Pilgrims on the Ice: Robert Falcon Scott's First Antarctic Expedition

by T.H. Baughman

Robert Falcon Scott’s 1901–4 expedition to the Antarctic was a landmark event in the history of Antarctic exploration and created a sensation comparable to the Arctic efforts of the American Robert E. Peary. Scott’s initial expedition was also the first step toward the dramatic race to the South Pole in 1912 that resulted in the tragic deaths of Scott and his companions. Since then Scott’s reputation has vacillated between two extremes: Was he a martyred hero, the beau ideal of a brave and selfless explorer, or a bumbling fool whose mistakes killed him and his entire party? In this work, Antarctic historian T. H. Baughman goes beyond the personality of Scott to remove the first expedition from the shadow of the second, to study objectively its purpose, its composition, and its real accomplishments.

Genres: Nonfiction

334 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 1999

Reviews

[Emma Puranen]

This is the definitive (non-first-person-account) book on the Discovery expedition of 1901-1904. Baughman has deftly woven together sources from letters to expedition diaries (including plenty from the men, not just the officers!) to craft the story of this first "Heroic Age" expedition into what was then a truly unknown land. The first few chapters, about the influence of Sir Clements Markham and the tension between the Royal Society and Royal Geographical Society in getting the expedition up and running, provide essential scholarship on the science vs adventure conflict that puts the entire course of Heroic Age history in context. The book then goes chronologically through the expedition, investigating the what, how and why of the deeds and decisions of many men who would go on to become seminal figures in the annals of Antarctic history. New to me was the focus on the Discovery relief expeditions, interesting voyages in their own right, and the behind-the-scenes fundraising battles and eventual government involvement that led the expedition to end up in some serious debt. Baughman is thorough and even-handed, providing a brilliantly researched history. If you're interested in polar exploration history and want to look beyond Terra Nova and Endurance, this book provides an excellent foundation on what came before both. I will certainly be returning to this book, and its beautiful endnotes and sources section!