First on the Antarctic Continent Being an Account of the British Antarctic Expedition 1898-1900

London: George Newnes Limited, 1901. First edition. Hardcover. Borchgrevink led the "Southern Cross" expedition, the first expedition to winter on the Antarctic mainland. Borchgrevink was an amateur adventurer and explorer, born in Norway in 1864 and migrated to Australia in 1888. In 1894, Borchgrevink shipped on board the whaler Antarctic on its way to the Ross Sea as a deckhand and part-time scientist. He took part in the historic landing at Cape Adare, and collected the first vegetation to be found within the Antarctic Circle. He travelled to London and under the financial sponsorship of Sir George Newnes, the wealthy publisher, sailed in 1898 in Southern Cross. He spent the first winter on the continent and made the first sledge journey on the Ross Ice Shelf. Spence 152; Rosove 45.A1.

8vo, 333 pp, frontis. & many full pp plts. & ills. throughout text, 3 maps at the end. Secondary binding in orig. red & gilt cloth, very slightly marked and spine a trifle sunned but overall a copy superior to many of this rare book.