A fascinating double-hemisphere map of the Arctic and Antarctic regions, showing the latest discoveries to 1868.

On the Arctic map (left), areas shaded in light blue are those which were more-or-less known at the time. Areas in dark blue are those discovered during the many attempts to locate Sir James Franklin's lost expedition between 1848 and 1859. Perthes notes that the overall cost of these expeditions exceeded 7,000,000 Thaler (possibly exceeding $200 million today). The small area shaded in brown marks the discoveries of the American "Second Grinnell Expedition" under Elisha Kane & Isaac Hayes. Finally, the areas in white are those which remained completely unknown to Europeans at this time. A note in the legend below the map gives the size of this area as roughly 140,000 German square miles, larger than the whole of Australia.

Similar colouring is employed on the Antarctic map (right). Areas in light blue were discovered by Captain Cook's voyages. Those in dark blue were explored by the various Antarctic expeditions between Bellingshausen in 1819 and Moore in 1845. These expeditions are listed in the legend and each of their routes are identified. Weddell, Wilkes, Ross, and d'Urville are just a few of the named explorers. Once again, areas in white are yet to be discovered. In the Antarctic regions, the unknown area was thought to be 396,000 square miles.

Printed colour. [POLAR583]