Page:A Voyage of Discovery and Research in the Southern and Antarctic Regions Vol 1.djvu/462

358 foreign nation, similarly engaged, every way in my power, even at a sacrifice to myself.

"On my arrival at Sydney from the antarctic cruise, I was introduced to Captain Briscoe (Biscoe), the discoverer of Enderby's Land; and I believe he gave me the first information of the English discovery and its position, which I placed on my chart, marking it 'English discovery.'

"My impression is that the copy which I ordered to be made (from my own original) on tracing paper, and sent to Captain Ross, was a perfect one, and on the original chart the English discovery is detached and separate from ours, and stands alone. At the time I sent my letter to Captain Ross, I did not know the English discoverer's name; but whether the English discovery was so marked or not, is of but little consequence, for Captain Ross knew of Bellamy's discovery before he left England, and therefore must have seen at once the longitude and latitude of that on the tracing were almost identically the same with those of Bellamy's; and I am satisfied that the only erroneous conclusion Captain Ross could have been led into by it, was, that I had verified Bellamy's discovery.

"That I felt and expressed surprise relative to Captain Aulick having taken Captain Ross's assertion on a point (without a full examination of all the data) in which not only the credit of the Expedition, but the country and navy were concerned, is very natural, and I believe all who consider the subject will agree with me.

"I cannot suppose that the words in the Synopsis, given currency by him,' can be tortured into that he (Captain Aulick) was the only or at least the first person' to whom Captain Ross made the statement; but I think and suspect it will strike all, that coming, as it did, from an officer of rank in our navy, it would obtain currency, and be generally believed, from that fact alone.