CHAPTER LVITI 
THE SOCIETIES' ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION 
The Morning 
The dreadful disaster to the Franklin Expedition was 
entirely due to the absence both of a relief ship and a 
depot ship; and the necessity of providing one has ever 
since been recognised. We had promised Captain Scott 
that such a ship should be provided to take out provisions 
and letters, bring back any invalids, and afford relief and 
the means of return if anything had happened to the 
Discovery, Captain Scott had furnished full information 
respecting places where records would be found, and 
other directions for finding his ship. 
There was no time to be lost. I first carefully con- 
sidered what ships suitable for arctic work were available 
in Scotland, but the only one was the Terra Nova and her 
price was beyond our means. This ship was built in 
1884 and had been employed in Newfoundland; she 
would have suited admirably had sufficient funds been 
forthcoming. I therefore turned to Norway in August, 
1900, where I had an excellent adviser and friend in 
Captain Bonnevie of Laurvik, who had been surveyor for 
the Veritas, the Norwegian Lloyds, since 1874, a good 
seaman who had had immense experience. There were 
a dozen ships. Of these four were too small, though 
strongly built, others had dry rot. The only one that 
would suit was the M or gen, but her price was £6000, and 
I then had no money in hand. 
It became necessary to raise funds and bring down 
the price of the Morgen. The Council of the Royal 
Geographical Society subscribed nothing, but the Royal 
Society generously sent me £500. With his usual muni- 
ficence Mr Longstaff subscribed £5000, and later Sir Edgar 
Speyer gave another £5000. With these exceptions 
very rich people refused to help. But hundreds of our 
countrymen with small means sympathized and sent all 
