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Table of Contents

I am glad to have this opportunity of presenting to a wide public an outline of the essential facts and problems of Polar Exploration. It is not more than introductory to a more comprehensive book which I hope to write when some leisure is afforded from the more real work of exploration and research. I must also note that it is not intended to be in any way a history of Polar Exploration.

The book is simply a "traveller's sample," revealing to some extent what is in the great "warehouse" of the Polar Regions. It is based, firstly, on the author's personal experiences during nine polar voyages—two to the Antarctic Regions, viz. in 1892–93 and 1902–04; seven to the Arctic Regions, viz. in 1896–97, in 1898 (two), in 1899, 1906, 1907, and 1909; secondly, on many personal conversations with living polar explorers during the past twenty years, including several conversations and correspondence with the veteran Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker, O.M., who accompanied Sir James Clark Ross on his ever-memorable Antarctic voyage from 1839–1843, as well as conversation and correspondence with the leaders and many members of the staffs of every recent polar expedition.

​Consequently the personal note predominates, and those parts of the Polar Regions which the author has visited are dealt with in greater detail than those which he has not yet had an opportunity of visiting. But the attempt is made to deal with facts and problems that are of general rather than local interest.

I have to acknowledge kindly help in the production of this little book. Dr. R. N. Rudmose Brown has revised the text, especially the botanical section, and framed the index ; Mr. J. Y. Buchanan, Mr. R. T. Omond, and Mr. J. Boland have revised the sections dealing with the Physics of the Sea, Meterology, and Astronomy. Mrs. Bruce has been my amanuensis throughout.

William S. Bruce.

Scottish Oceanographical Laboratory Edinburgh, 1911

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