"Polar Reaches tells the full story of the history of exploration of both the Arctic and Antarctic, revealing within its pages that the better-known phenomenal and amazing stories are not so unusual as they seem." "Scurvy, bad weather, and poor decisions frequently led to desperate situations. The men led by Adolphus Greeley were less fortunate than those on the Endurance: of twenty-five who set out, only seven were alive after three years in the harsh Arctic environment, during which they were reduced to eating boot leather, tallow, lichen, and - it was suspected - their dead comrades." "Still, new expeditions were regularly financed and, between the sixteenth and early twentieth centuries, the lands that were previously known largely through legend - the Arctic and Antarctic - were successfully explored and thoroughly mapped. Unfortunately, financial gain was often the incentive for these explorations. Whole populations of whales, seals, and other fur-bearing mammals were decimated as a result. Native peoples were captured and taken back to Europe to be put on display where, invariably, they sickened and died. European and American explorers often displayed a condescending attitude towards those they met; and many British parties suffered needlessly because they insisted upon maintaining their country's traditions rather than follow the examples of the indigenous people they encountered."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved