1909 Shackleton Map of the British Antarctic Expedition

This is a map of the progress of the 1907 - 1909 British Antarctic Expedition, also known as the Nimrod Expedition, after the ship used to reach the Antarctic, or the Shackleton Expedition, named after the expedition's leader, Ernest Shackleton. One of the most notable expeditions of the 'Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration,' the British Antarctic Expedition reached the furthest latitude south to that point (88° 23' S), within 100 nautical miles of the South Pole. The expedition's members were also the first to climb Mt. Erebus and the first to reach the approximate location of the South Magnetic Pole.

A Closer Look

This map shows the evolution and branches of the expedition, beginning with landfall and encampment at McMurdo Sound in January 1908. An inset map at bottom-right shows the journey's progress on a polar projection. Shackleton had initially tried to camp elsewhere out of deference to his former 'commander' Robert Falcon Scott, who had 'claimed' the sound, but alternative locations were not stable enough to set up a camp. After climbing Mt. Erebus and camping for the winter in a makeshift hut, the 'Great Southern Journey' to scout out the South Pole began.

Traveling for months over incredibly harsh terrain, low on rations, often ill, with interpersonal rivalries stewing, the southern party nonetheless succeeded in reaching the furthest south latitude of any expedition to that point and returning safely to camp. Meanwhile, a northern party travelled along the coast before heading inland to the approximate location of the South Magnetic Pole. Despite some close calls and several serious injuries, all members of the expedition were returned home.

The Nimrod Expedition

Led by Ernest Shackleton, the British Antarctic Expedition of 1907 – 1909 was one of the most successful polar expeditions of its era, despite being a poorly funded and somewhat ad hoc undertaking. Shackleton had been a member of Robert Falcon Scott's Discovery Expedition to the Antarctic in 1901 – 1904 (shown by black lines here) but was forced to return home early due to health issues. Harboring a grudge against Scott for this decision and wanting to prove himself, Shackleton sought private backers for a return to the Antarctic. Despite having a much smaller ship than Scott's expedition and lacking the same level of official and royal support, Shackleton's expedition overcame tremendous difficulties and achieved several important discoveries. The expedition also tested innovative methods for navigating the harsh environment of the Antarctic. Despite its success and plaudits in the press, official and financial support from the government was tepid. Eventually, though, the expedition was lauded as one of the great successes of the 'Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration.'

Publication History and Census

This map originally appeared in the The Geographical Journal of the Royal Geographical Society in 1909, and then was reprinted in a Smithsonian report to the U.S. Congress ('Annual report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution... 1909'). This printing of the map is quite rare, only known to be held by the Illinois State Library and the Library of Congress, and has no known history the market, while the map as it appeared in The Geographical Journal is more widely dispersed.