The South Shetland Islands comprise of 11 large and several smaller islands. Volcanic activity on Deception Island has been reported throughout the nineteenth century and into the twentieth. William Smith first sighted Livingston Island, part of the western group on 19 February 1919 during a British Mercantile voyage between Buenos Aries and Valparaiso. Both sealing and whaling was carried out amongst the islands and Shackleton's crew found refuge on Elephant Island during the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, 1914-1916 (Weddell Sea Party).
William Smith visited the South Shetland Islands three times on board Williams during 1819, the first two during the Buenos Aries to Valparaiso voyage and then on a voyage from Blyth to Valparaiso dispatched with the intention of surveying the islands.
Goddard produces a chart of part of the group then called New South Britain.
From the guide to the William Goddard collection, 1819, (Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge)
