visible about half a mile away and Cook suggested that trenches be cut to the open water to allow Belgica to escape the ice. The weakened crew used the explosive tonite and various tools to create the channel. Finally, on 15 February, they managed to start slowly down the channel they had cleared during the weeks before. It took them nearly a month to cover , and on 14 March, they cleared the ice. The expedition returned to Antwerp on 5 November 1899. Though the circumstances were severe, the expedition had nevertheless managed to collect scientific data, including a full year of meteorological observations. Reception In Antwerp, the return of the expedition was heartily welcomed. A special committee had been planning the festivities for months. Typical for polar expeditions in this age, feelings of national and regional pride surrounded the homecoming celebrations. On the day they first set foot on Belgian soil again, La Brabançonne sounded and the national flag was seen waving from many houses. The Belgian state honored Gerlache and his men by making them members of the Royal Order of Leopold, and the municipal government of Antwerp honored the men with medals and by writing their names in the Golden Book of the city. Personnel The expedition team included many notable individuals: Adrien de Gerlache – Belgian – commander Georges Lecointe – Belgian – captain, executive officer, and hydrographer Roald Amundsen – Norwegian – first mate Henri Somers – Belgian – chief engineer Frederick Cook – American – surgeon, anthropologist, and photographer Henryk Arctowski – Polish – geologist, oceanographer, and meteorologist – Belgian – geophysical observations; died on June 5, 1898 from heart problems and exhaustion Emil Racoviță – Romanian – zoologist, botanist, and speleologist Antoni Bolesław Dobrowolski – Polish – assistant meteorologist Jules Melaerts – Belgian – third lieutenant Max Van Rysselberghe – Belgian – second engineer Louis Michotte – Belgian – steward and cook Adam Tollefsen – Norwegian – able seaman; suffered a mental breakdown during the expedition and had to be committed to a mental institution on his return Ludvig-Hjalmar Johansen – Norwegian – able seaman Engebret Knudsen – Norwegian – able seaman Gustave-Gaston Dufour – Belgian – able seaman Jan Van Mirlo – Belgian – able seaman Carl August Wiencke – Norwegian – able seaman; washed overboard and drowned on January 22, 1898 on the way to Antarctica. Wiencke Island was named in