Voyage of the Scotia 1902-04

People of the Expedition

Robert Mossman in Scotia Bay

Robert C Mossman, a University of St Andrews graduate in botany and zoology, was meteorologist on the 1902-1904 Scottish National Antarctic Expedition led by William S Bruce. In common with Bruce, Mossman had worked at the Ben Nevis meteorological observatory, and had been in charge there for a time.

He was responsible for meteorological observations on the outward expedition voyage, and for setting up a weather station on Laurie Island in the South Orkney Islands during the expedition's first winter there.

When the expedition embarked on its homeward journey in February 1904, and the weather station had been handed over to the Argentinian Meteorological Office, Mossman and William Smith (the cook) stayed with the Argentinians until January 1905 to ensure a smooth transition.