Add MS 89230/1/1

Manuscript journal of Albert Markham's first Arctic voyage, made as second mate in the Dundee steam whaler Arctic, captained by William Adams. Markham accepted the position in order to gain experience of Arctic navigation, to witness methods of handling steam vessels in ice, and to collect information regarding the state of the ice in the upper part of Baffin's Bay, with a view to conducting a future Government expedition.

The journal opens on Saturday 3 May at Peterhead, and the final entry is dated 18 September, upon returning to Peterhead. The entries provide details on the following: navigation; Markham's observations and measurements with thermometer and hydrometer; the process of catching, killing and flensing whales; the numerous other animals (seals, bears, birds, narwhals) hunted by Markham and the crew; shipboard life, including details of cooking, 'mollies', and meetings with other whaling vessels; journeys ashore and visits to 'Esquimeaux' villages; meeting the Ravenscraig off Admiralty Inlet, and receiving on board survivors from the Polaris expedition, including Dr Emil Bessels; the discovery by Markham on 4 July of a tin cylinder containing records written by Sir Leopold McClintock, at Port Leopold; the discovery by Markham of a body at Fury Beach, thought by him to be Chimham Thomas, the carpenter of the Victory.

The volume has been annotated in pencil, possibly by Clements Markham, with sections marked for deletion or for chapter breaks. A loose insert (2 folios) can be found at the front of the volume, titled 'Notes on Capt. Markham's Whaling Cruise'. This provides notes on a published version of the journal, and include a list of queries for possible correction, with page and line numbers. The numbers given do not match the original foliation of this volume, nor the published edition.