28 J. H. MAIDEN. 



2. Antarctica. — 



Scott, 1910-11-12. 

 Amundsen, 1910-11-12. 

 Shirase, 1911-12. 

 Mawson, 1911-12. 

 Pilchner, 1911-12. 



The southern summers, 1910-11 and 1911-12, have been 

 marked by a most determined assault on the strongholds of 

 Antarctica. No less than five important expeditions, 

 originating in five different centres of civilization — Britain, 

 Norway, Japan, Australia, and Germany — have proceeded 

 south to explore the last large unknown area in the World. 



Scott's first expedition in 1903 showed that Antarctic 

 exploration could be resolved into two types. There is 

 the investigation of the animal and plant life and of the 

 geological characteristics, which can only be studied along 

 the coasts of the great Antarctic Plateau ; and, secondly, 

 there are the sledging journeys to be made over the great 

 Inland Plateau — the largest and highest in the World — 

 which is devoid of life, and in which no rock masses project 

 above the waste of ice. 



Quite different objects are aimed at in these contrasted 

 journeys. The first may be called purely scientific ; the 

 second class also result in important additions to our 

 scientific knowledge, but they are necessarily "dashes" 

 marked by hurry, strenuous labour and great privation, and 

 do not afford time for very careful scientific observation. 

 Their chief aim, since Scott made the first long plateau 

 journey in 1903, has been to reach either the South 

 Geographic or South Magnetic Pole. 



Of the five expeditions mentioned, Scott's and Amundsen's 

 appear to be the only ones designed to attack the Geo- 

 graphical Pole. A glance at the map of the Continent 

 will show that their winter quarters on the Ross Sea have 



