98 COOK IN THE ANTARCTIC AND IN ALASKA 



to explore the southern realm of ice for over fifty years. The ship 

 passed on to Montevideo and Punta Arenas, and thence westward 

 through the Strait of Magellan and the Beagle Canal to Ush'ina, 

 where the last coal was taken on. The expedition left civilization 

 behind early in January, 1898. 



The soundings made south of the Shetland Islands showed an' 

 unexpected depth of from 3,000 to 4,000 feet, while the greatest 

 depth attained was 13,251 feet. For the greater part of the way 

 the ocean bed seemed to be a plateau, over which the "Belgica" 

 drifted to and fro, and where soundings showed the depth in places 

 to be only about fourteen hundred feet. Just before reaching the 

 Shetland Islands one of the sailors was lost overboard in a storm. 



Passing out into the Pacific, the "Belgica" turned south and 

 soon sighted Alexander Island and also Adelaide Island, which was 

 found to be much larger than was supposed. Continuing to the 

 south, the ship entered the pack ice, reaching 70 degrees of south 

 latitude, and penetrating ninety miles into the floe, into which it was 

 frozen in March, 1898. The party remained in the floe thirteen 

 months, during a greater part of which time the ice was swept by 

 terrific storms. 



The Antarctic night came on in May and the "Belgica" was in 

 darkness for seventy days. During that time every member of the 

 party suffered from anaemia, due to the excessive humidity, the 

 unceasing night, the lack of fresh food and continuous storms. It 

 was at this time that Professor Danco, the magnetician, died, a loss 

 which was greatly deplored by his scientific associates. 



Dr. Cook ascribes great value to the meteorological observa- 

 tions made at this time. The chart of magnetic variations made 

 indicated that the magnetic pole was probably two hundred miles 

 east of the location made out by Sir James Ross in his expedition 

 of 1839 to 1843. Cook found that the aspect of the ice field in the 

 Antarctic differed considerably from that with which he was 

 familiar in the Arctic region. The pack is somewhat heavier and 



