THE TWENTIETH CENTURY 429 
found in Laurie Island. There the Scotia dropped 
anchor on March 26th and four days later Scotia Bay 
was filled with pack ice and the wintering had begun. 
A solid stone house was built on shore with walls four feet 
thick, and a magnetic observatory was also erected, while 
Mossman got the meteorological instruments installed at 
once. Scientific work in all departments was soon in full 
swing and was kept up all the winter, and journeys of 
considerable extent were carried out on the ice amongst 
the islands. During the winter the chief engineer died, 
but all the others retained the most robust health. 
On November 27th, 1903, the ship was able to put to 
sea on her return to the Falklands, but Mossman with 
five companions remained at the observatory on Laurie 
Island. The Scotia went on to Buenos Aires where the 
Argentine Government showed the greatest kindness in 
various respects, and when she left again on January 
2 1 st, 1904, a party of Argentine meteorologists went with 
her to continue the observations at Scotia Bay for another 
year. They were landed on February 14th and Mr. Moss- 
man remained with them in charge of the station, v/hilst 
the other Scotsmen went back on board and made speed 
southward. No trouble was caused by the pack, and 
repeated soundings showed that the ocean had a fairly 
uniform depth exceeding 2,600 fathoms, until in 72 0 S., 
18 0 W., the depth was found to be reduced to 1,131 
fathoms. On March 6th land was seen, undulating and 
ice-clad, rising to a great height and fading in the distant 
sky, and although a close pack made it impossible to ap- 
proach within two miles of the shore, the sea shoaled to 
159 fathoms, a sure indication that it was land indeed. The 
farthest south attained was 74 0 1' S. in 22 0 W., a posi- 
tion somewhat farther east than Weddell’s farthest point. 
