Two Years in the Antarctic.: Being a Narrative of the British National Antarctic Expedition.

London: Edward Arnold,, 1905. Armitage exposes the lighter and anecdotal sides of the expedition First edition, first impression, of this important account of Scott's Discovery expedition. Armitage served as Scott's second-in-command at the behest of Sir Clements Markham. His chief accomplishment on the voyage was his success in the western mountains and ascent of Victoria. He also became the first person to walk on the polar ice cap, discovering three glaciers in the process. Armitage had originally promised that his book would not be published before Scott's own account, though Scott's delay in writing meant that Two Years in the Antarctic was being advertised with The Voyage of the 'Discovery', causing a dispute between publishers and agents which Armitage and Scott managed to settle amicably in a personal meeting. Armitage writes in his preface: "Why am I writing a narrative about the expedition when Captain Scott has brought out two volumes on the subject? Because I think that a great number of people to whom Captain Scott's book will be out of reach will welcome a simple tale, devoid of scientific theories and speculations, which deals chiefly with the lives, during three years, of half a hundred men who were brought together to participate in a national expedition". Two Years in the Antarctic "exposes lighter and anecdotal sides of the expedition and contains occasional comment on the men's characters" (Rosove), though Armitage saved his uncomplimentary feelings towards Scott for his autobiography, published in 1925. "Armitage was attracted to Scott but critical of him. Armitage led the excursion to the interior of Victoria Land in the 1902-3 season and explains why Scott, rather than he, led the advance into the same region the following year. Armitage had expected to extend his work of the previous year, so when Scott excluded him, he felt brushed aside. Huntford believed Scott was jealous and wanted to limit the credit Armitage would receive" (ibid.). Provenance: with the armorial bookplate of Herbert Goldsmith Squiers (1859-1911) on the front free endpaper. Squiers was a United States diplomat and soldier, serving as Minister to Cuba and Panama and second lieutenant in the US army. He was also a noted collector of Chinese porcelain. Octavo (222 x 140 mm). Contemporary blue half morocco bound for Henry Sotheran, compartments lettered and decorated in gilt, raised bands, sides and corners trimmed with gilt rules, blue cloth sides, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt. With photographic frontispiece, 15 similar plates, numerous line-drawings to the text, several full-page, folding colour map. Spine sunned, scattered foxing, frontispiece with minor marginal finger soiling, small tear at stub to folding map. A very good and square copy. Rosove 17.A1 (this copy bound without the publisher's advertisements); Spence 67; Taurus 43.