SIX MONTHS IN A SNOW HUTT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1673, 13 February 1913, Page 5

SIX MONTHS IN A SNOW HUTT.

THE NORTHERN PARTY. HOW THE WINTER WAS SPENT. SCANTY PROVISIONS. (By Telcgraph.-Prcss Association.) Christchurch, February 12. ' The story of o. journey, which was briefly of hardships and privations, and which very nearly ended in another tragedy, was told by Lieut. Campbell, who led the northern party. Tho party consisted of Lieut. Campbell, Surgeon. Levick, and Messrs. Priestley (geologist), Seamen Abott, Browning, and Dickson.

'' Returning from their journey, the party reached Terra .1\ T ova Bay on February IG, and they anticipated that the Terra Nova would bo tliero to meet them, the vessel king exepected there about the 17th. On reaching Terra Nova Bay, however, they found that the vessel was not there, and while they were keenly disappointed they thought thai; the Terra Nova must have encountered had weather. It transpired, however, that it was not bad weather, but unfavourable ice conditions that had prevented the'vessel reaching Terra Nova Boy. . Lieut. Campbell and his party were how faced with a journey over ice of 200 miles to Cape Evan's,. but it was impossible, to undertake the journey at this time, as it was not properly frozen over. Winter Quarters ■ "There were si.vot.iis in the party,'and we had. to makeup our minds to winter there- in-a snowdrift,";continued Lieut. Campbell. "Into the snowdrift wo nut an igloo, which had to be .our home for six months. Wo only had. about a month's provisions, and we were hot suitably clothed to.spend the winter in an igloo, but there was nothing else for it, and we proceeded to make the best of our position.'* Continuing, Liout, Campbell said, that they decided to kill as many, seals as possiblerf and during their slay there the party, secured' 17 seals. \ Was that all the seal* you caught? ask«d a pressman, . -..'".•■- ; v'. "Well," answered Lieut. Campbell with a smile, "you can get a lot of meat off ; seventeen seals if you eat, it.carefully." "The party were in absolute darkness, in their igloo, but they succeeded inmaknig" some lamps with the aid.of. seal blubber, and so obtained a light to brighten their surroundings." .

Continuing, Liout, Campbell said, that .they-decided to kill as many, seals as possihUi and during their slay there the party, secured' 17 seals. \ Was that all the seal* you caught? ask«d a pressman,

, Then a small blubber-stave was arranged, and this added to the.comfort of the men. . ; ..'

At' the commencement of their six month's : confinement in the igloo, the members of tho party' Were supplied: with, one'biscuit a day each, but the small sup-' ply of biscuits soon ran out; and for the greater portion of the time their daily meals consisted of one unchanging meal; secured froiu the seals'.. The: company also ran out of their supply of tobacco, and this served to add Ho their ■-discoid*, forts, i . ■ - : ' : Sleep and Sing-Songs, ■ Asked how -they managed to pass the six months in their, igloo in the snowdrift. Lieutenant Cninpbeil spiilingly rciildrKod'b'y'l''s.ieep'and ocensibhat "singsongs." Ho also kid that some members of the party gave interesting lectures oh various, subjects,, and served, to while away tho long and. durk houi's. • : -Eventually the winter came to an cud, and they wero able to leave their camp on September 30 for Cape.Evans. ' Two Men - 111. Two of their men, Browning and Dicka r son, were ill when they left, and for tho first few days tbey were able to make only a few niilos n day. After three days Browning improved, but Dickason suffered longer, arid'during the journey to Capo Evans he had occasionally to be placed upon a sledge. On their way to tho base the members of tho party made collections of geological specimens, and at one spot they found a small depot of specimens left: by Pfofessbr David,, who was with' Sir Ernest Shackleton's expedition.

: The remainder of the journey was carried out without : further, incident, and Capo Evans Camp was gained on November 7. There better food, of which the? had been so long.dsprived, .effected a speedy restoration of their condition, and Lieutenant,. Campbell .mentioned that, m his own case he put on two stone'and sevens pounds in a week*, jumping from ten stone to twelve stone seven. sounds. Other members also improved. '.■;.■'

"Extraordinary -fhat.fhey Survived," Then Lieutenant Campbell paused' for a while and Commander Evans observed that one could have no conception of the hardships' which Lieutenant Campbell and his companions had gone through; "It is -extraordinary that they ever survived," lie added. : < '■: Cdmmander Evans went on-to'say. that it was extraordinary -that in spite of ,the hardships met with and the difficulties encountered there was-never the least in- 1 dication of trouble amongst the members of any of the parties.-, Hegaid thnl/ini the case of Lieutenant Campbell arid his companions, swing what they had to eh-' dure for six. months, there might have been some dissension.' He was pleased to soy, however, that they had all lived tozother in that small space for that time without any complaints being'made.

. > Dr. Atkinson. A desire was expressed by the pressmen to derive some additional particulars from Dr. Atkinsoni who was in command of tho party that found the dead explorers, of the conditions under which they were discovered. Commander ' Evans, on this request being mode, said that Dr. Atkinson was a very quiet individual, but'he could bo asked questions to which ho might or might not reply. Dr. Atkinson was then appealed to, but he indicated that the account already published contained the salient points of his expedition! and he did not deem it necessary at this juncture to add further details which might be painful.

'. ' , Scientific Work. On the question of ecientifii work done on the ftiii south, Conlmauder Evansinade the following statement!— Lieutenant H. E. do P. Renhick," being tho most experienced surveyor, has' had charge throughout of ,the occanographidal work. During the deep sea sounding*, varying in depth from'lsß to 3003 fathoms, spaced fairly evenly along our route, an unexpected shoal was found in, the middle of Ross Sea, and advantago of this was immediately taken by Mr. B. G. Lillio, biologist, who let down the Agassiz trawl, and obtained a rich haul of biological specimens. Mr. Lillio has made a further study of the of the small organisms which make up the food supply)of the whales between Now Zenland and .M'Murdo Sound, and while in the Antarctic Sea he was again very successful in obtaining rich hauls of tho Bentinck fauna in depths varying between 40 nnd 300 fathoms. Lieutenant Pcnncll, who is taking chargo of the ship on tho Homowahl voyage, noted as ice master, in ndditiou to his other duties, which embraced- the important work of nil magnetic observations. Mr. Nelson, tho other biologist, is going Homo as junior executive officer of tho ship, quite a snorting thing to do, ns all the other nfficers of tho ship have had master certificates for nearly twenty years."