Benjamin Leigh Smith's expedition in 1880, aboard the barque "Eira", followed a route from Spitsbergen to Franz Josef Land, landing on Bell Island in August. Leigh Smith explored the vicinity and set up a base at Eira Harbour, before exploring towards McClintock Island. He returned the following year in the same vessel, landing at Grey Bay on George Land. The explorers were stopped by ice at Cape Flora, and "Eira" sank on 21 August. They built a cottage and stayed the winter, to be rescued by the British vessels "Kara" and "Hope" the following summer. These early expeditions concentrated their explorations on the southern and central parts of the archipelago.