CHAPTER LV 
PRIVATE EXPEDITIONS— BORCHGREVINK— GERLACHE— 
NORDENSKlOLD— BRUCE— DRYGALSKI— CHARCOT— 
FILCHNER 
BORCHGREVINK 
It was in 1894 that Mr Svend Foyn, the great Nor- 
wegian shipowner, sent a vessel southwards to determine 
whether the despatch of whaling ships to Antarctic seas 
would be remunerative. She was commanded by Captain 
Christensen, and he reached Cape Adare and Robertson 
Bay of Sir James Ross. The voyage was not repeated, 
but there was a volunteer on board named Carstens 
Borchgrevink who, in 1898, induced Sir George Newnes 
to supply the funds for an expedition under his command. 
Borchgrevink bought a Norwegian sealer named the 
Pollux, of 521 tons, built in Arendal, Captain Jensen 
being master. Re-named the Southern Cross she left 
Hobart 19th December, 1898, and arrived at Cape Adare 
17th Februaty, 1899, and the landing party was put on shore 
in Robertson Bay, with a house taken out in pieces. 
Here the party wintered, it being arranged that the ship 
should return for them next summer. Nothing of any 
importance was possible in the way of sledge travelling 
from Robertson Bay. But there was a very able staff — 
Mr Colbeck, R.N.R., the magnetic observer and surveyor, 
Mr Bernacchi the physicist, Hanson (who died during the 
winter and was buried at Cape Adare) and Hugh Evans 
the biologists. All the staff did their work admirably, 
and the results were published by the authorities of the 
British Museum in 1902. When the ship returned she 
followed the track of Sir James Ross's ships. Borch- 
grevink landed on the barrier and then returned to New 
Zealand. 
De Gerlache 
The Belgian Expedition was well supported by 
patriotic subscribers. Captain de Gerlache was chosen to 
command it, and in February, 1896, there were sufficient 
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