Belgian Antarctic Expedition

Among its members were Frederick Cook and Roald Amundsen, explorers who would later attempt the respective conquests of the North and South Poles.

[1] Gerlache had worked together with the Geographical Society of Brussels to organize a national subscription, but was able to outfit his expedition only after the Belgian government voted in favor of two large subsidies, making it a state-supported undertaking.

[2] With a multinational crew that included Roald Amundsen from Norway, Emil Racoviță from Romania, and Henryk Arctowski from Poland, Belgica set sail from Antwerp on 16 August 1897.

The Historical and Geographical Society of Rio held a special meeting where the scientists and officers of the expedition were offered membership.

After charting and naming several islands from some twenty separate landings, the expedition crossed the Antarctic Circle on 15 February.

On 21 March 1898, Cook wrote: "We are imprisoned in an endless sea of ice ... We have told all the tales, real and imaginative, to which we are equal.

Several men reportedly lost their sanity at this point, including one Belgian sailor who left the ship "announcing he was going back to Belgium.

"[This quote needs a citation] Cook and Amundsen took command as Gerlache and Lecointe were unable to fulfill their roles due to scurvy.

Though the circumstances had been severe, the expedition had nevertheless managed to collect scientific data, including a full year of meteorological observations.

On the day they first set foot on Belgian soil again, La Brabançonne sounded and the national flag was seen waving from many houses.