THE VOYAGE OF THE HURON AND THE HUNTRESS 



The adventures of these mariners were extraordinary. Some had moderately 

 successful voyages; others made fortunes; still others met only shipwreck or 

 similar tragedy. But all of them had unusual and colorful experiences. These 

 nomads of the sea from the very nature of their voyaging made notable con- 

 tributions toward the geographical knowledge of the world In which they lived. 



With the growth of the trade with China, their valuable seal pelts replaced 

 the vanishing sea otter skins. Seeking their prey, they went to the Falkland 

 Islands, South Georgia and Patagonia; rounded Cape Horn to St. Marys, 

 Mocha and the Galapagos Islands; sailed to remote Desolation (Kerguelen) 

 Island; rediscovered the Crozets; then followed the high latitudes south of 

 Tasmania and New Zealand to the seal Islands below these distant lands. Then 

 came the discovery of the South Shetlands. 



It Is with the voyages of these mariners among the South Shetland Islands 

 that we are herein chiefly concerned. On this fringe of Antarctic seas, they estab- 

 lished camp and rendezvous, sailing through the Ice-filled channels and along 

 the rocky shores of the desolate islands; here they lived incredible lives, plunder- 

 ing the rookeries and exterminating the seal. And here they braved the unknown 

 dangers of the icy, uncharted waters to the south, becoming the first among 

 men to sight, recognize and land where rise the snowy mountains of the last 

 great continent — Antarctica. 



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