300 DISCOVERY REPORTS 



extremely favourable. A whole series of sights was taken and a complete survey made 

 of the rather complicated harbour (Chart 3). The distances were rather great for a small 

 pulling boat, and this resulted in very heavy work on the part of my assistants. 



Both Undine and Larsen Harbours are guarded by most difficult approaches, and I 

 was anxious to attempt some sort of a survey. At the time, however, it was not possible 

 to obtain the use of a larger, mechanically driven, boat, and in consequence these 

 approaches still remain to be investigated.^ On completion of this work it was decided 

 to visit each of the whaling stations in turn, surveying the harbour itself and using any 

 opportunity which might offer to survey the approaches. In this way, during the period 

 from January 1 7 to January 31,1 927, Leith Harbour (Chart 3 ) was surveyed and a triangu- 

 lation of Stromness Bay (Chart i) carried out, together with soundings in some of the 

 more important areas. I am greatly indebted to Mr Leganger Hansen, manager of the 

 whaling station, for the assistance he gave me throughout my visit to Leith Harbour. He 

 put everything I needed at my disposal with the exception of skilled assistance, which 

 naturally he did not have. This, however, was supplied, so far as was compatible with 

 his other duties, by Mr L. Harrison Matthews, of the scientific stafl^. After some prac- 

 tice he acquired great facility in the work and on many occasions his help proved indis- 

 pensable. Thanks to the kindness of Mr Hansen, two excursions were made from Leith 

 Harbour for the purpose of taking sun sights, one to Cape Buller and one to Cape 

 Saunders. On both occasions the sights were successfully taken. A motor boat which 

 was also lent to me at Leith Harbour proved invaluable, but the use of it could only be 

 obtained when it was not engaged on other duties. 



A tide-pole was erected in Leith Harbour, and Mr Leganger Hansen very kindly 

 arranged to have systematic hourly readings taken over a period of two complete calendar 

 months. These, together with two months similarly read by the staff of the Marine 

 Biological Station at Grytviken (King Edward Cove), give sufficient data for the 

 determination of the tidal information necessary in South Georgia, where the rise and 

 fall is small and the tidal streams negligible from a navigational point of view. Both 

 these tide-poles were connected by levelling to fixed marks ashore : at Grytviken to a 

 mark cut in the north-west corner of the Biological Station and at Leith Harbour to the 

 top of the inner end of the wharf. Both marks should be recoverable for a long time. 



Work in South Georgia ended with additions to the chart of Cumberland Bay: 

 triangulation was effected from a number of points and the positions of Mount Paget 

 and Sugarloaf Peak were fixed (Plate XLH, fig. i). Owing to the similarity of their 

 appearance on certain bearings these mountains had often been confused, so much so 

 that a wrong leading bearing was included in the sailing directions. 



It had been intended, during our passage between South Georgia and the South 

 Orkneys, to search for two vigias (doubtful rocks) which had been reported recently in 

 those regions. The attempt had, however, to be abandoned owing to the adverse 

 weather conditions which prevailed when in the vicinity. The existence of both these 



1 Some revision of the approaches to Undine Harbour was, however, made at a later date by the 

 'Discovery IT, as shown in Chart 3. 



