William Laird McKinlay (1889–1983)

Non-fiction written by the meteorologist and magnetologist of the ill-fated 1913 Canadian arctic expedition led initially by Viljhalmar Stefansson. It covers much more ground than solely what happened to cause this expedition to go horribly wrong. It is a fascinating story of a journey that was doomed from the start due to lack of planning and questionable leadership. It is a tale of resolve, courage, and endurance in the face of the extremes of arctic winter. Some survived against the odds. Others did not.

McKinlay calls attention to Stefansson’s abandonment of the Karluk’s crew, ostensibly to find food. He did not return, but showed up years later having discovered several islands, for which he was publicly lauded. This did not sit well with McKinlay. He wanted to set the record straight and recognize the heroism of Captain Robert Bartlett whom he credits with saving the lives of the remaining company. This book was published in 1976, when McKinlay was 88, relying on his journals, the journals of other participants, and interviews.

McKinlay’s account is straight-forward, tightly focused, compelling, and well-written. His account forms a harrowing tale of the struggle for survival, the constant hunt for food to stave off starvation, dealing with the elements, battling a puzzling disease, and figuring out how to get along with each other. It became increasingly difficult to fight isolation and loneliness. Working together became a challenge and led to tragedies.

I tend to devour these types of memoirs. It is astounding to me what these early explorers were able to accomplish, especially considering the equipment and clothing of the era, not to mention the lack of ability to easily communicate with the rest of the world. Recommended to those interested in the history of exploration or memoirs of survival in extreme conditions.

Memorable Quotes:
“So there we were, on 11 January 1914, perched on an ice floe in the Arctic Ocean, twenty-two men, one woman, two children, sixteen dogs and a cat.” (A cat – who knew cats were such intrepid arctic explorers? This is the second arctic-related book I’ve read recently that features a cat.)

“At night-time the condensation froze, and we slept in a miniature ice palace, crystals sparkling in the light, gleaming icicles hanging from the deck above, some several inches long.” (Expressively written for a scientist!)
… (mais)