i6 



NATURE 



[January 5, 1922 



Scoresby was the first to give a scientific account 

 of the island. His narrative was based on a visit 

 in 181 7, when he was ashore for a short while and 

 climbed one of the smaller extinct craters. Berna 

 and Vogt in 1861, Mohn in 1877^ and.Rabot in 1892 

 also published descriptions. The only expedi- 

 tion last century which remained any length of time 

 on the island, however, was that of the Austrian 

 International Circumpolar Station in 1882-83. 

 During a fourteen months' stay under Wohlgemuth's 

 leadership the party made full magnetic and meteor- 

 ological records. Their map, which we found very 

 useful and accurate, was the work of von Bobrik. 

 Curiously enough, the natural history was \ery ' 

 slightlv studied. 



station for meteorological purposes either last year 

 or this. A satisfactory arrangement was made, and 

 our expedition secured passages in Engineer 

 Ekerold's two ships Polar front (24 tons) and Isfug- 

 len (54 tons). On the Norwegian side the affair was 

 now pushed with greater vigour than ever, and after 

 innumerable difficulties Ekerold finally was able to 

 carry his plans into execution. 



At Bergen we were met by Prof. Mercanton,. of 

 Lausanne, who had long wished to climb the moun- 

 tain, and it was arranged that on reaching the 

 island he should transfer from the Norwegian 

 party to ours. We were now strongly represented 

 in the various branches of science. Musters himself 

 undertook botanicar collections, Bristowe and Leth- 



,Tthf^^ 





GREENLA>'D SEA 



JAM MAYEN I. 



From an Austrian Goveniiueni SuiTer 

 1882 3. 



Fig. i.-Reproduced, by permission of the Hydrographer, from an inset on British Admiralty Chart No. 2751 



Last summer's expedition was originated by J, L. 

 Chaworth-Musters at the beginning of last year; 

 the objects were partly to climb Beerenberg, a moun- 

 tain more than 8000 ft. high, and often stated to be 

 a still active volcano, partly to complete the Austrian 

 survey of the island by investigating more minutely 

 its geology and natural history. Musters originally 

 intended to charter a hunting sloop from Aalesund. 

 This, however, proved unnecessary through the 

 establishment of friendly relations with a Norwegian 

 engineer, who, under the auspices of the Norwegian 

 Government, was hoping to establish a wireless 

 NO. 2723, VOL.' £09] 



bridge the natural history, and Mercanton 's know- 

 ledge of glaciology and mountaineering made him 

 a valuable recruit. The party of six was completed 

 by Richmond Brown as " campman," and myself 

 as geologist. Four of us were members of Cam- 

 bridge University. 



After a somewhat rough passage the island was 

 reached on August 7. It was much too late to think 

 of studying the nesting habits of the birds. It was 

 almost too late to find the plants still in flower. 

 Musters, therefore, accompanied by Bristowe, at 

 once commenced his collecting. The lateness of the 



