There’s no evidence of this, but surely there must have been a saying among the great polar explorers of the 19th and early 20th centuries along the lines of, “If there were but more than two poles on this planet.” It seems almost unfair that so many intrepid explorers were willing to sacrifice everything to become the first human to set foot on a perilously difficult to reach place on Earth that, if we’re being frank, is somewhat arbitrary to begin with.

Nevertheless, the polar regions held an irresistible sway for many men who had the means to command ships and crews capable of reaching their desolate centers. Reaching the farthest points north or south meant you’d traveled as far from the bustling center of the globe as was possible; if you were to call yourself a serious explorer at the turn of the 20th century, a trip to the