The exploration of the Antarctic regions dates back much less far
than that of the Arctic. In 1772 Captain James Cook first crossed the
Antarctic Circle and penetrated the Antarctic regions. After him came
the Russian Bellingshausen in 1819, who discovered the first land
within the Antarctic Circle. Then came Weddell the British sealer, who
in 1823 pushed his sailing ship south into the great bight southeast of
Cape Horn, named after him Weddell Sea, to 74° 15´ south latitude, 241
miles beyond Cook’s record, and not exceeded in that region until the
last year. At Weddell’s farthest _no land or field ice was to be seen_,
and only three icebergs were in sight.
[Illustration: From “On the Polar Star,” by the Duke of the Abruzzi.
Copyright, Dodd, Mead & Co.