The heart of the Antarctic being the story of the British Antarctic expedition 1907-1909. With an introduction by H.R. Mill, an account of the first journey to the South magnetic Pole by T.W. Edgeworth David.

London, William Heinemann, 1909.2 volumes. Original blue cloth, front boards lettered and illustrated in silver, rebacked with the original spines laid down (spines dicoloured), top edges gilt. With 2 folding panoramas on large folding sheet and 3 folding maps in pocket, 12 coloured plates and numerous photographic plates and illustrations. XLVIII,371; XV,419 pp.First edition. - The official account of Shackleton's first Antarctic expedition. Shackleton (1874-1922) organized the British Imperial Antarctic Expedition of 1907-09 to conquer the South Pole with the small whaler Nimrod. First of all he attempted to anchor in Whale Bay and go ashore, but he was prevented by the insurmountable masses of ice. His attemp to call at King Edward II Land was also thwarted. Eventually he managed to establish a camp on Ross Island. There one group climbed Mount Erebus and another proceeded in the direction of the South Magnetic Pole, which it reached on 16 January, 1909. In the meantime, Shackleton and his companions fought their way through a blizzard that brought them frustatingly to a halt just 180 kilometres from the pole.Howgego III, S19; Spence 1097; Conrad p.137-140; Headland 1383.