January 9, 19 13] 



NATURE 



517 



The results of the expedition, as regards geo- 

 graph}', consist in the confirmation of Shackleton's 

 discovery that the south pole was probably situated 

 on a plateau more than 10,000 feet above sea- 

 le\ el ; and of the extension of the great coast 

 range of South Victoria Land with peaks of un- 

 diminished height in a south-easterly direction to 

 latitude 88° S. at least. 



It appears that this can no longer be regarded 

 as merely a coast range, for Amundsen brings 

 evidence to show that the Barrier, which repre- 

 sents the area believed to belong to the sea, ter- 

 minates about 80° S. , and there a spur of 

 mountains runs off at right-angles to the main 

 range in a north-easterlv direction. There is no 



was visited for the first time by Lieutenant 

 Prestrud in an interesting subsidiary expedition. 

 The examinaton of the specimens shows that they 

 consist only of granitic and schistose rocks. 



The meteorological observations taken at the 

 Bay of Whales at 78° 38' S. do not cover a full 

 year, but were taken three times daily from 

 April I, 1911, to January 29, 1912. The warmest 

 month was December, with an approximate mean 

 temperature of — 6"6° C. ; the coldest, August, 

 with an approximate mean temperature of —44' 5° 

 C. The highest reading observed on the warmest 

 day was just below freezing point. There was a 

 marked predominance of easterly winds, this direc- 

 tion being most frequent with storms. It is almost 



certain indication as to whether this range runs 

 on to King Edward Land or not. The determina- 

 tion of the position of the pole on the uniform 

 level surface of the plateau was accomplished by 

 sextant observations with artificial horizons, the 

 altitude of the sun being observed at hourly in- 

 tervals by four separate observers for more than 

 twenty-four hours. The readings are not given, 

 but the result, as calculated by Mr. Anton 

 .\lexander, shows a latitude between 8g° 57' and 

 89° 59' S. 



Geological observations were confined to bring- 

 ing home about fifty rock specimens from the 

 mountains of South Victoria Land and from 

 Scott's TSIunatak on King Edward Land, which 

 XO. 2254, VOL. go] 



Reproduced by permission of The lUitstrated London Neu 



incredible that there were no minimum thermo- 

 meters on the expedition, and the maximum 

 thermometers proved unworkable. Much snow 

 was experienced at the base, but the stakes set 

 out on the Barrier farthest south to mark the depots 

 in autumn remained unconcealed after the winter's 

 snowfall in the following spring, showing no 

 appreciable accumulation of snow in eight months. 

 The oceanographical observations are discussed 

 by Prof. Helland Hansen and Dr. Nansen, who 

 point out that the preliminary trip in the North 

 Atlantic in 1910 furnished results of great value 

 for comparison with those of the simultaneous 

 voyage of the Michael Sars under the charge of 

 Sir John Murray and Dr. Hjort. 



