418 



Discovery," 

 uary, 1902. 



Jan 



' Southern Cross," 

 January, 1899. 



'Erebus" and "Ter- 

 ror," 1841-3. 



exploration during the remainder of the period, viz.. from March, 1903, to March, 1904, inclusive, the 

 months have been grouped into seasons for convenience, and the data available for each quadrant of the 

 Antarctic have been dealt with in proper order, according to the season. 



As regards three of these seasons, the results of observations obtained by the " Discovery " Expedition 

 at McMurdo Sound, in 1902-3, have been compared with those recorded by the "Southern Cross" 

 Expedition, at Cape Adare, in 1899-1900. 



Referring to the grouping of the months into seasons, March and April have been considered as Autumn 

 months; May to August, inclusive, as Winter; September and October as Spring; and November to 

 February, inclusive, as Summer. 



The two tables on page 419 are given to enable the reader to follow the narrative more easily. 



The " Discovery," proceeding southward, crossed the Antarctic Circle on the 2nd January at about the 

 178th meridian, with the wind from west-south-westward, moderate in force. The weather had been 

 foggy that day until 1.30 p.m., and since 5.45 p.m. of the previous day. 



Thence to a position, reached on the 9th January, about seven miles to the north-eastward of Cape 

 Adare, South Victoria Land, in about 70 10' S., and 170 15' E., the winds mainly were from between 

 north-north-east round by east to south-south-east, light to moderate in force. The mean pressure during 

 the period, between the positions referred to, was 29 -36 inches; a maximum pressure, 29 - 94 inches, was 

 recorded on the 2nd of the month, with a gentle breeze from west by south, and the minimum pressure, 

 29 04 inches, on the 4th, during a calm, giving a range of 90 inch. 



The temperature was very even during the period ; a maximum of 33 F., which occurred on the 2nd, 

 6th and 8th, with gentle to light breezes from west, south-south-east, and south-east, respectively, was only 

 2 above the mean of 31 F. ; and the minimum of 29 F., recorded on the 9th, only 2 below the mean. 



Snow fell on six days ; the weather was overcast throughout ; and there was fog on two days. 



The data relating to the voyage of the steam yacht " Southern Cross " have been taken from the work 

 published by the Royal Society in 1903, entitled 'Magnetic and Meteorological Observations made by the 

 "Southern Cross" Antarctic Expedition, 1898-1900.' 



Traversing an area between 65 43' S., 165 47' E., and 66 46' S., 165 29' E., from January 19th to 

 31st, inclusive, 1899, on a course which lay to the westward of that covered by the " Discovery," the 

 steam yacht " Southern Cross," in the Expedition organised at the expense of Sir GEORGE NEWXES, Bart., 

 M.P., and led by Mr. C. E. BORCHGREVINK, experienced winds chiefly from between east-north-east and 

 south-south-east, the predominating wind being the south-east. 



The mean force of the wind was 2 of the Beaufort scale. The weather was overcast or cloudy ; snow- 

 fell on four days ; and fog was experienced on one. 



Barometer observations showed a mean pressure of 29 '65 inches; the highest reading, 29-79 inches, 

 recorded on the 19th and again on the 30th, and the lowest reading, 29 -43 inches, on the 22nd, show a 

 range of 36 inch. 



Observations for temperature give a mean of 29 F. for the period ; a maximum of 35 F., registered on 

 the 25th, and a minimum of 17 F., on the 29th and again on the 30th, show a range of 18 for the period. 



H.M.S. " Erebus :> and " Terror " spent the summers of 1840-1, 2, and 3 in the far south, and the months 

 of January and February entirely within the Antarctic Circle. In a work compiled by Mr. RICHARD 

 STRACHAN, F.R.Met.Soc., formerly on the staff of the Meteorological Office, and published by the authority 

 of the Meteorological Committee in 1873, entitled 'Contributions to our Knowledge of the Meteorology 

 of the Antarctic Regions,' the meteorological observations obtained during Sir JAMES Ross's voyages in 

 high southern latitudes have been reduced and tabulated. 



Some of the results, given in the following pages, may be considered apposite for comparison with more 

 recent data. They relate to observations recorded on both ships at the hours of 4 and 8 a.m., noon, 4 and 

 8 p.m., and midnight. 



In reference to those for pressure, Captain J. E. DAVIS, R.N., who was Second Master of the " Terror," 

 supplied the Meteorological Office, in 1872, with a ' Table of the Joint Corrections to be Applied to the 

 Observed Barometer.' For each instrument the neutral point was 29 '922 inches, capacity correction 

 5 V of the difference of height above this point, and capillarity correction + -012. 



