Appendix to the Narrative of a second voyage in search of a north-west passage by Sir John Ross, with reports contributed by Sir James Ross, was published in this edition in 1835. It is part of the collection of Silvanus P. Thompson purchased in 1917 by the IET. You can find out more about Thompson, his work and his association with the IET here. The appendix was printed in fewer numbers than the full narrative and few copies survive.
In the early 19th century, the Northwest Passage was seen as the key to unlocking a shorter trade route between Europe and Asia. Britain invested heavily in Arctic expeditions to dominate global trade. Sir John Ross’s second voyage was funded by businessman Felix Booth after Ross’s first government-sponsored expedition ended with him failing to find the passage.
This second voyage, on the steamship Victory, was more successful and took in a number of important discoveries, including the identification of the magnetic North Pole by Ross’s nephew, James Clark Ross. The Appendix, a supplementary document to the voyage narrative, delves into the expedition’s scientific and ethnographic findings in detail. It covers meteorology, geology, botany, and zoology.
Ross’s encounters with the Inuit communities of the Arctic are also included in the Appendix. Unlike many explorers of his time, Ross documented Inuit culture with respect and curiosity. He recorded their survival strategies, hunting techniques, and social structures, as well as their interactions with the Arctic environment.
The book contains several coloured plates depicting people, fauna and flora in the Arctic. It is particularly important as a work of natural history containing detailed descriptions of animals whose behaviour and habitat had not previously been written about in such detail. Ross writes of the Arctic Fox:
“Inhabits the highest Northen latitudes through the winter, and is provided with the finest and thickest fur, to enable it to withstand the intense cold of those regions.”
“A Dog Fox that lived several months became so tame in a short time, that he regularly attended our dinner-table like a dog, and was always allowed to go at large about the cabin.”
Also of interest is the vocabulary table produced for the Appendix giving translations of English words into Danish and the Esquimaux language. For example fog translates to Taage in Danish and Pyök in Esquimaux.
Who was Sir John Ross?
Sir John Ross (1777–1856) was a Royal Naval officer and explorer who played a pivotal role in expanding Britain’s understanding of the Arctic. He was born in Stranraer, Scotland, and joined the Royal Navy in 1786, serving in the Mediterranean and the Baltic. Ross was wounded several times in his service, the most severe of these being in 1806 when boarding a Spanish vessel when he received wounds inflicted by a sabre and bayonet, as well as broken legs and a broken arm.
Ross is best known for his Arctic explorations, particularly his 1818 voyage in search of the Northwest Passage. Commanding HMS Isabella, he took the ship into Baffin Bay, charting regions that had been poorly mapped or entirely unknown. During this expedition, Ross made significant discoveries but faced criticism for prematurely abandoning the search, claiming that Lancaster Sound was blocked by mountains. This was the result of a mirage that appeared to show the mountains at the end of the strait. Ross named these fictional mountains the Croker Mountains in honour of John Wilson Croker, then first secretary of the Admiralty.
In 1829 Ross embarked on a second Arctic expedition aboard the steamship Victory. Despite their achievements, the expedition was a challenging one which included being icebound for four years. The crew eventually abandoned the Victory and returned to England. His second expedition cost three lives but brought Ross a knighthood from King William IV. However, Ross repeated the mistake of his first voyage and added several fictional islands to the expedition map which brought his credibility into question.
At the age of 72 Ross made a third voyage to the Arctic in search of Sir John Franklin and his expedition party that had been missing for years. Ross failed to find them and encountered problems with his own vessel. Returning via Greenland in 1851 Ross would claim that Frankling and his party were dead but this was not confirmed at the time. Ross died on a visit to London on 30 August 1856.
Sir James Clark Ross (1800–1862) was a British naval officer and explorer whose work in the Arctic and Antarctic significantly advanced our knowledge of polar science. Born in London on April 15, 1800, Ross joined the Royal Navy at the age of 12, following in the footsteps of his uncle, Sir John Ross. His first major expedition came in 1818 with his Uncle, as part of an effort to find the Northwest Passage, a sea route linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
The highlight of Ross’s career came with his leadership of the 1839–1843 British Antarctic Expedition. Commanding the ships Erebus and Terror, Ross and his crew discovered the Ross Sea, the Ross Ice Shelf (the largest ice shelf on earth), and Mount Erebus, an active volcano. These discoveries laid the foundation for future Antarctic research and exploration.
Ross’s contributions extended beyond exploration and he conducted important scientific observations on geomagnetism, helping to map Earth’s magnetic field. His work earned him numerous honours, including a knighthood in 1844. After retiring from active service Ross remained a respected figure in scientific circles. He died on April 3, 1862.
By Daniel Simkin,
Deputy Library Manager
References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ross_(Royal_Navy_officer)
Collection reference: SPT/RB/FOL/55