Murchison鈥檚 Wanderings in Russia edited by Michael Collie and John Diemer, British Geological Survey, 拢40, ISBN 0852724675 Reviewed by Douglas Palmer
WANDERINGS sound poetic, don鈥檛 they? But Roderick Murchison鈥檚 wanderings in Russia were not as poetic as they might have been. His travels were, for the 1840s, highly organised and purposeful, nothing less than the geological mapping of European Russia and the Urals. As a result Murchison was able to add the Permian system of strata to his list of geological trophies. For his pains, a grateful tsar showered him with medals and presents, and on his return to Britain he was knighted by Queen Victoria. Not bad for a Scottish boy soldier who had fought in the Peninsular War. Reinforced with his wife鈥檚 encouragement and money, Murchison became a great Victorian success and president of both the Geological and Royal Geographical Societies.
Murchison鈥檚 Wanderings in Russia is the remarkable and fascinating journal of his whirlwind tour from Petersburg to Archangel, the Urals to the Sea of Azov.
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Editors Michael Collie and John Diemer鈥檚 1000 or so notes expertly guide the reader through Murchison鈥檚 indefatigable name-dropping and technicalities. The book鈥檚 beautiful colour copy of his geological map is proof enough of this man鈥檚 ambition to make his mark.