SOUTH ORKNEYS: SOUTH SHETLANDS 301 



rocks was doubtful, for they have never been sighted again and there are reasons for 

 thinking that the reports were based only on black icebergs. Plate XLIII, fig. 2, shows 

 how closely an iceberg with morainic deposit may resemble a rock or small island, and 

 in the rough or misty weather which prevails in these latitudes a mistake is easily made. 



In other parts of the Dependencies of the Falkland Islands, in the South Orkneys, 

 South Shetlands andthePalmer Archipelago, the work was of necessity of a much rougher 

 nature (Chart 4). With the exception of a good set of sights taken at Borge Bay in the 

 South Orkneys no opportunity occurred here for astronomical sights from the shore ; in 

 consequence we were obliged to rely entirely on the sights obtained at sea, and these, 

 though in many cases quite satisfactory, cannot be compared with shore sights for 

 accuracy. The sights taken at the South Orkneys showed that the positions of these 

 islands differed considerably from those previously assigned to them, as they were 

 found to be 15 miles farther to the eastward than charted. At Borge Bay a sextant 

 triangulation was made, but our visit was too short for the completion of any satis- 

 factory survey work. The sights, however, were well worth a visit and will be useful 

 lateV. Borge Bay is a passable harbour much used by whalers. Ice drives in occasionally, 

 but it is usually soft and the whalers are able to steam through it to clearer water outside. 

 On the passage to Clarence Island from the South Orkneys an enormous iceberg was 

 found. Along the side that we measured it was 35 miles in length, but in the other 

 direction it was probably still longer, since no end to it could be seen even from the 

 mast-head. Very uneven and shoal soundings obtained just to the north of it indicated 

 that this huge berg was possibly aground. 



The position of Clarence Island was provisionally determined from sun sights at sea 

 and simultaneous bearings of the island, and it is thought that the result is reasonably 

 accurate. 



Work undertaken by the German exploration vessel 'Meteor' had shown that 

 O'Brien Island is situated farther to the westward than had hitherto appeared, and 

 we ourselves found that the position of Gibbs Island relatively to O'Brien Island was 

 as formerly plotted. It would appear, therefore, that the group which includes both 

 these islands is farther to the westward than had been charted previously; but at this 

 time only one sight of the sun was obtained in confirmation of their position. 



The position of Simpson Rock north of King George Island was plotted on our 

 further passage to Deception Island. Deception Island itself had been well charted by 

 Charcot during the First French Antarctic Expedition. I and my assistant^ obtained 

 good sights during our visit to the island and were able to confirm the position which 

 Charcot had assigned to it. The Austin Rocks were well fixed by simultaneous bearings 

 taken to them and to Deception Island, as also was Sail Rock. 



Farther south the positions assigned to nearly all the islands are far from satisfactory, 

 and, although a certain amount of work was done by way of correction, the results cannot 

 be regarded as other than approximate until a further examination has been made. 



1 Throughout the work during this commission, except at Leith Harbour, I was assisted by Midshipman 

 W. P. O'Connor and by Able Seaman Malcolm Smith. 



