 Between 1907 and 1920 Bruce made many journeys to the Arctic regions , both for scientific and for commercial purposes . His failure to mount any major exploration ventures after the SNAE is usually attributed to his lack of public relations skills , powerful enemies , and his fervent Scottish nationalism . By 1919 his health was failing , and he experienced several spells in hospital before his death in 1921 , after which he was almost totally forgotten . In recent years , following the centenary of the Scottish Expedition , efforts have been made to give fuller recognition to his role in the history of scientific polar exploration . 
