EX DERBY LAND. 223 



probability of the existence of an extensive South Polar 

 Continent, or at least of masses of land connected by ice 

 formations. 



ii. ENDERBY LAND AND THE NEIGHBOURING 

 DISTRICTS. 



The last of the three larger groups of land that have 

 been actually sighted, or were conjectured to exist, are 

 those hastily seen by Kemp, comprising the extensive 

 coast of Enderby Land, besides the frequent views of an 

 ice wall to the west of it, and some indistinct indications 

 of other land ; all these are least known, notwithstanding 

 the fact that they are situated within the region visited by 

 Cook on his first voyage of discovery to the far south. 

 The easternmost point seen, viz., Kemp Land, is situated 

 in latitude 66° 30' S., almost on the same parallel as the 

 westernmost point of Wilkes Land, the existence of which 

 has been clearly demonstrated in longitude 69 W. The 

 distance intervening between the two districts amounts to 

 forty-four meridians = 1,150 to 1,250 miles. 



The Challenger penetrated into the centre of this 

 intermediate region, and even beyond it, and it is due to 

 its investigations that the veil has been partially lifted 

 from over this vast tract. Land it is true, was not 

 actually seen, but the soundings that were taken, and 

 the specimens of rock and other substances brought to 

 the surface have thrown some light on this region. The 

 Challenger took soundings at three places in the regions 

 of drift ice south of latitude 64° S., viz. : — 

 At 64 1 8' S. and 94 47' E. the soundings reached a 



depth of 7,805 feet. 

 At 64 2,7' S. and 85" 49' E. the soundings reached a depth 



of 10,807 feet. 

 At 65° 42' S. and 79 40/ E. the soundings reached a depth 

 of 10,056 feet. 



