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OXFORD UNIVERSITY ELLESMERE LAND EXPEDITION, 1934.

HAMPTON COURT PALACE . MIDDLESEX.

14th May 1936.

Dear Lord Tweedsmuir,

I am writing to say that the book of the Oxford University Ellesmere Land Expedition which I have written is now finished. When I saw you in London last autumn, you very kindly said you would write a Preface for it, and under separate cover I hope to send you the complete manuscript of the narrative, without however the Scientific Appendices, which are not yet finished.

The book is to be published by Hodder & Stoughton early in the autumn, and the suggested title which we shall probably decide on definitely is "Arctic Journeys". It is, I think, rather suitable, since the main work of the expedition consisted of three separate sledge journeys which are dealt with very fully. The book has already been passed with a favourable report by the Literary Agent's (Christy & Moore), Reader, and since then I have revised it extensively. If you have time however to read some of it, I should be most grateful if you would mark in any alternations which would help to improve it, either in the grammer, or by a suggestion for recasting any particular section. In particular there are one or two places about which I am rather doubtful, first of all with regard to the opening Chapter in which I begin in Borneo and then switch to the Arctic. I was wondering whether this is too unorthodox to be permissible. There are also one or two sections which might possibly be described as "purple," and if you think they could be toned down or cut out with advantage, it would be a great help if you would say so.

OXFORD UNIVERSITY ELLESMERE LAND EXPEDITION, 1934.

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I am also a bit doubtful about the last chapter. However, I am afraid you must be extremely busy, but if you did have time to make any suggestions or alterations it would be a great help.

The work of paying off the debt on the Expedition, has, I think, gone fairly well. I was able to do over forty lectures this season, and hope to do at least eighty next autumn and spring. The state of the debt after the first guaranteed payment of £500 has been made by the Publishers of the book will be about £900. It is however, I think, only a question of time before we are eventually clear .

With apologies for troubling you,

Yours sincerely ,

Eddie Shackleton