Letter 1

_To Mrs. Saville, England._

St. Petersburg, December 11th.

Dear sister,

Good news! Nothing bad has happened.
I got to St. Petersburg.
I want you to know I am safe.
I feel good about my trip.

I am far north of London now.
A cold wind blows on my cheeks.
It makes me feel strong and happy.
This wind comes from the icy land ahead.
It makes me dream about my journey.

Some people say the North Pole is cold and empty.
But I think it is beautiful.
I think the sun shines there all the time.
I think there is no snow or frost there.
Maybe we can sail calm waters to a wonderful new land.
No one has ever seen it before.
Maybe I will learn why compasses point north.
I want to walk where no person has ever walked.

These dreams make me brave.
I am not afraid of danger.
I feel as excited as a child on a fun boat ride.

Even if my dreams are wrong, my trip can still help people.
I might find a fast way to sail near the pole.
I might learn the secret of the magnet.
Only a trip like mine can find these answers.

Thinking about this makes me calm.
Having a big goal makes me peaceful.
I have wanted to do this since I was young.

I loved reading books about sea voyages.
My uncle Thomas had many such books.
I did not go to school much, but I loved reading.
I read these books day and night.
I always wished I could sail too.
But my father did not want me to be a sailor.

Then I read poems.
I loved them very much.
I wanted to be a poet.
For one year, I tried writing poems.
I hoped to be as famous as old poets.
But I did not succeed.
I felt very sad about that.

Then my cousin left me some money.
I began thinking about ships and sailing again.

Six years ago, I decided to make this trip.
I remember choosing this dream.
I trained my body to be strong.
I went whale-hunting in the North Sea.
I did not mind being cold, hungry, thirsty, or tired.
I worked harder than the other sailors.
At night, I studied math, medicine, and science.
Twice, I worked as a helper on a whale ship.
I did a very good job.
My captain wanted me to stay.
He offered me a high job on his ship.
That made me proud.

Dear Margaret, don't I deserve to do something great?
I could have lived an easy life.
But I wanted glory more than riches.
I wish someone could tell me I will succeed.
I feel brave, but sometimes worried.
This trip will be hard.
I must stay strong for my crew too.

Now is a good time to travel in Russia.
Sledges glide fast over the snow.
It feels nicer than a bumpy carriage ride.
The cold is fine if you wear warm fur.
I already wear fur clothes.
Sitting still in the cold is worse than moving.
I do not want to freeze on the road to Archangel.

I will go to Archangel soon.
I will rent a ship there.
I will find sailors who know whale-hunting.
I will not sail until June.
I do not know when I will come home.
If I succeed, I may be gone for years.
If I fail, I will come home soon… or never.

Goodbye, dear Margaret.
I hope heaven keeps you safe.
Thank you for your love.

Your brother,
R. Walton

Letter 2

_To Mrs. Saville, England._

Archangel, March 28th.

Time moves slowly here.
It is cold, with frost and snow everywhere.
But I have taken another step forward.
I rented a ship.
I am picking my sailors.
The ones I chose seem brave and strong.

But I am missing something important: a friend.
No one here shares my joy or my sadness.
Writing my feelings on paper is not the same as talking to a friend.
I wish I had someone kind and smart to talk to.
Someone who liked the same things I do.
A good friend could help fix my mistakes.
I am too eager and impatient sometimes.

I never went to school much.
Until I was fourteen, I only read adventure books.
Later, I read poems too.
But I never learned other languages early enough.
Now I am twenty-eight.
I still don't know as much as some schoolboys.
I think deep thoughts, but I need someone to help guide them.
I wish I had a friend who understood me, but would also tell me the truth.

I probably won't find a friend like that here.
But even sailors and traders can have kind hearts.

My lieutenant is very brave.
He wants very much to succeed in his job.
He is English.
Even though he grew up rough, he is still a good person.
I met him on a whale ship before.
I asked him to join my crew.

My ship's master is a kind man.
He is gentle with his sailors.
He is honest and brave too.
I wanted him on my team because of this.
I grew up gently, with your kind