The British Arctic Expedition of 1875-6 was the first major British naval expedition to the high Arctic where science was almost as important as geographical exploration. There were hopes that the expedition might find the hypothetical open polar sea and with it the longed-for Northwest Passage, and it did reach the highest northern latitude to date. The Royal Society compiled instructions for the expedition, and selected two full-time naturalists (an unusual naval concession to science), of whom one, Henry Wemyss Feilden, proved a worthy choice. Feilden was a soldier, who fought in most of the wars in his lifetime, including the American Civil War, on the Confederate side. On board HMS Alert, he kept a daily journal, a record important for its scientific content, but also as a view of the expedition as seen by a soldier, revealing admiration and appreciation for his naval colleagues; he performed whatever tasks were given to him, including the rescue of returning sledge parties stricken by scurvy. He also did a remarkably comprehensive job in mapping the geology of Smith Sound; some of his work, on the Cape Rawson Beds, was the most reliable until the 1950s. He was an all-round naturalist, and a particularly fine geologist and ornithologist. He was not just a collector; he pondered the significance of his findings within the context of the best modern science of his day: in zoology, Charles Darwin on evolution; in botany, Hooker on phytogeography, and in geology, Charles Lyell's system. He illustrated his journal with his own sketches, and also enclosed the printed programmes of popular entertainments held on the ship, and verses for birthdays and sledging (there was a printing press onboard). The journal gives a vigorous impression of a ship's company well occupied through the winter, then increasingly active in sledging and geographical discovery in spring, before the scurvy-induced decision to head home in the summer of 1876. After his return, Feilden had dealings with many scientists and their institutions, finding homes for and meaning in his collections.

The Arctic Journal of Captain Henry Wemyss Feilden, R.A., the Naturalist in H.M.S. Alert, 1875-1876 (Hakluyt Society Third Series, 35)

History

Europe

Hakluyt Society

"Gonzalo Fernandez de Oviedo y Valdes, (1478-1557), warden of the fortress and port of Santo Domingo of the Island of Hispaniola, also served his emperor, Charles V, as the official chronicler of the first half-century of the Spanish presence in the New World. His monumental General y Natural Historia de las Indias, consisting of three parts, with fifty books, hundreds of chapters and thousands of pages, is still a major primary source for researchers of the period 1492-1548. Part One, consisting of 19 books, was first published in 1535, then reprinted and augmented in 1547, with a third edition, including Book XX, the first book of Part II, appearing in Valladolid in 1557. Book XX, which was printed separately in Valladolid in 1557 (the year of Oviedo's death), concerns the first three Spanish voyages to the East Indies. While it might be expected that the narrative of Magellan's voyage would predominate in Book XX, Oviedo devoted only the first four chapters to this monumental voyage. The remaining thirty-one concern the two subsequent and little-known Spanish follow-up expeditions to the Moluccas 1525-35. The first, initially led by Garcia Jofre de Loaysa, set out from Coruna to follow Magellan's route through the Strait and across the Pacific. A second relief expedition under Alvaro Saavedra was sent out in search of Loaysa's company from the Pacific coast of New Spain in 1527. In each venture only one vessel reached the Spice Islands. Oviedo's narrative offers many details of the 10 years of hardships and conflict with the Portuguese, endured by the stoic Spanish, and of the growing unrest it provoked among their indigenous hosts. The news that Charles V had pawned his claim to the King Joao III of Portugal allowed a very few of the Spaniards to negotiate a passage back to Spain via Lisbon, while others remained in Portuguese settlements in the East Indies. The reports made by the returnees to the Consejo de Indias were integrated by Oviedo into his narrative, expanded and enriched by personal interviews. His chronicle includes much information about the indigenous culture, commerce, geography and of the exotic fauna and flora of the Spice Islands"--

Spanish and Portuguese Conflict in the Spice Islands: The Loaysa Expedition to the Moluccas 1525-1535. From Book XX of the General and Natural History ... Y Valdés (Hakluyt Society Third Series, 38)

Americas

Text: English, Chinese (translation)

