From Pole to Pole

Contents : 1. Across Europe. II. Constatinople to Teheran (1905). III. Through the Caucasus, Persia, and Mesopotamia (1885-6). IV. The Persian desert (1906). V. On the Kirghiz steppe (1893-5). VI. From Persia to India (1906). VII. Eastern Turkestan (1895). VIII. The desert waterway (1899). IX. In the Forbidden land (1901-2, 1906-8). X. India. XI. From India to China (1908). XII. China. XIII. Japan (1908). XIV. Back to Europe. Part II : 1. Stockholm to Egypt. II. Africa. III. North America. IV. South America. V. In the South Seas. VI. The North Polar regions. VII. The South Polar regions.

"A survey of the earth’s mainland, islands and seas reveals that the man by his endurance and thirst for knowledge has penetrated everywhere. The hottest deserts and coldest mountains too could not deter him reaching the target. In other words, an enthusiastic explorer does not mind facing even the most obstinate resistance to his advance. The polar regions both the North and the South, and their surroundings present a classic example of most difficult exploration due to the boundless ice-packs that often prove to be a barrier for seafarers. Even though an expedition across the poles undertaken by the author himself has been an aweinspiring experience as it involved a journey all through the earth’s mainland, islands and seas.

"This book is an English translation of the author’s original work Fran Poll till Poll and presents a live record of the journey began from Stockholm and back covering all the continents i.e. Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, South America and Australia. It is divided into two parts. Part I explores the region across Europe the Asia, and details an eye-witness account of the travel right from Stockholm to Berlin, Constantinopole, Tehran through the Caucasus, Persia and Mesopotamia, the Kirghiz Steppe, Eastern Turkestan, the plateau of Tibet, and from Tibet to countries like India, China, Japan and back to Europe through Korea, Manchuria and the trans-Siberian railway.

"Part II covers the second stage of the journey again set out from stockholm to Egypt via London, Paris and Rome besides detailing about Africa, North America, South America and Australia. The book not only explores the area visited but also discusses its history and geography. The peculiarity of the places, flora and fauna, the monumental grandeur, wildlife, various rivers, lakes and mountains, as well as islands and seas are described in a great length. Besides, ruins of villages, ancient canoes and household untensils and even few manuscripts discovered by the author throw much light on the state of the country at the time when human beings could exist there. Two exclusive chapters are of special importance which deal with the North polar and South polar regions giving details of a famous expedition led by sir John Franklin in 1840s and another expedition of 1901 by Captain scott who made great discoveries on his way and advanced nearer to the South pole than any of his predecessors. Following Captain Scott’s example, in 1908 Shackleton too resolved to advance as far as possible towards the South pole. The book provides a great details of the true picture of each and every moment of all these expeditions". (jacket)