Description

In Quebec City on June 30, 1910,Edward Macdonald of Georgetownstepped aboard the Arctic and into history.For the next 15 months he servedon the government steamer, patrollingand exploring the Arctic in the nameof Canada. Macdonald kept a diarythroughout, perhaps recognizing the historicnature of the trip. But more likely,he did so simply because this was hisfirst Arctic voyage and he wanted toremember it. In any case, the 500-pagejournal does not talk in terms of history:it deals mostly with the weather, the dayby-day duties of men onboard, the hourby-hour progress of the ship through ice,and the long winter spent at Arctic Bayon Baffin Island. But immersed in thisprosaic account are keen observationsabout what became the controversialnature of the Arctic's voyage. Withoutfully meaning to, Edward Macdonaldhelps to illuminate a fascinating momentin Canadian history.