34 THE HISTORY OF THE SOUTH POLE 



Irizar, of the Argentine gunboat Uruguay, and one of 

 his officers. Some anxiety had been felt owing to the 

 absence of news of the Antarctic, and the Argentine 

 Government had sent the Uruguay to the South to 

 search for the expedition. But what in the world had 

 become of Captain Larsen and the Antarctic ? This 

 was the question the others asked themselves. 



The same night it sounds almost incredible there 

 was a knock at the door of the hut, and in walked Cap- 

 tain Larsen with five of his men. They brought the 

 sad intelligence that the good ship Antarctic was no 

 more. The crew had saved themselves on the nearest 

 island, while the vessel sank, severely damaged by ice. 



They, too, had had to build themselves a stone hut 

 and get through the winter as best they could. They 

 certainly did not have an easy time, and I can imagine 

 that the responsibility weighed heavily on him who had 

 to bear it. One man died; the others came through 

 it well. 



Much of the excellent material collected by the 

 expedition was lost by the sinking of the Antarctic, but 

 a good deal was brought home. 



Both from a scientific and from a popular point of 

 view this expedition may be considered one of the most 

 interesting the South Polar regions have to show. 



We then come to the Scotsman, Dr. William S. 

 Bruce, in the Scotia. 



