The North West Passage : Being the Record of a Voyage of Exploration of the Ship Gjøa 1903–1907

Finding a way through the North-West Passage had defeated Arctic explorers during the nineteenth century. First published in Norwegian in 1907, and reissued here in its 1908 English translation, this copiously illustrated two-volume work by Roald Amundsen (1872–1928) recounts the first successful navigation of this challenging sea route.

From an early age Roald Amundsen (1872–1928) was determined to be an explorer. Having gained valuable experience on the Belgian Antarctic Expedition (1897–9), he resolved to conquer the North-West Passage. After three years, using a small fishing vessel, the Gjøa, and only six crew, Amundsen succeeded in reaching Nome, Alaska. First published in Norwegian in 1907, and reissued here in its 1908 English translation, this two-volume account is copiously illustrated with photographs. Volume 1 describes how the ship was chosen and its departure from Norway in June 1903. The men spent two winters on King William Island, learning much about survival from the local Inuit. The observatory they established collected magnetic data for almost two years as well as meteorological data, both of which added greatly to existing Arctic knowledge. Sledge journeys ascertained that the position of the North Magnetic Pole had changed little for more than seventy years.