The search for a Northwest Passage, connecting the Atlantic and the Pacific was one of the great maritime challenges, and it was not until the 1850s that the first one-way partial transit of the passage was made. This book charts the remarkable contribution to Arctic exploration made by the Scots whose role has often been overlooked.
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Summary
The search for a Northwest Passage, connecting the Atlantic and the Pacific was one of the great maritime challenges, and it was not until the 1850s that the first one-way partial transit of the passage was made. This book charts the remarkable contribution to Arctic exploration made by the Scots whose role has often been overlooked.
Description
Surprisingly, the remarkable story of the Scottish role in the discovery of the Northwest Passage a long desired trade route connecting the Atlantic and Pacific has not received a great deal of attention.
This book charts the extensive contribution to Arctic exploration made by the Scots, including significant names, such as John Ross from Stranraer, veteran of three Arctic expeditions; his nephew, James Clark Ross, the most experienced Arctic and Antarctic explorer of his generation and discoverer of the Magnetic North Pole; John Richardson of Dumfries, a medical doctor, seasoned explorer and engaging natural historian; and Orcadian John Rae, who discovered evidence of the grisly demise of John Franklin and his crew. The book also pays tribute to many others too: the Scotch Irish, the whalers and not least the Inuit, with whom the Scottish explorers cooperated and generally enjoyed good relations, relying on their knowledge of the environment in many crucial cases.
The awakening of the Scots to the magnificence and dread of the hyperborean regions as places of discovery, of inspiration and, regrettably, of exploitation is traced, with particular emphasis on the first half of the nineteenth century until the search for the missing Franklin expedition mid-century.
Critic Reviews
'A fine book that helps put right a significant historical oversight: the lack of recognition awarded by their peers and by posterity to the contributions made by Scots to Arctic exploration'
-- Ken Lussey Undiscovered Scotland'A splendid piece of compelling narrative history'
-- Allan Massie The Scotsman'[an] extraordinary tome... Cowan's writing is lucid and engaging, and the concise chapters are easy to digest'
-- Rosie Morton Scottish Field'A narrative that charts the remarkable — yet often overlooked or misidentified — Scottish contribution to Arctic exploration... For anyone fascinated by Scottish history or hungry for tales of Arctic adventure, Northern Lights is a vivid new addition to the rich tradition of polar narratives.'
Country BookshelfAbout the Author
Edward J. Cowan was formerly Professor of Scottish History at the University of Glasgow and Director of the university's Dumfries Campus. He previously taught at the Universities of Edinburgh and Guelph, Ontario. A fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, he died in December 2021.
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