THE TERRA NOVA.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 960, 29 October 1910, Page 6

THE TERRA NOVA.

ARRIVAL AT LYTTELTON. PREMIER'S WORD OF WELCOME. (By Xelecraph—Press Association.) | Christchurch, October 28. The syren of the Lyttelton Harbour Board's tug Canterbury sounded shortly after, five o'clock this morning, conveying ■ the information that : the Terra Nova—stout old whaler which is to carry a- band of explorers and enthusiastic 1 scientists to the chill south—had been sighted off the Heads. About half an hour later the tug proceeded down the harbour, but, on reaching the Heads, was confronted with a bank of fog; which, about a mile out, encircled tho entrance. Tho Canterbury steamed up to the edge of the fog bank, but neither _good eyes nor powerful glasses could pick up the Terra Nova. She was completely enshrouded in the 'filmy ■whiteness. The Canterbury Sounded her syren occasionally, byt no answering hoot came from the veil. After a stay of about au hour, , a signal was received for the tug to return, and she commenced her journey back to port. Just as she, reached the harbour entrance, however, a pair of sharp eyes detected a black mast sticking up above the mist, and • Captain Thorpe at once turned the Canterbury out to sea again/ Picked Up In. a Fog. A new factor then entered' the proceedings. The signal station notifying that there was'a steam trawler in dis-tress-wanting immediate assistance. The only steam • trawler in sight was the Molloch, which, to all appearances, was behaving in quite a - conventional manner. It was therefore decided to go on to the Terra Nova, which was every moment becoming : more plain to' view. She was under easy'steam,. and jogging along towards the harbour at a very comfortable gait. v . v . The tug, lying the "Welcome" ■ signal flags, swept down on her, and circled round to get on the best side for touching.' As the vessels came together, Captain Thorpe, with a mailbag in. his' hand, jumped aboard the exploring ship, and he was accompanied by the pressmen present. The nest few minutes were devoted to renewing acquaintances of -"Auld Lang Syne"'and the reading of "Letters from Home.!' Rounding the'breakwater it was seen that the members of the expedition who -had already arrived in Christchurch were gathered on the end to wave a welcome to their comrades. Mr.' Ponting made his debut in New Zealand _■ as kinematograph expert, taking a moving picture of the Terra Nova and tug entering the inner harbour., The '.other members of the expedition present were Lieutenant Bruce, Mr. C. H. ' Meares,'* and Dr. Simpson!' Mr.-J.'J. Kinsey, the New Zealand representative of the expedition; was-also present!' The Terra Nova came round to the Gladstone pier, on which a large crowd of spectators had assembled. . .

Berthing operations took some little: time, and Mr. Pouting, seized the occasion to take another kinemat-ograph picture. When the vessel touched the wharf, Mr. Kinsey, with' Mrs. Evana, and Mrs. Wilson, and members of the expedition, came aboard, and the nest half-hour was devoted to. a kind of joyful reunion. . Premier's Message. One of the-first messages handed to' Lieutenant Evans was.the following:— ■'Lieutenant. Evans, Terra Nova, ■ Lyttelton.— "I extend a hearty welcome to yourself, officers, and men - upon : your arrival in ,tlie v Dominion,' and I trust that, your important mission under Captain Scott will prove sue-' > : cessful. . Lloqk l forward with pleasure before your de- ' parture.—J. G. Ward." / Whaling on the Programme. In the course of a lengthy. interview, the chief of the ■ scientific staff (Dr. E. A. Wilson) stated, inter, alia:—"We want to. get hold of some of the smaller whales down at the. Antarctic. We have brought the equipment for killing them if we get the chance.; There are several new species there, and' we must try to secure sbme. : It is possible' that I may pay.a visit to a whaling'station in New Zealand..to."see what I can- ofthe. methods adopted here. Mr. Lillio (another member of the expedition) and myself have both been in the Northern seas, ■ and ,we -visited a whaling station at the Cape to pick up what we could that would bo useful to us." '. The arrival of the - Terra Nova at Lyttelton was the cause of a' great deal of interest at.the port, and the welcome given the ship and its company, though not at all demonstrative, Was extremely, hearty. As the vessel neared the wharf, officers and crew were waving greetings and-i.'calling jocular remarks to old acquaintances, and, when -the shore people managed to get'aboard there was, for quite a time, a tornado of handshaking. -

CAPTAIN SCOTT. GOES SOUTH, SEND-OFF AT WELLINGTON; . Last evening,. as the turbine steamer Maori moved slowly away from the Wellington wharf ;tlie crowd which had as-sembled-to witness her departure' Was much larger than usual. The reason for the exceptionally' large' gathering was not far to seek—Captain Scott was -aboard the vessel as'a . passeiigpr to Lyttelton.' Although the crowd as a whole was not demonstrative many of its members tendered the gallant explorer a hearty farewell. Prominent in the assemblage were the Kelburne and Newtown Boy Scout troops who paraded under.' Scoutmasters Lawson and Wood'wartf.... District Commander ;H: N. M'Leod, Chief Inspector Logan, ' and Scoutmaster Brown were, also >in .attendance. '.' ; ■ Brior-to'embarkiug Captain Scott ad-, dressed a.few words to.'the lads-thank-ing them for their presence and cheerily expressed good wishes. ' "It is a strarigo, coincidence," lie said, . "that,the last person to bid me farewell in England was your Commander-ili-Cliief, . General Sir R. S. Baden-Powell, and now the. last to bid me farewell at Wellington are his *Boy Scouts.'" .Tliojßoy Scout movement was ; the-finest in modem, times, v lie wont on-to say, and he told, the boys to -persevere .and ..- carry itthrough for all .they were worth. . Captain Scott was then;, presented by one of the boys, with a New Zealand Native flower, as a token of regard., : As the steamer moved off it-he Scouts bade the captain farewell with a..rousing "rally," the words'of which were: "Find the Pole captain, find the Polo., Find it! Find it! Find.it! Goodbye." When tbe vessel was well out iii tlie stream the buglers and drummers sounded a ringing,salute. . . Three cheers'were also given for, her Excellency, Lady Islington, who was likewise a passenger by the vessel, for Lyt-telton.