THE SWEDISH ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION. 



469 



of the Argentine navy, assistant meteorologist, and two sailors. As 

 soon as possible the observations were started, and the scientitic work 

 was carried on without interruption until November 8, 1903, the day 

 of the arrival of the Argentine relief expedition, commanded by 

 Captain Irizar. 



In the preliminary plan of the expedition the meteorological obser- 

 vations are entered as one of the most important parts of our work. 

 But it is not only their intrinsic interest that makes me, in tr3dng to 

 give a general view of the ph3'sical geography of the region, begin 

 with a discussion of our meteorological observations. In fact, not onh^ 

 is the climate of that region of specially great geographical importance, 

 but there are some rather unexpected features that seem to lend that 

 section of our results a peculiar interest. 



The principal meteorological features of the region appear in the 

 following table, communicated by Doctor Bodman, and comprising the 

 approximate monthl}' means of temperature, barometic pressure, and 

 velocity of the wind: 



1902. 



March 



April , 



May 



June 



July 



August , 



September 



October 



November 



December , 



1903. 



January , 



February 



March 



April 



May 



June 



July , 



August 



September 



October 



March, 1902-February, 1903 , 



Temper- Barome- 

 ature. ter. 



°F. 

 14". 90 

 7.88 

 1.40 



- .58 

 -11.92 



- 8.50 

 6.26 

 9.14 



17. 42 

 28. 40 



30.38 

 25.70 

 11.48 

 6.44 



- 2.92 



- 6.34 



.86 



2.48 



1.22 



20. 48 



10.04 



Inches. 

 29.25 

 29.31 

 29.12 

 29.34 

 29.29 

 28.96 

 29.10 

 28.99 

 29.28 

 29. 26 



29.28 

 29.05 

 28. 96 

 29.07 

 29.18 

 29.13 

 28. 95 

 29. 12 

 29.18 

 29. 02 

 29.19 



Velocity of 

 wind. 



;»• sec. 

 30.84 

 23.95 

 36.74 

 36.74 

 36.09 

 28.54 

 26. 25 

 30.51 

 24.61 

 13. 12 



19.69 

 22. 97 

 44.29 

 26. 25 

 19.69 

 19.69 

 26. 25 

 27. sy 



The minimum for the whole time was in August, 1902, —42.16°; 

 the maximum in the same month of August, 1903, 48.74°. 



As other meteorological questions will soon be discussed more 

 extensively by Doctor Bodman, I here restrict myself to those most 

 important for the climate, viz, the temperature and the velocity of the 

 wind. Tlu; first thing shown by this tabl(> is the unexpectedly low 

 mean temperature. According to approximate calculations of our 

 astronomical observations, the situation of the winter station was in 

 64° 22' south and 57° west. The nearest places where meteorolog- 

 ical observ^ations have been carried out during a time of sufficient 

 length are at Cape Horn and in the region where the Brh/ica wintered, 

 and from the results thus obtained we might have expected to find 



