MURRAY, George Francis Arthur (1858-1911), editor. The Antarctic Manual for the Use of the Expedition of 1901. With a Preface by Sir Clements R. Markham. London: Royal Geographical Society, 1901.
8vo. Half-title, 3 folding maps in rear pocket. Original blue cloth gilt (spine gently darkened, a few discrete professional touch up to ends).
FIRST EDITION, edited by George Murray at Sir Clements Markham’s suggestion, and compiled for the use of Scott and his men on the British National Antarctic Expedition of 1901-1904 that acted as a compendium of “the most important about the Antarctic known before the expedition started” (Taurus). It includes articles, papers, and extracts by Admiral M’Clintock, Arctowski and Gerlache, Bernacchi and Borchgrevink, and Hugh Mill, as well as extracts from the Antarctic diaries of Dumont d'Urville, John Biscoe and John Balleny. Subjects include: Geography, Climate, the Aurora, Geology, Zoology, Botany, and sledge-traveling. George Murray, then the head of the British Museum Department of Botany, sailed on Discovery as far as Cape Town. Conrad p. 119; Rosove 235.A1; Spence 829; Taurus 39.