When Eric landed in Greenland he was not in search of cryolite for aluminium. When Cabral sailed to Porto Seguro he knew nothing of the incandescent gas-mantle. When Oersted looped the live wire round the magnetic needle he was not bent on founding electrical engineering. And when Linnæus noticed the sleep of plants he had no intention of providing a substitute for a clock in high latitudes where, though the sunshine is continuous during the summer, the plants within the Circle sleep as in the night time, their sleeping leaves telling the traveller that midnight is at hand.

Men have made up their minds to reach the Pole, and thither they will go. What they will find when they get there may not promise to be much, but what they have found round about it has been enough to influence considerably the history of the world.

W. J. G.

July, 1907.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I
PAGE
SPITSBERGEN[1]
CHAPTER II
SPITSBERGEN (continued)[24]
CHAPTER III
NOVAYA ZEMLYA[49]
CHAPTER IV
FRANZ JOSEF LAND[64]
CHAPTER V
CAPE CHELYUSKIN[84]
CHAPTER VI
THE LENA DELTA[106]
CHAPTER VII
BERING STRAIT[127]
CHAPTER VIII
THE AMERICAN MAINLAND[146]
CHAPTER IX
THE PARRY ISLANDS[170]
CHAPTER X
BOOTHIA[190]
CHAPTER XI
BAFFIN BAY[215]
CHAPTER XII
SMITH SOUND[235]
CHAPTER XIII
GREENLAND[259]
INDEX[287]

