Six Came Back; The Arctic Adventure of David L. Brainard
New York: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, 1940. Near Fine in Very Good dust-jacket First Edition. Author inscription [9x6in]; 305 pp. frontispiece image of the six surviving members - Greely, Brainard, Biederbick, Connell, Long and Fredericks, 11 illustrations and images; Dark blue cloth covers with gilt lettering on front and spine, color maps on front and back end papers, top and bottom edges trimmed; Illustrated dust jacket with red and black lettering on front, spine and back, color illustration of rescue ship and surviving explorers, images of contemporary newspaper articles on expedition and rescue; Minimal shelf wear to edges and top and bottom of spine, inscription to Admiral Joseph Strauss by Brainard dated November 21, 1940, handwritten correction by Brainard to plate caption after page 78; Minor shelf wear and soiling to dust jacket surfaces, edges and corners. Item #11336
David L. Brainard (1856-1946) was an US Army Brigadier General and Arctic explorer. He was involved in the Indian wars during the 1870's. In 1881 he was detailed to the Lady Franklin Bay expedition (1881-1884) led by Lt. Adolphus Greely in connection with the first international polar year 1882-83.
This book is from the journal that Brainard started when the expedition left St. John's Newfoundland in July 1881. This expedition was to establish a base on Ellesmere Is. off the Robeson channel and explore the west coast of Greenland over a two year period. In addition to scientific observations, Greely wanted to beat the British farthest north record. Brainard, Lockwood and Christiansen set out on a 1,000 mile sledge journey along the Greenland coast and achieved the farthest north 83'. Brainard was also part of the farthest west journey across Grinnell land to the Western Ocean. After supply and relief ships failed to break through the ice choked channels for two years, in September 1883 they abandoned Ft. Conger for Cape Sabine, where they spent the third winter on meager supplies. They were rescued by the Thetis crew in June 1884. Of the 26 expedition members only 6 survived. In 1940, Brainard wrote Six Came Back, which covers the entire expedition period.
Price: $1,050.00