Round About the North Pole

by W. J. Gordon

BY EDWARD WHYMPER

NEW YORK

E. P. DUTTON AND COMPANY

31 West Twenty-third Street

1907

Printed in Great Britain

PREFACE

Among the many books about the Polar regions there is none quite like this, dealing with the gradual progress of exploration towards the north along the different areas of advance within the Arctic Circle.

The subject is always interesting, for few regions have been the scene of more persistent effort and exciting adventure and unexpected gains from the unknown, particularly in the earlier days when the endeavour to find the northern passages to the east and west led to the beginning of our foreign trade.

It is often asked, "What is the use of further Arctic discovery?" No one knows. Nor did any one know the use of most discoveries before they were made.