Beschreibung:

SHACKLETON, Sir Ernest Henry (1874-1922, editor)]. Aurora Australis . East Antarctica: published at the winter quarters of the British Antarctic Expedition, printed at the sign of 'The Penguins' by Ernest Joyce and Frank Wild, 1908. 4° (255 x 187mm). Coloured lithographic title. 10 lithographed or etched plates only (of 11, lacking "Under the shadow of Erebus") by George Marston (Each leaf with inner margin reinforced obscuring the original stitching holes, a few other margins neatly repaired.) Original packing-case boards, verso of upper cover with portion of stencilled title 'Griffiths, McAlis... Export Provision M... Liverpo[ool]' with pencilled note "Baked Beans", the lower cover similarly stencilled 'Blac[k]... Bottle..' (resewn and rebacked in leather), uncut, contained within a leather-lined cloth solander box (also containing a portion of the original spine and a length of the green twine used in the original binding). One of about 100 copies. Following Shackleton's experiences on the Scott expedition of 1901-4, and particularly his invlovement in the editing of the South Polar Times , he realised the importance of providing a polar expedition with sufficient tasks to occupy themselves throughout the dark winter months. For this reason on his own expedition to the South Pole, 1907-9, he brought with him a printing press, paper and type donated by J.Causton & Sons Ltd. In the cold and cramped conditions of the Cape Royds hut, around 100 copies of the Aurora Australis were printed and bound in the antarctic winter of 1908. The printers, Frank Wild and Ernest Joyce, had both taken a quick course in printing before their departure, and despite their inexperience after 3 weeks of practise were setting out and printing 2 pages a day. Most copies were presented by members of the 15 man expedition to their relatives and friends. This copy has been sympathetically rebound by the conservators of the South African Library in Cape Town.