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Mapping Ernest Shackleton's Quest For The South Pole

Rare separately published example of the map illustrating Ernest Shackleton's attempt to reach the South Pole in 1908-1909.

Stretching from the waters just east of Cape Wilson on South Georgia Island, the map tracks Shackleton's route up Beardmore Glacier and through the King Edward VII Plateau, to his southernmost point at South Lat. 88º 23' Long. 162º East, the furthest point reached to date in the quest for the South Pole.

The British Antarctic Expedition of 1907, often referred to as the Nimrod Expedition, was a milestone in the annals of polar exploration. Led by Ernest Shackleton, it was the first of three expeditions to the Antarctic led by him. This expedition was crucial in laying down the groundwork for subsequent explorations, including Shackleton's own later ventures. It also marked a significant leap in scientific understanding of the Antarctic region. 

The trek shown on the map was the culminating part of the expedition.  The map charts the principal southern route of the endeavor to reach the Antarctic South Pole in January 1909, which included Ernest Shackleton, Jameson Boyd Adams, Frank Wild, and Eric Marshall, a surgeon skilled in cartography who is also credited with creating this map. Initially, their journey was assisted by Manchurian ponies for hauling supplies, but as the ponies perished, the team's progress was hindered. Challenges compounded due to inclement weather and the uncharted nature of their path.

As provisions dwindled by late December 1908, Shackleton and his team made a desperate bid for the Pole, lightening their load, but the attempt was futile, leaving them approximately 100 miles short of their destination. The return was fraught with adversity, marked by scant food reserves and illness among the crew, but all managed to reach their ship, the Nimrod, and navigate back to safety.

While Shackleton's venture did not achieve its ultimate goal and was eclipsed by Roald Amundsen's successful polar conquest a few years later, the Nimrod Expedition remains a remarkable achievement.  

Rarity

This is the first time we have seen a separately published example of this map.

We note that the catalog entry for the University of Chicago calls this state a Printer's Proof.

Locations:  University of Chicago, National Library of Australia, Library of Congress, Penn State, Newberry Library, State Library of New South Wales and University of Reading.