The instructions concerning the geographical objective became more specific: "The chief points of geographical interest are to explore the ice barrier of Sir James Ross to its eastern extremity; to discover the land which was believed by Ross to flank the barrier to the eastward, or to ascertain that it does not exist If you should decide to winter in the ice...your efforts as regards geographical exploration should be directed to an advance to the western mountains, an advance to the south, and an exploration of the volcanic region".
Instruktionerne om de geografiske mål var mere specifikke: "Hovedpunkterne af geografisk interesse er at udforske isbarrieren fra Sir James Ross til det østlige yderpunkt; at opdage landet som Ross antog flankerer barrieren på østsiden, eller for at konstatere at det ikke eksisterer Hvis du skulle bestemme dig for at overvintre i isen... skal den geografiske udforskningsindsats koncentreres om et fremstød mod de vestlige bjerge, et fremstød mod syd, og udforskning af den vulkanske region".