Horn, where the Fuegians despite the gloomy terrain and wretched conditions “seem to possess a considerable share of that inestimable blessing—happiness” (p. 200). It is both charming and frightening in its description of certain adventures, and very good at describing the extremes of ennui and excitement.

The Press-Gang Afloat and Ashore.

Hutchinson, John Robert. (London: Eveleigh Nash, 1913).
  • Arctic Reading: Great Britain
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p. 42-3, describes the life of an impressed seaman: With books he was for many years ‘very scantily supplied.’ It was not till 1812, indeed, that the Admiralty, shocked by the discovery that he had practically nothing to elevate his mind but daily association with the quarter-deck, began to pour into the fleet copious supplies of literature for his use. Thereafter the sailor could beguile his leisure with such books as the Old Chaplain’s Farewell Letter, Wilson’s Maxims, The Whole Duty of Man, Secker’s Duties of the Sick, and, lest returning health should dissipate the piety begotten of his ailments, Gibson’s Advice after Sickness. Thousands of pounds were spent upon this improving literature, which was distributed to the fleet in strict accordance with the amount of storage room available at the various dockyards. [Footnote: Ad. Accountant-General, Misc. (Various), No. 106—Accounts of the Rev. Archdeacon Owen, Chaplain-General to the Fleet, 1812-7.]

To the Pole: The Diary and Notebook of Richard E. Byrd, 1925-1927.

Byrd, Richard Evelyn. Edited by Raimund E. Goerler. Columbus, Ohio: Ohio State University Press [1996].
  • 1928-30 First U.S. Antarctic Expedition (Byrd on City of New York).
  • Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
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Goerler’s edition has nothing to do with Antarctica other than Byrd’s having read about Scott’s death on returning from the South Pole:

A Personal Narrative of the Discovery of the North-West Passage…while in Search of the Expedition under Sir John Franklin.

Armstrong, Alexander. (London: Hurst and Blackett, 1857).
  • 1848-59 The Franklin Search.
  • Arctic Reading: Great Britain
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The Voyage of Investigator, with Capt. McClure, which separated from its consorts early in the trip, and struck off independently “with a firm reliance on a merciful Providence, and full confidence in our resources” (p. 74). Armstrong was the surgeon and naturalist aboard the Investigator.

James Eights, 1798-1882: Antarctic Explorer, Albany Naturalist, His Life, His Times, His Works.

McKinley, Daniel L. Albany, NY: State Education Department, 2005. New York Museum Bulletin 505.
  • 1829-30 First Preliminary US Exploring Expedition (Annawan and Seraph with Captains Nathaniel Palmer and Benjamin Pendleton).
  • Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
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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.

Scott and Amundsen: Duel in the Ice.

Langner, Rainer-K. Translated by Timothy Beech. London: Haus Publishing, 2007. Originally published in Frankfort in 2001.
  • 1910-14 British National Antarctic Expedition (Scott on Terra Nova).
  • Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
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A concise and fairly superficial retelling of the Antarctic story from the Belgica to Scott’s death. It does emphasize, as others often ignore, Amundsen’s reliance on his Polar reading for his preparation.

The Floating Republic

Manwaring, George Ernest. . By George Manwaring and Bonamy Dobrée. New York: Augustus M. Kelley, 1966.
  • Arctic Reading: General
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p. 15, on belowdecks life for British seamen: There was no leisure, no leave, no books, to qualify their miserable existence:* there was nothing to make a man feel himself a human being. [Footnote*: In 1812 a shocked Admiralty provided libraries, and the seaman’s life was rendered gayer by the availability of such books as the Old Chaplain’s Farewell Letter, The Whole Duty of Man, andAdvice after Sickness. (Hutchinson, 43.)

Americans in Antarctica, 1775-1948.

Bertrand, Kenneth J. New York: American Geographical Society, 1971.
  • 1838-42 U.S. Exploring Expedition (Wilkes).
  • Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
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With some anomalies, this is a remarkably sound guide to American exploration in the Antarctic.

Statistische und ethnographische Nachrichten uber die russischen Besitzungen an der Nordwestkuste von Amerika.

Wrangell, Ferdinand Petrovich, baron. St. Petersburg, 1839.
  • Arctic Reading: Canada
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An important work relating to the Northwest Coast, with much material concerning the native tribes of Alaska and the Indians of the Northwest, including quite detailed explanations of the Aleutian language and vocabularies of two California tribes. Wrangel was appointed governor of Russian America in 1827 and deserves much credit for initiating the development of civilization in Alaska. He was responsible for surveying much of the Northwest Coast, commenced the building of roads and other internal improvements, reformed the administration, and promoted missionary work among the natives. He foresaw the great future of Alaska and was keenly aware of the need for inducements for capitalistic investment there. He opened and regulated the operation of mines in Alaska, introduced potato culture, and urged the mother country to organize a fur company. This work is a compendium of valuable ethnographic and geographic data, and in addition to Wrangel's work, includes Father Veniaminov's description of Aleut character, a vocabulary of the Kuskikvims, and a survey of American sources regarding the peoples of the Northwest Coast. Also found herein is a description of the climate of Sitka and other locations in Alaska, and an interesting comparative vocabulary of eight Northwest Coast tribes. The folding map depicts the mainland of Alaska and the adjoining islands. A nice copy of a scarce work about Russian Alaska, and a mine of Northwest Coast ethnographic data. The NUC locates nine copies of this work. HOWES W689, "aa." SABIN 105519, 2711 (refs). LADA-MOCARSKI 106. WICKERSHAM 5875. APPLETON'S

Children of the Light: The Rise and Fall of New Bedford Whaling and the Death of the Arctic Fleet

Allen, Everett S. Boston: Little, Brown, 1973.
  • Maritime Reading
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A somewhat elegiac tale of the decline of whaling and New Bedford, contrasted with descriptions of the life of the Inuit, before and after the coming of the whalers to the Beaufort Sea area. Main focus at end is on the disastrous season at Pt. Barrow of the whaling fleet which abandoned over 25 ships, but managed to rescue over 1200 whalemen.