Book Description

In 1894, Borchgrevink shipped on board the whaler Antarctic on its way to the Ross Sea, as a deckhand and part-time scientist. He took part in the historic landing at Cape Adare, and collected the first vegetation to be found within the Antarctic Circle. He traveled to London and under the financial sponsorship of Sir George Newnes, the wealthy publisher, sailed in 1898 as commander of the "Southern Cross" expedition. Before it was over, Borchgrevink laid claim to a number of firsts: the first time dogs were used on the Antarctic continent, a furthest south record, the first sledge journey on the Ross Ice Shelf. Perhaps today he would be best remembered as having discovered the northward movement of the Ross Ice Shelf and the emperor penguin rookery at Cape Crozier.