Excerpt from British (Terra Nova) Antarctic Expedition, 1910-1913: Report on the Maps and Surveys

The surveying which was carried out by the British Antarctic Expedition of 1910 - 13 included work of so many kinds and covered SO wide an area that a short account of its scope is desirable before proceeding to deal with the particular surveys.

The expedition was divided into two landing parties, the main body, having its headquarters at Cape Evans, on the west Side of Ross Island, and an auxiliary party which was landed at Cape Adare and is referred to as the Northern Party in this memoir. The general supervision of the survey work was in the hands of Lieutenant (now Captain) E. R. G. R. Evans, r.n., who did the greater part of the work on land during the first year, but he was assisted by many other members of the expedition who often undertook separate parts of the work. These will be mentioned as their work is discussed. Surveying being only one of very many activities of the expedition there was no definite organisation of parties or of methods for that purpose, and a great deal 'oi the work was left to the general duty of members to make observations whenever possible.

The result was, as is common in polar-exploration, a vast amount of material which was gathered on no preconceived plan but rather as opportunity arose, and this somewhat unwieldy mass has had to be carefully examined before the final maps could be made.

The work may be conveniently treated under three general headings, which are distinct by reason of the different methods used. Of these, the work at the main base is the most important, involving as it did the careful determination of the geographical co-ordinates, and an attempt at a triangulation of the immediate neighbourhood naturally, the work was done with instruments and by methods not suitable for extended survey in the field. Under the second heading comes the general topographic work of the various sledging parties, work which was carried out under all the inconveniences of rapid travel in polar conditions and which cannot aim at a very high order of precision. Finally, when the ship had landed the various parties She made several running surveys and carried out a large programme of hydrographical work under the direction of the late Lieutenant H. L. Pennell, r.n.

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