Midas Island
| Midas Island | |
| Location | |
| Location: | 64°10’7"S, 61°6’3"W |
| Data | |
Midas Island lies to the north-west of Sterneck Island, in Hughes Bay on the Danco Coast of Graham Land in the British Antarctic Territory.
The island was sighted by the Belgian Antarctic Expedition in January 1898, when it was described as an island with two summits "like the ears of an ass".[1] It was roughly charted by the Swedish Antarctic Expedition, sketched on 24 March 1922 by the British Antarctic Expedition of 1920-22, but incorrectly labelled 'Cape Spring' or 'Cape W. Spring'. The island was photographed from the air by the Falkland Islands and Dependencies Aerial Survey Expedition of 1956-57.
Following survey by the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey from "Portal Point" in 1957-59, the island was named 'Midas Island' in reference to the Belgian Antarctic Expedition description of the island: Midas, King of Phrygia (c. 700 BC) was depicted in Greek satyric drama with the ears of an ass.
References
- ↑ Lecointe, 1905, p.73
- Gazetteer and Map of The British Antarctic Territory: Midas Island