12 W. M. HAMLET. 



president, Professor David, took so important and interest- 

 ing a part, fearlesssly penetrating the regions of eternal 

 ice and snow, like the Vikings of the land of Olaf and Odin, 

 but with a modern spirit of research and discovery striving 

 to win the secrets of the earth that lie hidden under the 

 Southern Polar Ice cap, and to stand on that point of the 

 earth where the force of terrestrial magnetism is concen- 

 trated — the exact locus in quo of the southern magnetic 

 pole. The keen local interest in this expedition was 

 intensified in no small degree, owing to our geographical 

 proximity and to the personnel of the brave explorers 

 themselves. 



The scientific world at large is keenly looking forward 

 to the publication of the series of volumes of valuable 

 results which will enlarge our conceptions of the great 

 Antarctic Continent, and yield a harvest of geological, 

 biological, magnetic and bathymetric knowledge that will 

 be unique of its kind. What the value of such expeditions 

 will be may be best appreciated by generations yet to come 

 who in watching the gradual cooling process of our planet 

 will gauge the increasing growth of the mighty fissured 

 glaciers and mark the climatic changes that await posterity 

 in Australia and New Zealand. Citizens of Sydney have 

 already given their hearty congratulations, but once again 

 the Royal Society of New South Wales welcomes back 

 these modern Vikings from 



" Those wastes of frozen billows that were hurled, 



By everlasting snow-storms round the poles, 



Where matter dared not vegetate or live, 



But ceaseless frost round the vast solitude 



Bound its broad zone of stillness." 



The home-coming of Prof. David from the blizzard-swept 

 and ice-bound regions of Antarctica has been a subject of 

 universal congratulation, and we are glad to have him back 

 unscathed from the perils encountered in his journey to 

 the South magnetic Pole. 