Ying-Yai Sheng-Lan: The Overall Survey of the Ocean's Shores (1433)

Ma-Huan

Journals of MacKenzie

An account of the history of the Spanish colony in the Philippines during the 16th century. Antonio de Morga was an official of the colonial bureaucracy in Manila and could consequently draw upon much material that would otherwise have been inaccessible. His book, published in 1609, ranges more widely than its title suggests since the Spanish were also active in China, Japan, Southeast Asia, Taiwan, the Moluccas, Marianas and other Pacific islands. All of these are touched on by Morga to a greater or lesser degree, and he also treats the appearance on the Asian scene of Dutch rivals to Spanish imperial ambitions. In addition to the central chapters dealing with the history of the Spaniards in the colony, Morga devoted a long final chapter to the study of Philippino customs, manners and religions in the early years of the Spanish conquest. From the first edition, Mexico, 1609. A new edition of First Series 39.

Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas, 1609, by Antonio de Morga (Hakluyt Society, Second Series)

Asia

Significant in the history of Anglo-Spanish relations and of English ventures was Drake's expedition to the West Indies in 1585-86. His raids on Spanish towns on both sides of the Atlantic were aimed not only to gather treasure but to bring a military challenge to the empire of Philip II. The voyage was linked also with the plantation projects of Raleigh, and ended with Drake bringing home the discouraged settlers of the first Virginia colony. Although not a financial success, the expedition attracted wide attention in England and the continent and was a prelude to the events of 1588. For over three centuries after the voyage the main source of information about it was the lively narrative, strongly propagandistic in tone, that was published in 1588 and 1589. In the present volume this account, attributed to Captain Walter Bigges, has been critically edited in the light of evidence now available from English and Spanish sources. Printed also are documents relating to ships and personnel and to financial accounts of the expedition. Included too are the journal from the vice-admiral's ship, the Primrose, edited from the original manuscript, the fragmentary journals from ships of two other major officers, and an important newsletter. Among illustrations are a previously unpublished map relating to Drake's stop at Vigo, as well as the Boazio maps, which are shown in differing sizes and details. Dr Keeler's introduction discusses the expedition in the context of Elizabethan policies in the pre-Armada years. She points out new evidence on Drake's administrative practices, on his negotiations with Spanish officials, and on his dealings with a troublesome rear-admiral. Appendices provide critical notes on the Boazio maps and on the circumstances of the publication of the Bigges account. This is a new print-on-demand hardback edition of the volume first published in 1981.

Sir Francis Drake's West Indian Voyage, 1585-86 (Hakluyt Society, Second Series)

Edmond Halley was already a well-known astronomer, mathematician and natural philosopher when, in 1698, he took command of His Majesty's Ship Paramore. The purpose of Halley's first two voyages was to test his geomagnetical theories; in the third voyage he investigated tidal phenomena. These voyages, which received royal approval, support from the Navy, and sponsorship from the Royal Society have been regarded as the first sea journeys undertaken for purely scientific purposes. Halley's departure on the first voyage was delayed because of his employment by Newton; and by Tsar Peter's desire to sail in the newly-commissioned Paramore. The first voyage ended prematurely with the court martial of Halley's first lieutenant. However, the second voyage was an eminently successful undertaking in which the Paramore made a wide sweep through the Atlantic reaching 52Â°24Â´S latitude. Halley made many observations which enabled him to produce the first isogonic map: this is also the earliest isoline map of any phenomenon. In his third and last voyage in the Paramore, in the summer of 1701, Halley made a detailed study of the English Channel. This voyage was also productive of highly original cartographic work including the first tidal chart. In this book the journals of Halley's three voyages are published in full from manuscripts now in the British Library. The journal of the third voyage is here published for the first time, and the earlier two are compared with versions published by Alexander Dalrymple in 1773 and 1775, from different source materials. All are extensively footnoted and preceded by a scholarly introduction by Professor Thrower on the multi-faceted aspects of Halley's important voyages. The work also contains well over one hundred documents relating to the voyages, many published for the first time. The two most original but now rare maps arising from these journeys, the Atlantic Chart and the Channel Chart (in two sheets), are reprinted in facsimile for the portfolio. Other maps, portraits, drawings, etc. illustrate this latest work from the Hakluyt Society.

