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].
Charcot
Dr Charcot, son of the celebrated physician, an energetic and gifted Frenchman, endowed with a peculiar charm of manner, undertook to continue the work on the coast of Graham Land. He sailed for the south in a little vessel called the Français in 1903 and passed a winter at Wandel Island, afterwards cruising for some distance along the coast of Graham Land. Returning to France he resolved to construct and equip a small steamer specially for Antarctic work. She was built at St Malo in 1908 and named the Pourquoi Pas (450 h.-p., length 131 ft., beam 30 ft.), and Charcot sailed in her from Havre August 15th, 1908. From Punta Arenas he sailed south, and examined the coasts of Adelaide Island of Biscoe, landing on one of a group of small islets on the 15th January, 1909. The winter was passed at Petermann Island. In the summer of 1909–1910 he followed the edge of the pack as far as 125° W., sighting Bellingshausen’s Peter Island on January 16th, 1910. He had previously sighted the Alexander I Land of Bellingshausen on board the Français at a distance of 60 miles, on January 11th-13th, 1905. After again sighting it, he shaped a course into the South Pacific, when south of 70°, calling a distant appearance of land Charcot Land after his father. He returned to Rouen June 5th, 1910.
These two voyages comprise a useful piece of polar work. Dr Charcot has won the admiration of all who know him, and all true Britons feel a regard for the gallant Frenchman when they remember his camaraderie and affection for Captain Scott.
Filchner
In 1911 Filchner, an officer in the Prussian army, came forward to raise funds for an Antarctic expedition, announcing that there was much talk of theories, but that he was going to cut the Gordian knot by going to see. Having raised the necessary funds, Filchner’s plan was to explore the Weddell Quadrant to its apex. He bought a Norwegian whaler built at Arendal and named the Njord, and took with him a scientific staff, Dr Koenig of Vienna being the naturalist, and Dr Heinrich Seelheim the geographer. The master of the ship was Captain Jorgensen. The expedition left Hamburg in May, 1911, with all the equipment for long inland journeys, including three motors.
Filchner went the right way to work. There was no impenetrable pack for him. He put the ship’s stem straight at it, somewhere near Weddell’s furthest, and forced her through. After battling with the pack over 120 miles the ship came out into open water, and land was sighted in 76° 35′ extending to 79°. There was an ice barrier to the westward. Unfortunately the ship was carried away to the north before she could be properly secured, and she drifted about in the ice-cumbered sea during the winter. The new land was named after the late venerable Regent of Bavaria. Captain Jorgensen died before the ship returned to Buenos Aires.
CHAPTER LVI
PREPARATIONS FOR THE SOCIETIES’ ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION
In May 1893 I was elected President of the Royal Geographical Society, and resolved that an Antarctic expedition should be despatched, preferably by Government, as the encouragement of maritime enterprise, especially in a school so favourable to the acquisition of valuable experience as the polar regions, has always been my special aim. I found that Dr Murray of the Challenger agreed with me that the expedition should be under naval control, and he consented to open the campaign by reading a paper at a meeting of the Royal Geographical Society on November 27th, 1893.