AMERICAN MUSEUM GUIDE LEAFLETS 



R. F. SCOTT, 1902-1904 



Discovery 



[The course, in part, is indicated by diagonal white and 



red bands.] 



The Discovery, under Captain R. F. Scott, a new and 

 well-equipped vessel, manned by officers of the British navy 

 and bearing a scientific staff of well-qualified men, crossed 

 the Antarctic Circle in January, 1902, proceeded to Cape 

 Adare, along the coast of Victoria Land, thence east beyond 

 the point reached by Ross, and discovered Edward VII 

 Land. Captain Scott then returned and placed the 

 Discovery in winter quarters near Mount Erebus, where 

 the season was pleasantly spent. On November 2, Scott, 

 Shackleton and Wilson began their heroic sledge journey 

 over the polar ice cap to the south, a distance of 380 

 miles from their ship. They planted the British flag at 

 82° 17' S. 



On January 25, 1903, Captain Colbeck of the relief 

 ship Morning sighted the Discovery and, since the latter 

 vessel could not be freed from the ice, stores were left and 

 the Discovery party spent its second winter in the Antarctic. 

 The cold was intense — frequently 50 below zero, and even 

 68°, was registered. During the spring, Scott and his party 

 traveling westerly reached a position on the elevated plateau 

 of the Antarctic Continent 9,000 feet above sea level. On 

 January 5, 1904, the relief ship Morning again appeared, 

 accompanied by another and larger vessel, the Terranova. 

 For a while it was thought that the Discovery must be 

 abandoned, but on February 16 she was released and sailed 

 for home, thus concluding what must be considered an 

 expedition of extraordinary success. 



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