INTRODUCTION 



Two voyages of exploration in Weddell Sea may for 

 convenience be referred to here. In October 1901 Dr. 

 Otto Nordenskjold left Gothenberg, in the old Antarctic 

 under the command of Captain Larsen, for an expedition 

 which he had got up by his personal efforts. He arrived 

 at the South Shetlands in January 1902, but found it im- 

 possible even to reach the Antarctic Circle on the coast of 

 Oscar Land. Allowing the ship to go north for work 

 among the islands, Nordenskjold wintered for two years, 

 1902 and 1903, in a timber house on Snow Hill Island 

 in 64° 25' South. Only one year's wintering had been 

 contemplated, but the Antarctic was crushed in the ice and 

 sank, fortunately 'without loss of life. A relief ship was 

 despatched from Sweden, but shortly before she arrived 

 Nordenskjold and his companions had been rescued by 

 the unprotected Argentine naval vessel Uruguay, under 

 Captain Irizar. • 



Dr. W. S. Bruce, who had been to Weddell Sea in 

 the Baleana in 1892, and had since then taken part in 

 several Arctic expeditions, succeeded by dint of hard work 

 and the unceasing advocacy of the farther exploration of 

 Weddell Sea, in enlisting the aid of a number of persons 

 in Scotland, and notably of Mr. James Coats, Jr., of 

 Paisley, and Major Andrew Coats, D.S.O., and fitting 

 out an expedition on the Scotia. He left the Clyde in 

 November 1902, with Captain Thomas Robertson in 

 command of the ship, Mr. R. C. Mossman, the well- 

 known meteorologist, Mr. Rudmose Brown and Mr. D. 

 W. Wilton as naturalists, and Dr. J. H. H. Pirie as 

 surgeon and geologist. After calling at the South 

 Orkneys, the Scotia got south to 70° 25' South in 17° 

 West on February 22, 1903, not far from the position 

 reached by Ross. Valuable oceanographical work was 

 done, and on returning to the South Orkneys, Mr. Moss- 

 man landed there with a party to keep up regular 



