Synopses & Reviews
Bringing together thirty years' work on arctic whaling, Ross's invaluable text supplements Margaret Penny's journal to present a complete picture not only of this particular expedition but of arctic whaling in general. Ross provides illuminating insights into the principal characters, the mechanics and strategy of whaling, life aboard ship, the climate and geography of the Arctic, the struggle for survival in the North, and the relationship between the Inuit and Europeans. The unique combination of Margaret Penny's unabridged journal and Ross's extensive knowledge of whaling makes This Distant and Unsurveyed Country an invaluable resource and an unforgettable tale of adventure.
Review
"I was impressed with the way Ross leads us into the life of the Penny family, the whaling industry, the Inuit culture. His commentary on each entry by Margaret Penny is in fact a self-contained essay on some dimension of the voyage. Although, as a woman, Margaret Penny lacked an authoritative voice, Ross gives her that voice, turning a set of restrained observations into an engaging document." Ronald Rompkey, Department of English, Memorial University "An exceptionally fine book. While the journal is quite important on its own, the book's greatest value is as a vehicle providing Ross an opportunity to share his own vast and detailed knowledge of arctic whaling in general and William Penny specifically. Ross's knowledge of arctic whaling is exceptional and seemingly inexhaustible. His style is engaging, reflective, humane, and appropriately humorous. This is truly the work of a mature scholar at his peak." Richard C. Davis, Department of English, University of Calgary
Synopsis
In 1857 Margaret Penny set off from Aberdeen, Scotland, with her husband, Captain William Penny, aboard the whaler Lady Franklin on a wintering voyage to what is now the eastern Canadian Arctic. Wives of British captains rarely sailed with their husbands and Margaret Penny was one of the few women to break with tradition, becoming the first European woman to winter at Baffin Island. Incorporating the journal she kept during the expedition with commentary by W. Gillies Ross, This Distant and Unsurveyed Country recreates nineteenth-century Baffin Island for the modern reader and provides a unique perspective on arctic whaling, the Canadian Arctic, and the interaction between Inuit and European culture at the time of the voyage.
Description
w5w5 Includes bibliographical references : p. [241]-249.