Northern Lights: The Arctic Scots

The search for a Northwest Passage, connecting the Atlantic and the Pacific was one of the great maritime challenges, and it was not until the 1850s that the first one-way partial transit of the passage was made. Previous attempts had all failed, and some, like the ill-fated at-tempt by Sir John Franklin in 1845, ended in tragedy with the loss of the entire expedition comprising two ships and 129 men. This book charts the remarkable contribution to Arctic exploration made by the Scots – whose role has often been overlooked because they were identified as English by modern writers. It includes many significant names.