Benjamin Morrell reports the phantom New South Greenland

Background. Benjamin Morrell, an American sea captain, commanded the schooner Wasp for a sealing and exploration voyage in 1822. He possessed discretionary powers to prosecute new discoveries in the Antarctic seas. The voyage departed New York on a date reported variously as 21 or 22 June 1822, reaching the Falkland Islands and South Georgia before arriving at the Kerguelen Islands on 31 December 1822. Morrell's subsequent navigation into the Weddell Sea area led to the recording of the phantom land.

The Sighting. In March 1823, Morrell sailed south into the Weddell Sea area. He recorded an appearance of land, which he assumed was the east coast of the Antarctic Peninsula, previously named New South Greenland by Robert Johnson in 1821. Morrell did not consider this a new discovery at the time. His description failed to mention the permanent ice sheet, a singular characteristic of the region.

Disproven Existence. The alleged land was never properly investigated due to difficult ice conditions in the Weddell Sea. Obvious errors in Morrell's voyage account, including positions inside the undiscovered Antarctic mainland, created skepticism. His general reputation as a fabulist led most later geographers to doubt his story. The non-existence of New South Greenland was finally established during Antarctic expeditions in the early 20th century.