Narrative of a Second Voyage in Search of a North-West Passage And of a Residence in the Arctic Regions during the Years 1829–33

Polar explorer John Ross (1777–1856) sailed with William Edward Parry in 1818 to seek a North-West Passage from Baffin Bay. The attempt was unsuccessful, and Ross was widely blamed for its failure. In 1829 he set out on a privately funded expedition on the steamship Victory, accompanied by his nephew James Clark Ross, to try again, returning to England in late 1833. Using survival techniques learnt from the Inuit he befriended, Ross kept his crew healthy through four icebound winters. While the voyage once again failed to find a North-West Passage, it surveyed the Boothia Peninsula and a large part of King William Land. It was also valuable for its scientific findings, with J. C. Ross discovering the magnetic north pole. Ross published this two-volume work in 1835. Volume 1 summarises previous Polar exploration before describing the voyage in great detail, from preparations to the return in 1833.

Introduction; 1. The project of the expedition; 2. Leave the river; 3. Leave Loch Ryan; 4. Off Cape Farewell; 5. Visit of the Danish governor; 6. Disco Island; 7. Progress down Lancaster Sound; 8. Examination of the Fury's stores; 9. Attempts to work along shore; 10. Attempt to quit Elizabeth Harbour; 11. A heavy gale; 12. Remarks on the present condition of the ship; 13. Remarks on the actual temperature; 14. The month commences stormy and cold; 15. Repeated occurrence of aurora borealis; 16. Commencement of the year 1830; 17. Receive more geographical information from one of the natives; 18. Pilfering on the part of the natives; 19. Purchase of dogs from the natives; 20. Proceedings to the tenth of April; 21. Narrative of Commander Ross; 22. Proceedings in the ship; 23. Commander Ross's second journey and narrative; 24. Departure of Commander Ross on a third expedition; 25. Narrative of Commander Ross; 26. Repetition of heavy snow; 27. Expedition commenced; 28. Proceedings in the ship from the first of June; 29. Commander Ross's narrative; 30. Continuation of the journal; 31. An expedition to fish; 32. Journal of the month of July; 33. Warping out, unloading, and a final escape from our harbour; 34. Labour in cutting through the ice; 35. Transactions in November; 36. Transactions on board the ship in January; 37. April; 38. May; 39. Narrative of Commander Ross; 40. Journal of May; 41. Transactions in June; 42. Commander Ross's narrative; 43. Remarks on the assignment of the magnetic pole; 44. Transactions during the remainder of June; 45. Proceedings in July, August, and September; 46. Journal of August; 47. Journal of October; 48. The journals of January, February, and March; 49. April; 50. June; 51. August; 52. Attempt to proceed in the boats; 53. Continuation of our travelling southward in October; 54. The journals of January, February, and March; 55. April; 56. August; 57. Proceedings on board of the Isabella; Addenda.

John Ross (1777-1856) made his second attempt to find a North-West Passage between 1829 and 1833. The expedition surveyed parts of the Canadian Arctic, and discovered the magnetic north pole. Ross published this two-volume work in 1835. Volume 1 summarises previous polar exploration before describing the voyage.