Antarctique

1906 · ANTARCTI024617 — William Blackwood Edinburgh and London. 1906. First edition. Prefatory Note by William S. Bruce. Octavo. pp xxiv 375. Numerous black-and-white photographs; two folding maps one at rear. Original slate-grey pictorial cloth lettered in white. An account of the Scottish Antarctic Expedition 1902-1905. Peter Speak author of William Speirs Bruce: Polar Explorer and Scottish Nationalist 2003 describes the expedition as "by far the most cost-effective and carefully planned scientific expedition of the Heroic Age" and yet it received no formal honour or recognition from the British government and its members were denied even the prestigious Polar Medal. A major achievement of the expedition was the cataloguing of more than 1100 species of animal life 212 of them previously unknown to science. R.H. Rudmose Brown was the chief botanist. Presentation copy inscribed on the half-title page: "With the kind regards of R.N. Rudmose Brown" and with a short inscription on the headed notepaper of The University Sheffield: "To Mr Hendrickson with happy memories of a day in Green Harbour - R N Rudmose Brown". The recipient Peder Leonard Henrickson 1859-1932 was a harpooner and because of his extensive experience of hunting in Arctic waters was taken on by Fridjof Nansen for the 1893-6 Norwegian Polar Expedition on board the Fram. J. Arthur Bain in his Fridtjof Nansen: His Life and Explorations 1895 describes him thus: "He is a tall square-built man of exceptional physical powers which have often been severely tested. When off Novaya Zemlya in 1888 the schooner Enigheden of Christiansund on which he was harpooner became a total wreck. The storm continuing he was compelled to remain on deck for several days during which he was literally encased in ice. He at last managed to crawl ashore and report says 'was able to thaw and dry his clothes.' His herculean strength has enabled him to endure all hardships and he entered on his latest voyage with an iron constitution and strong resolve." Green Harbour or Gr�nfjorden in Norwegian lies on the southern side of Isfjorden on Spitsbergen's west coast. Rudmose Brown published a book Spitsbergen: An Account of Exploration Hunting the Mineral Riches & Future Potentialities of an Arctic Archipelago 1920 and presumably he met Hendricksen during the course of his researches. Most of the white enamel lettering on the spine had flaked off but is intact together with the illustration on the upper cover. Three closed tears to the folds of the last large map about 5-6cm each. Bump to top corner of front cover. Top corner of the text block of the first few pages slightly bumped. Overall a very good copy indeed. William Blackwood, Edinburgh and London. hardcover