To the ends of the earth
New collection of explorers’tales
Jo Woolf, author of The Great Horizon A book detailing 50 amazing stories of expeditions has been put together by the Perth-based Royal Scottish Geographic Society’s‘Writer in Residence’.
Jo Woolf’s literary offering draws on the fantastic archive of documents, photographs and objects housed in the organisation’s HQ in the heart of the Fair City.
The wordsmith was originally asked in 2014 to come and examine the drawings, maps and journals relating to human endeavour across the planet and kept for public benefit by RSGS.
She began by writing up the stories of holders of the annually awarded Livingstone Medal, a decoration RSGS first handed out in 1901.
“From this initial introduction to research into the collection kept in Perth three years ago, I saw how inspiring and gripping these accounts and records were,” explained Jo.
“They are all linked to the society, as all the key personalities of the various eras from 1884, when RSGS was founded, onwards, gave accounts of their activities to members of RSGS.
“It is a remarkable resource and the project has grown into ‘The Great Horizon’, a book in which I have selected 50 tales and brought these epic, literally groundbreaking journeys to life,” said Jo.
“The first one featured is Henry Morton Stanley, who gave the first ever lecture to RSGS after successfully finding the lost African explorer, David Livingstone.
“Interestingly David Livingstone’s daughter, Agnes Livingstone Bruce, was one of the founders of RSGS.
“Another character from those years was Fridtjof Nansen, a Norwegian explorer who was racing to discover the location of the North Pole.
“Between 1893 and 1896 Nansen set sail in his specially designed ship with a group, deliberately trying to get frozen in the ice, believing the vessel would drift over the pole eventually.
“Nansen was patient, but the attempt was unsuccessful. Growing restless, he and a companion, Johansen, left the ship and set off on foot on their own.
“Well they survived a winter and miraculously in this empty, desolate expanse of white, the two men were picked up by another, An image belonging to the RSGS of Fridtjof Nansen, third left, the Norwegian explorer who went looking for the location of the North Pole on his expedition through Greenland
separate group also exploring the way to the North pole, the JacksonHarmsworth expedition.”
Bringing things bang up to date is the story of Craig Matteson, who started the charity Polar Academy. Every year he picks 15 to 20 young people and gives them intensive polar training in Greenland.
“Craig’s work is essential in
inspiring the next generation of budding explorers,” commented author Jo.
Her remit was varied and uncovered many names not generally talked about: “There were lots of women explorers who I mention in the book.
“These brave females were taking a very big risk in setting out
to discover aspects of the planet.
“And this was despite society of the time saying it was not the thing to do, going off from home and family. They went anyway, and many came back with amazing stories.”
‘The Great Horizon,’ in hardback, costs£24.99 and is published by Sandstone Press on November 16.