INTRODUCTION 



in the south. On the 29th he reached the Antarctic Circle 

 in 178° East, and got to 69° South before meeting with 

 heavy ice. Turning westward at this point he discovered 

 the group of lofty volcanic islands which bears his name, 

 and there was no mistake as to their existence as one of 

 the peaks rose to a height of 14,000 ft. An excellent 

 sketch was made of the islands by the mate, and geological 

 specimens were collected from the beach. Proceeding 

 westward Biscoe reported an " appearance of land in 65° 

 South, and about 121° East," which Mr. Charles Enderby 

 claimed as a discovery and called it Sabrina Land after 

 the unfortunate cutter which was lost with all hands in 

 a gale. 



The years 1838 to 1843 saw no less than ten vessels 

 bound on exploration to the ice-cumbered waters of the 

 Antarctic, all ostensibly bent on scientific research, but all 

 animated, some admittedly, by the patriotic ambition of 

 each commander to uphold the honour of his flag. 



Captain Dumont d'Urville, of the French Navy, was 

 one of the founders of the Paris Geographical Society. 

 He had been sent out on two scientific voyages of cir- 

 cumnavigation which lasted from 1822 to 1825, and from 

 1826 to 1829, and he became a great authority on the 

 ethnology of the Pacific Islands. He planned a third 

 cruise to investigate problems connected with his special 

 studies; but, in granting the vessels for this expedition, 

 King Louis Philippe added to the commission, possibly 

 at the suggestion of Humboldt, a cruise to the Antarctic 

 regions in order to outdistance Weddell's farthest south. 

 It was known that an American expedition was on the 

 point of starting with this end in view, and that active 

 steps were also being taken in England to revive southern 

 exploration. Dumont d'Urville got away first with two 

 corvettes, the Astrolabe, under his command, and the 



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