Voyage of the Scotia 1902-04

People of the Expedition

Two pipers marching along the ice-covered deck of a ship

Piping was evidently regarded as an important leisure activity on the Scottish polar expeditions of around a hundred years ago, no doubt helping to maintain the morale of the team members during the long absences from home, and to reinforce the Scottish cultural identity of the group.

Expedition zoologists were even known to conduct scientific experiments to investigate the reaction of polar animals to the sound of the bagpipes.

This photograph shows two pipers marching along the ice-covered deck of an unidentified ship.