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

"Done up"[Frontispiece]
From Nansen's First Crossing of Greenland (Longmans)
TO FACE PAGE
The Summit of Oraefa[2]
From a photograph
Columbus[4]
From the portrait at Versailles
Samoyeds and their Dwellings[10]
From Hartwig's Polar World (Longmans)
Franz Josef Fiord[14]
From a drawing by Lieutenant Julius Payer
Whalers among Icebergs[30]
From Hartwig's Polar World (Longmans)
Sir John Franklin[34]
From Le Tour du Monde, 1860 (Hachette)
Track of H.M.S. "Dorothea" and "Trent"[36]
From A Voyage of Discovery towards the North Pole, performed in His Majesty's Ships "Dorothea" and "Trent," under the command of Capt. David Buchan, R.N., 1818, by Capt. F. W. Beechey, R.N., F.R.S. (Richard Bentley, 1843.)
Parry Camped on the Ice[40]
From Captain Parry's Narrative, 1828 (Murray)
Parry's Boats among the Hummocks[42]
From Captain Parry's Narrative, 1828 (Murray)
How our Ship stuck fast in the Ice[50]
From A True Description, by Gerrit de Veer (Hakluyt Society, 1853)
How we nearly got into trouble with the Sea-horses[56]
From A True Description, by Gerrit de Veer (Hakluyt Society, 1853)
Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld[90]
From a photograph
Fridtjof Nansen[96]
With autograph. From a photograph supplied by himself
Reindeer[112]
By permission. From Short Stalks, by Edward Buxton (Stanford)
Samoyed Man[114]
From Seebohm's Siberia in Asia (Murray)
Ostiak Man[116]
From Seebohm's Siberia in Asia (Murray)
The Face of the Fur Seal[130]
From The Seal Islands of Alaska, by Henry W. Elliott (Washington, 1881)
The Aleutian Islands[132]
From Hartwig's Polar World (Longmans). From an original Sketch by Frederick Whymper
Driving the Fur Seal[134]
From The Seal Islands of Alaska, by Henry W. Elliott (Washington, 1881)
Fur Seals at Sea[136]
From The Seal Islands of Alaska, by Henry W. Elliott (Washington, 1881)
The Parka of the Alaskan Innuits[138]
From Whymper's Alaska (Sampson Low)
The Frozen Yukon[140]
From Whymper's Alaska (Sampson Low)
Ascending the Yukon[142]
From Whymper's Alaska (Sampson Low)
Moose-hunting on the Yukon[144]
From Whymper's Alaska (Sampson Low)
Mahlemut Man[146]
From Whymper's Alaska (Sampson Low)
Winter Travelling on the Great Slave Lake[150]
From Franklin's Journey to the Polar Sea, 1819-22 (Murray, 1823)
Crossing Point Lake[152]
From Franklin's Journey to the Polar Sea, 1819-22 (Murray, 1823)
Kutchin Indians[154]
From Hartwig's Polar World (Longmans). From an original sketch by Frederick Whymper
Preparing an Encampment on the Barren Grounds[156]
From Franklin's Journey to the Polar Sea, 1819-22 (Murray, 1823)
Sir John Richardson[158]
With autograph, from a letter in the possession of Edward Whymper
Back's Journey down the Great Fish River[160]
From Back's Arctic Land Expedition to the mouth of the Great Fish River in the years 1833, 1834, and 1835 (Murray, 1836)
Sir William Edward Parry[170]
With autograph, from a letter in the possession of Edward Whymper
Sir John Barrow[178]
With autograph
H.M.S. "Hecla" and "Griper" in Winter Harbour[180]
From A Voyage for the Discovery of a North-west Passage, by Capt. Parry (Murray, 1821)
Parry's Discoveries on his First Voyage[182]
From A Voyage for the Discovery of a North-west Passage, by Captain Parry (Murray, 1821)
An Igloolik Eskimo carrying his Kayak[190]
From Parry's Second Voyage (Murray, 1824)
Parry's farthest on his Third Voyage[192]
From Parry's Third Voyage (Murray, 1826)
The "Victory"[194]
From Sir J. Ross's Arctic Expedition, 1829-33 (Webster, 1835)
North Hendon[196]
From Sir J. Ross's Arctic Expedition, 1829-33 (Webster, 1835)
Eskimo listening at a Seal-hole[198]
From Parry's Second Voyage (Murray, 1824)
H.M.S. "Terror" lifted by Ice[202]
From Hartwig's Polar World (Longmans)
Fractured Stern-post of H.M.S. "Terror"[204]
From Capt. Back's Narrative, 1838 (Murray)
The "Fox" escaping from the pack[208]
From M'Clintock's Voyage of the "Fox"
The "Fox" on a rock[210]
From M'Clintock's Voyage of the "Fox"
Discovery of the Cairn[212]
From M'Clintock's Voyage of the "Fox"
Sir Martin Frobisher[216]
From The Three Voyages of Martin Frobisher (Hakluyt Society, 1867)
Eskimo awaiting a Seal[222]
From Hartwig's Polar World (Longmans)
A Greenlander in his Kayak[224]
From Le Tour du Monde, 1868 (Hachette)
Baffin Bay in 1819[232]
From A Voyage of Discovery, by Capt. John Ross (Longmans, 1819)
Dr. E. K. Kane[234]
From the Frontispiece to Kane's Arctic Explorations, 1856
Kalutunah[236]
From Le Tour du Monde, 1868 (Hachette)
The East Coast of Smith Sound[238]
From Hayes' Open Polar Sea (Sampson Low)
Dr. I. I. Hayes[240]
By permission, from Hayes' Open Polar Sea
The Shores of Kennedy Channel[242]
From Hayes' Open Polar Sea
Tyndall Glacier[244]
From Hayes' Open Polar Sea
A Seal in Danger[246]
From Parry's Second Voyage for the Discovery of a North-west Passage (Murray, 1824)
Sir George Nares[248]
From a photograph
Sledges used by Sir Leopold M'Clintock and Sir George Nares[254]
(In the collection of Edward Whymper)
Bishop Paul Egede[258]
From the Frontispiece to Efterretninger om Grönland (Copenhagen)
Greenlanders[260]
From Hartwig's Polar World (Longmans)
On level ground[262]
Nansen's First Crossing of Greenland (Longmans)
The Allan Liner "Sardinian" among Icebergs[264]
From a photograph
The "Germania" in the Ice[266]
From Le Tour du Monde, 1874 (Hachette)
The Region round Mount Petermann[268]
From a drawing by Lieutenant Julius Payer
The Last Days of the "Hansa"[270]
From Le Tour du Monde, 1874 (Hachette)
Robert E. Peary[280]
With autograph, from a letter in the possession of Edward Whymper From Nearest the Pole, by Commander Peary. By permission of Hutchinson and Co.

SECTIONAL MAPS

1.Spitsbergen[12]
2.Cape Chelyuskin[84]
3.The Lena Delta[106]
4.Bering Strait[128]
5.The Parry Islands[174]
6.Greenland[272]