ANTARCTIC ADVENTURE AND RESEARCH 



island was found to be wholly built of sedimentary 

 rocks. This indicates its former connection with a 

 large continent, and is of much interest, for islands far 

 distant from land are generally built of coral or vol- 

 canic rocks. 



Late in February, 1904, the "Scotia" again sailed 

 south, making for the same region she had visited the 

 year before. On March ist they found open water 

 where there had been impenetrable pack. Next day 

 they discovered a lofty ice barrier and were able to ap- 

 proach within two miles of it. On the sixth they had 

 traced one hundred and fifty miles of this coast, which 

 was named Coats Land after the Glasgow merchants 

 who had made the expedition possible. Many conti- 

 nental bowlders were dredged, but no rock was seen 

 on the barrier. They reached 74° i' S. and for some 

 days the chance of escape from the heavy pack seemed 

 small, for the *'Scotia" was held fast by the bows. 

 However, on the fourteenth of March they broke loose 

 and steamed north along the meridian of 10° W., mak- 

 ing a series of soundings. They made a brief visit to 

 Gough Island, 1,500 miles from the Cape, and reached 

 Capetown on May 5th. 



Charcot. — In August, 1903, the French expedition 

 under Dr. Charcot left Havre to investigate the west 

 side of Graham Land. They entered Gerlache Strait 

 but could not penetrate the pack near the Biscoe Islands 

 and so established winter quarters on Wandel Isle in 

 latitude 65° S. They made detailed investigations of 

 the geography and geology of the surrounding coasts, 

 reaching the small Biscoe Islands in a whale boat. 



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