After Icebergs with a Painter

A mid‑nineteenth‑century naturalist sets out with a celebrated landscape painter on a small vessel, seeking the frozen giants that loom off the coast of British America. Their journey begins in the summer of 1859, tracing a route from the bustling harbor of St. John’s to the remote ice‑filled waters of Labrador, then winding through the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Nova Scotia and the dramatic cliffs of Cape Breton. Along the way they record the stark beauty of towering icebergs, the rhythm of fishing villages, and the curious customs of the people who live in their shadows.

The narrative blends meticulous observation with personal reflection, offering vivid sketches of sunrise‑lit bergs, sudden storms, and quiet evenings aboard ship. Interlaced with anecdotes about local clergy, missionaries, and hardy fishermen, the account captures both the scientific curiosity and the sheer awe inspired by a landscape that seems both alien and timeless. Listeners will feel the cold wind on their faces and hear the creak of wooden decks as the expedition unfolds.