4 Recent Antarctic Exploration 



skeletons brought home by the Scottish expedition is one of 

 its most remarkable features. 



On Nov. 25, 1903, the " Scotia" was set free by the breaking 

 up of the ice. Unfortunately it was necessary for Mr Bruce 

 to get into telegraphic communication with Scotland to 

 obtain the credit necessary to refit and supply his ship for a 

 second season. To do this he had to go to Buenos Ayres, 

 which occasioned a serious loss of valuable time. But there 

 was some compensation. Through the friendly co-operation 

 of Mr Davis, the head of the astronomical and meteoro- 

 logical department of the Argentine Republic, the Govern- 

 ment of that country was induced to interest itself in the 

 expedition, and, besides contributing most generously to the 

 material necessities of the "Scotia," it appointed three 

 observers to return to the South Orkneys with Mr Bruce 

 and continue the meteorological work which had been 

 carried on under the immediate direction of the well-known 

 Scottish meteorologist, Mr Mossman. When the " Scotia " 

 returned to the South Orkneys, Mr Mossman agreed to 

 remain there for another winter in order to organise the 

 meteorological service of these interesting regions. This 

 was the beginning of what promises to be the most important 

 network of meteorological stations in the southern hemi- 

 sphere. 



But much valuable time had been lost ; and the exploratory 

 part of the work of the "Scotia" began no earlier in 1904 

 than it had in 1903. Nevertheless the season proved to be 

 so open in the Weddell Sea that a large amount of useful 

 hydrographical and oceanographical work was done; and 

 the party were enabled to discover and delineate a portion of 

 the antarctic continent, which was appropriately named Coats' 

 Land. Here the " Scotia " was beset in the ice for a week. 

 Fortunately she freed herself, and Mr Bruce started for the 

 north, making a very important series of observations along 

 a meridian to Gough Island, an outlying member of the 

 Tristan d'Acunha group. He surveyed the island itself and 

 then went home by the Cape of Good Hope. As it will be 

 some time before the results of this expedition are in the 



