COMPOSITE GAZETTEER OF ANTARCTICA

on S side of entrance to Prince Gustav Channel, Trinity Peninsula, separated from James Ross Island by Herbert Sound (q.v.), was roughly charted as part of the larger island by Ross, 6 January 1843 (Ross, 1847a, p.344); surveyed by SwAE in October 1903, when its insularity was established, and named Vega Ön after the Swedish ship Vega used by Baron A. E. Nordenskiöld (uncle of the Leader of SwAE) in making the first voyage through the Northeast Passage, 1878-79 (Nordenskjöld and others, 1904a, Del. 2, end map). Île Vega (Nordenskjöld and others, 1904c, map p.232-33). Vega-Insel (Nordenskjöld and others, 1904b, Vol. 1, p.354). Vega Eiland (Ruys, 1905, map following p.88). Vegas Insel (Andersson, 1905, Karte 1 following p.58). Vega Island (Nordenskjöld and others, 1905, p.304 and end map; BA chart 3205, 31.x.1921; 23.ix.1949; APC, 1955, p.21; BAS 250 sheet SP21-22/13, 1-DOS 1974). Isola Vega (Duse, 1907, p.248). Isla Vega (Riso Patron S., 1908, p.13; Pierrou, 1970, p.708; Chile. IHA, 1974, p.291). Vega Ö (HA chart, 1928). Vegaöen (Aagaard, 1930, end map). Vegaøya (Aagaard, 1944, p.32). The island was resurveyed by FIDS from "Hope Bay" in November-December 1945. Isla Alonso de Ercilla, so called by CAE after the Spanish author (Heroine Island, q.v.) (Orrego Vicuña, 1948, p.202). Ostrov Vega (Soviet Union. BSE, 1950, map following p.484). The island was further surveyed by FIDS, 1960-61.

Island, 17 mi long and 6 mi wide, which is the northernmost of the James Ross Island group and lies in the W part of Erebus and Terror Gulf. It is separated from James Ross Island by Herbert Sound and from Trinity Peninsula by Prince Gustav Channel. The island was named by Dr. Otto Nordenskjold, leader of the SwedAE, 1901-04, apparently for the ship making the first voyage through the Northeast Passage, 1878-79.