1907 Sub-Antarctic Islands Scientific Expedition

Members of the Auckland Islands party

The 1907 Sub-Antarctic Islands Scientific Expedition was a New Zealand scientific expedition organised by the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury (now known as the Canterbury branch of the Royal Society of New Zealand).[1] The main aim of the expedition was to extend the magnetic survey of New Zealand by investigating the Auckland and Campbell Islands but botanical, biological and zoological surveys were also conducted.

Expedition preparation

The planning committee of the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury approached the various branches of the New Zealand Institute for support and armed with this, approached the New Zealand Minister of Marine, John A. Millar, for possible transport. On being informed that neither of the New Zealand Government steam ships would be available, the committee sent a delegation to the Acting Premier, the Honourable William Hall-Jones. By 8 June 1907, it was confirmed that the NZGSS Hinemoa under the captaincy of John Bollons would be available to transport the expedition.[1]

Expedition members

A group of 26 participants went on the expedition.[1][2] The group was split into two main parties—one for Campbell Island and one for the Auckland Islands—with the intention that the groups were to be dropped off to survey while the NZGSS Hinemoa conducted its regular round of checking the castaway depots at other subantarctic islands before returning to pick the groups up.

Magnetic survey

Botany survey

Geology survey

Zoology survey

Other participants

Other proposed participants

There were a number of others that were invited to attend but either tendered their regrets or were unable to go.[1] These included:

The expedition

Castaways K Knudsen, Michael Puhl, Robert Ellis an John Gratton on board the Hinemoa alongside a wooden frame of what had been a canvas boat (coracle)

The NZGSS Hinemoa departed from Bluff on 14 November 1907 and the Expedition arrived at Port Pegasus, Stewart Island in the early afternoon. Some disembarked for an episode of botanical collecting. The voyage continued at 9pm that evening with an overnight steam to The Snares, which were reached at 6am. All of 15 November was spent at The Snares exploring the islands and collecting soil, rock and botanical specimens. By 16 November the expedition arrived at Auckland Islands and discovered the castaways of the wreck of the Dundonald.[3] After ensuring that the castaways were supplied with provisions and taking on board one of the castaways to act as a cook for the Campbell Island expedition group, the Auckland Islands expedition party was dropped off at Camp Cove.

Campbell Island was reached on 18 November and the remainder of the expedition was dropped off. The NZGSS Hinemoa returned and picked up the Campbell Island group on 25 November. While the NZGSS Hinemoa was away, the Auckland Islands group, who had also been supplied with a whaleboat and crew, were rowed to various locations around Auckland Islands during their ten-day stay. With the return of the NZGSS Hinemoa on the 26 November the Auckland Islands group packed up and boarded the vessel. The ship steamed to Enderby Island on the 27 November for further exploration and specimen hunting and then onto Disappointment Island on 28 November. A number of expedition members collected specimens and samples while Captain Bollons organised the exhumation of the Chief Mate of the Dundonald, Jabez Peters, for reburial at Hardwicke cemetery. The funeral was held that evening. The NZGSS Hinemoa arrived back in Bluff on 30 November 1907.[1]

Findings

The findings from the trip were documented in the following ways:

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 1907 Sub-Antarctic Islands Scientific Expedition.
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Godley, E.J. (May 1979). "The 1907 Expedition to the Auckland and Campbell Islands, and an unpublished report by B.C. Aston". Tuatara. Retrieved 20 June 2010.
  2. "Address to Captain J Bollons". Album of photographs of scientific expedition to the Sub-Antarctic Islands. November 1907. Retrieved 25 June 2010.
  3. "A Tale of Shipwreck, Fortitude and Endurance". 2001. Retrieved 25 June 2010.
  4. Chilton, C (1909). The Subantarctic Islands of New Zealand. Retrieved 21 June 2010.
  5. Cockayne, L. (6 November 1907). "Science at the Islands. Work that has been done.". The Star, Issue 9078, Page 4. Retrieved 25 June 2010.
  6. "The Sub-Antarctic. Return of the Scientific Expedition.". The Star, Issue 9099, Page 1. 2 December 1907. Retrieved 25 June 2010.
  7. "Sub-Antarctic Exploration". Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 139, Page 6. 9 December 1907. Retrieved 25 June 2010.
  8. "In southern seas. The Auckland Islands.". New Zealand Times. 11 December 1907.
  9. "Wreck of the Barque Dundonald on Disappointment Island". Otago Witness, Issue 2805, Pages 46-49. 18 December 1907. Retrieved 25 June 2010.
  10. "Popular Lantern Lecture". Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXIV, Issue 12911, Page 7. 29 October 1909. Retrieved 25 June 2010.
  11. "Sub-Antarctic Continent. A theory discussed.". The Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12641, Page 4. 11 September 1909. Retrieved 25 June 2010.
  12. "1907 Sub Antarctic Islands Scientific Expedition". Collections Online at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Retrieved 21 June 2010.
  13. "Album of photographs of scientific expedition to the Sub-Antarctic Islands". November 1907. Retrieved 25 June 2010.
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