The achievements of this expedition are, however, so well known over the whole civilized world that I do not think it necessary to dwell upon them.

Less known, but no less efficient in their work, were the whalers round the South Shetlands and in the regions to the south of them.  The days of sailing-ships were now past, and vessels with auxiliary steam appear on the scene.

Before passing on to these, I must briefly mention a man who throughout his life insisted on the necessity and utility of Antarctic expeditions —­ Professor Georg von Neumayer.

Never has Antarctic research had a warmer, nobler, and more high-minded champion.  So long as “Antarctica” endures, the name of Neumayer will always be connected with it.

The steam whaler Gronland left Hamburg on July 22, 1872, in command of Captain Eduard Dallmann, bound for the South Shetlands.  Many interesting geographical discoveries were made on this voyage.

Amongst other whalers may be mentioned the Balaena, the Diana, the Active, and the Polar Star of Dundee.

In 1892 the whole of this fleet stood to the South to hunt for whales in the vicinity of the South Shetlands.  They each brought home with them some fresh piece of information.  On board the Balaena was Dr. William S. Bruce.  This is the first time we meet with him on his way to the South, but it was not to be the last.

Simultaneously with the Scottish whaling fleet, the Norwegian whaling captain, C. A. Larsen, appears in the regions to the south of the South Shetlands.  It is not too much to say of Captain Larsen that of all those who have visited the Antarctic regions in search of whales, he has unquestionably brought home the best and most abundant scientific results.  To him we owe the discovery of large stretches of the east coast of Graham Land, King Oscar II.  Land, Foyn’s Land, etc.  He brought us news of two active volcanoes, and many groups of islands.  But perhaps the greatest interest attaches to the fossils he brought home from Seymour Island —­ the first to be obtained from the Antarctic regions.

In November, 1894, Captain Evensen in the Hertha succeeded in approaching nearer to Alexander I. Land than either Bellingshausen or Biscoe.  But the search for whales claimed his attention, and he considered it his duty to devote himself to that before anything else.

A grand opportunity was lost:  there can be no doubt that, if Captain Evensen had been free, he would here have had a chance of achieving even better work than he did —­ bold, capable, and enterprising as he is.

The next whaling expedition to make its mark in the South Polar regions is that of the Antarctic, under Captain Leonard Kristensen.  Kristensen was an extraordinarily capable man, and achieved the remarkable record of being the first to set foot on the sixth continent, the great southern land —­ “Antarctica.”  This was at Cape Adare, Victoria Land, in January, 1895.