Drygalski
German scientific students had long taken a great interest in Antarctic research, and Dr Neumeyer, a native of Frankenthal near Worms, did more than anyone else out of England to arouse an interest in the subject. He had been in charge of the observatory at Melbourne from 1858 to 1862, and afterwards became chief of the Seewarte at Hamburg. When the German Antarctic expedition was decided upon and funds were raised, it was wisely resolved to build a vessel specially for the service, to be named the Gauss after the great magnetician of Göttingen. She was built at Kiel of the best dry oak and pitch pine. Her gross tonnage was 650, her length 165 ft., breadth 37 ft., depth 22 ft., speed when laden 5 knots. She could carry 600 tons of coal, and was well adapted for Antarctic work.
Professor Neumeyer was of opinion that, to secure adequate results, the command should be given to a naval officer. But eventually Dr Erik von Drygalski was selected, a physicist who had studied glacial action in Greenland and was the author of a work on the subject[201]. An accomplished scientific staff accompanied him, and Captain Hans Ruser was Captain of the ship and navigator.
The Gauss left Kerguelen Island on the 31st January, 1902, entering the ice in February, and working for the Termination Land of Wilkes, which was not found. Land was sighted, but the Gauss wintered in the pack outside the Antarctic Circle in 66° 13′ S. All the scientific staff were diligently at work, and valuable series of meteorological and magnetic observations were taken by Dr Friedrich Bidlingmaier of Potsdam. The other members of the scientific staff were Dr Ernst Van Hoffen, Dr Hans Gazert, and Dr Emil Philippi. In the summer a travelling party reached the land, distant about 50 miles. A conical mountain consisting of volcanic rock was discovered and named Gaussberg, and collections were made. A line of ice cliffs was seen, extending from 89° to 94° E., which was named König Wilhelm II Land. The place where the Gauss wintered was over a comparatively shallow bank, within the continental shelf. The ship was freed on February 8th, 1903, and reached Cape Town on June 9th.
It is to be regretted that Dr Drygalski did not go south on a meridian nearer to Kempe Land, when it is probable that he would have been more successful from a geographical point of view. Antarctic work was given up by the Germans, and the Gauss was sold to the Canadian Government[202].