12 THE VOYAGE OF THE 'DISCOVERY' 



the Antarctic Regions. The Government responded nobly to 

 this petition, and organised an undertaking which was destined 

 to achieve the most brilliant results, and to open up the 

 Antarctic Regions in a manner which must have been wholly 

 unexpected by its promoters. 



But whilst Captain James Ross, the commander of this 

 expedition, was diligently and carefully preparing and equipping 

 his ships for this great venture, two other expeditions of 

 importance had been despatched by other countries. One of 

 these had left the shores of France in 1837. It consisted of 

 two ships, ' L' Astrolabe and ' La Zel£e,' under the command 

 of Dumont D'Urville, an experienced navigator. D'Urville 

 first descended on the Antarctic area in the region of Graham 

 Land, with the intent to follow WeddelPs course and reach a 

 higher latitude ; but in this he was frustrated by the pack-ice, 

 and after making some minor discoveries in the neighbourhood 

 of Louis-Philippe Land and Joinville Island he returned to 

 pursue his investigations in milder climates. In the end of 

 1839 D'Urville was at Hobart Town, Tasmania, where for the 

 moment we will leave him and follow the fortunes of the other 

 and more imposing expedition, consisting of five vessels, which 

 left Chesapeake Bay in 1837 under the command of Commo- 

 dore Wilkes. 



In relating the history ot the voyages of Wilkes and 

 D'Urville I touch only on those parts which have a relation to 

 the Antarctic Regions, though it must be understood that both 

 these expeditions pursued scientific investigations in other 

 parts of the world. 



On reaching the Southern waters Wilkes divided his forces, 

 and whilst he turned his attention to minuter surveying work, 

 he sent the ' Peacock ' and ' Flying Fish ' south-west towards 

 Graham Land and Alexander Land. These vessels, after 

 much struggling with the ice, reached the vicinity of Peter I. 

 Island, but failed to attain a higher latitude than Bellingshausen 

 or Cook had previously done in this region. The close of the 

 season obliged them to retreat and rejoin the squadron without 

 the achievement of any important result. 



