In the Shadow of the Pole: An Early History of Arctic Expeditions, 1871-1912

by S.L. Osborne

In the Shadow of the Pole explains how the Arctic came to be part of Canada.

In the Shadow of the Pole tells the history of how the Arctic became part of Canada and how the Dominion government established jurisdiction there. It describes the early expeditions to Canada’s North, including the little-known Dominion government expeditions to the Subarctic and Arctic carried out between 1884 and 1912. The men on these expeditions conducted scientific research, meteorological studies, geological explorations, and hydrographic surveys. They informed the people they met there of Canada’s jurisdiction in the region and raised the flag from Hudson Bay to Ellesmere Island. These men endured as much hardship and adventure as Peary, Nansen, Amundsen, and other famous polar explorers, yet their expeditions were not widely publicized, and they received no glory for their efforts. This book delves into the story of the remarkable Canadian men who led these expeditions.

Genres: History

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

S.L. Osborne wrote her Master of Journalism thesis on Captain Joseph-Elzéar Bernier’s contribution to Arctic sovereignty, but realized that Bernier was only part of the story. Her interest in Bernier and his flag raising activities in the Arctic Archipelago blossomed into an obsession with Canadian Arctic history. She subsequently spent three years scouring archival material, old newspapers, original expedition reports, and explorers’ firsthand accounts to compile a story that anyone interested in the North should know.
She has worked as a freelance writer for various federal government departments, and is currently the publications officer at the Ottawa Hospital Foundation. S.L. Osborne lives in Ottawa.

Reviews

[David James · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exceptionally well written account of a period in Arctic exploration history that generally gets overlooked. At a time when Amundsen was crossing the Northwest Passage and Peary and Cook were racing to the Pole, Canadian explorers were engaged in the more mundane tasks of mapping the Arctic Archipelago and establishing their nation's sovereignty over the northern islands. These are the tales of highly competent men (and one woman) who trekked north and accomplished much for their country with remarkably little loss of life or injury.

Osborne is a wonderful storyteller who has researched this history well, and she brings the characters and the world they explored vividly to life. For Arctic history freaks who have scoured numerous volumes on Franklin, Ross, Amundsen, and other famed voyagers and are looking for something new, this book offers an entirely different piece of the story. Kudos to Osborne for her fine work.

[Robert Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a very valuable addition to the history of the Canadian North and provides an understanding of how the Arctic land mass and islands came into possession of Canada. This is especially relevant today as many "interests" are coveting the vast deposits of oil, gas and minerals now known to be there. The Author's research details the many Expeditions sent to the Arctic and the long arduous process of actually claiming the large and small islands and setting up the Port of Churchill on Hudson Bay. Very good read.

[René · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the early chapters of this book have few details on how life was lived in such extreme conditions, it is a fascinating book which puts us into these daring explorers' trials and errors in less-than-ideal circumstances. A must-read for fans of Canadian history and its part into the discovery of the earth's last frontier.