The Three Voyages of Edmond Halley in the Paramore, 1698-1701: Volume I (Series II, Volume 156)

Edmond Halley

Military

The Russian conquest of Siberia was an event of which the consequences have only slowly become apparent. Already great, they may come to dominate much of our world; with today’s technology, a resource base of this size and richness confers immense power on the owner. The conquest was a gradual process of absorption. But if one had to assign a time and place for its start, then one would certainly choose the campaign of Yermak in the 1580’s. This enterprise was by no means wholly successful, and probably fewer than a thousand Russians participated in it. But it was the first entry in force into Siberia, and Russian historians have long regarded it as crucial. Among English-speakers, the events are not so well known. The object of this book is to provide the reader of English with translations of the most important documents relating to the campaign. There are several narrative accounts, collectively known as the Siberian chronicles: the Stroganov, Yesipov; Remezov and New chronicles. The Remezov chronicle, written about 1700, is illustrated with 154 pen and ink drawings. These are of great historical and artistic interest, for very few Russian drawings of this period survive. All are reproduced here. The collection of documents is rounded out with seven charters or decrees of Ivan IV relating to the advance across the Urals. Dr Armstrong's introduction provides background on Muscovy's eastern frontier in the 16th century; the Stroganov family; the Cossacks, in particular Yermak Timofeyevich and his band; routes across the Urals; non-Russian peoples encountered; and the authorship and provenance of the chronicles. Mr William Harrison contributes an essay on Yermak as folk-hero. The frontispiece and map 1 are now printed at the end of the volume.

Yermak’s Campaign in Siberia: A selection of documents translated from the Russian by Tatiana Minorsky and David Wileman (Hakluyt Society, Second Series)

Travel

The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea is a short work of uncertain date and unknown authorship, written in very difficult Greek. It is concerned with the coasts of the Red Sea and |Indian Ocean and may be described as a combined trade directory and Admiralty Handbook, giving sailing directions and information about navigational hazards, harbours, imports and exports. It is of great value for the study of the commerce of the Roman Empire and the early history of East Africa, South Arabia and India. This is a new print-on-demand hardback edition of the volume first published in 1980.

The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, by an unknown author: With some extracts from Agatharkhides 'On the Erythraean Sea' (Hakluyt Society, Second Series)

Africa

In May 1517, Luigi of Aragon, one of the most wealthy, cultivated and well-connected of Italian cardinals, left Italy for a leisurely tour through Germany, Switzerland, the Low Countries and France, which lasted until January 1518. Too grand to keep a record of his own movements, he was well-served by his chaplain and amanuensis, Antonio de Beatis, who day by day kept a steadily enthusiastic record of the scenes they passed amongst. The range of de Beatis's interests was quite remarkably wide. His descriptions of individuals, landscapes, towns, of whole regions and the characters and customs of their inhabitants, of churches, palaces, relics and works of art provide one of the clearest impressions we have of the physical quality of life in north-western Europe in the Renaissance. This range owes something to the company he kept. Without the Cardinal he would not have had the organs played in the churches they visited, would not have watched Raphael's tapestries being woven in Brussels or met Leonardo da Vinci at Amboise. But it owes still more to the traditions which by 1517 suggested not only what a curious traveller should look at but the way in which he might organise his impressions, and express them in writing. For this reason most of the editor's Introduction is devoted to providing a pioneering account of the evolution of the Renaissance travel journal. Though the Italian text published in the German edition of Ludwig Pastor in 1905 has been frequently quoted by political, social and art historians, the Journal has not previously been translated into English.

The Travel Journal of Antonio de Beatis through Germany, Switzerland, the Low Countries, France and Italy, 1517–8: Germany, Switzerland, The Low ... 1517-1518 (Hakluyt Society, Second Series)

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