A Review of 'Unknown Shore' by Robert Ruby

This fine book on Martin Frobisher, Charles Hall, the Inuit of Iqaluit, the court of Queen Elizabeth I and more fascinating historical figures is a well researched and written investigation of the voyages of the 16th century privateer turned captain-general Martin Frobisher's voyages of discovery and foundation of an emphemeral British Arctic colony at the eponyomous Frobisher Bay off Davis Strait at about 60 degrees north latitude. I have read a few other books on topics of arctic exploration and this one published in 2001 fits in with the best.

Martin Frobishers character development is brought alive in this work. One becomes familiar with 16th century England and learns something of the political morality of the era and why the search for a northwest passage to China was of substantial importance to England.

The author tells the story from three temporal points of view; that of Frobisher and his time, that of the author in visiting Frobisher Bay and the people living there in his time, that of the American newspaperman and explorer of the mid 19th century Charles Francis Hall who travelled to Frobisher Bay to journey with the Inuit upon the ice sharing their lifestyle.

Frobisher's life of discovery was rough, and the voyages to Africa and America via Greenland difficult. His ships were not the best designed he might have had, the dangers immanent compensated for by nerve, innovation and resolute action. One may also learn a significant amount about human nature, necessity and the way civilization evolves social behavior over the course of history.