8 THE HISTORY OF THE SOUTH POLE 



was that despatched by the Emperor Alexander I. 

 of Russia, under the command of Captain Thaddeus 

 von Bellingshausen. It was composed of two ships, 

 and sailed from Cronstadt on July 15, 1819. To this 

 expedition belongs the honour of having discovered the 

 first land to the south of the Antarctic Circle Peter I. 

 Island and Alexander I. Land. 



The next star in the Antarctic firmament is the 

 British seaman, James Weddell. He made two 

 voyages in a sealer of 160 tons, the Jane of Leith, 

 in 1819 and 1822, being accompanied on the second 

 occasion by the cutter Beaufoy. In February, 1823, 

 Weddell had the satisfaction of beating Cook's record by 

 reaching a latitude of 74 15' S. in the sea now known 

 as Weddell Sea, which in that year was clear of ice. 



The English firm of shipowners, Enderby Brothers, 

 plays a not unimportant part in Antarctic exploration. 

 The Enderbys had carried on sealing in southern waters 

 since 1785. They were greatly interested, not only in 

 the commercial, but also in the scientific results of these 

 voyages, and chose their captains accordingly. In 1830 

 the firm sent out John Biscoe on a sealing voyage in 

 the Antarctic Ocean with the brig Tula and the cutter 

 Lively. The result of this voyage was the sighting of 

 Enderby Land in lat. 66 25' S., long. 49 18' E. In 

 the following year Adelaide, Biscoe, and Pitt Islands, 

 on the west coast of Graham Land were charted, and 

 Graham Land itself was seen for the first time. 



