AURORA RETURNS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1700, 17 March 1913, Page 5

AURORA RETURNS.

BACK FROM ANTARCTICA; HOW THE MAWSON EXPEDITION FARED. PERILOUS EXPERIENCES. By Telegraph—Frcss Association—Copyright Hobart, March 15. Dr. Mawson's expedition ship, tho Aurora, has arrived at Esperance Bay. Mr. Conrad Eilel, tho secretary, landed and furnished tho following account of the doings of tho expedition:— The Aurora leit Hobart on Boxing Day. At Turooma she embarked 21 Greenland dogs, Captain Amundsen's presentation. Tho Aurora secured wireless communication with Dr. Mawson's base at Adelie Land, and maintained it until two days before reaching there. At flie request of the Federal Government, we took the Captain' James Davis test for whaling potentialities, but not a single right whale, was observed on the voyage. No land was discerned despite a keen watch. We found tho forty miles long ico barrier charted last year sixty miles westward of Adelie Land had disappeared. Tho Aurora passed in less than thirty hours the pack' ice before reaching tho: main base,'thus confirming Dr. Mawson's assertion that it is possible to visit the base in an iron steamer. . , Tho base at Adelie Land was sighted on January 13. It was observed thSt ouo wireless mast was, erected and tho other was lying on the rocks, this explaining the sudden stoppage in wireless communication. Tho nine occupants of the hut were overjoyed to see us. The stamp of hardships was noticeable, though all were iu robust conditipn. Dr. Mawson. was absent on a sledge journey, and was expected. back in two days. The other two parties were also shortly due. ! . World's Windiest Corner. The most interesting scientific results undoubtedly cphsist of. meteorological data gathered at the winter quarters in Commonwealth Bay, which is absolutely the windiest corner in the world. An idea of the wind force may be obtained by remembering that a velocity of fifty miles an hour a full gale.. Records show an averago velocity in the ten months of fifty-two miles an 1 hour, while a maximum of 202-was actually registered .on tho gust recorder. Tlio highest average in any single hour was Between ninety and a hundred. Some gales lasted several months. Mr. P. E. Correll, during n blizzard, was lost for two hours whilst traversing ten yards from the camp to the meteorological screen. ( Mr. A. J. Hodgeman was lost for two. hours and a half returning l from the magnetic hut, under two hundred yards away. We, had to crawl about on hands and knees. Adelie Land has well earned the title "Hell Hole of .Wind." / ' The keynote of tho scientific results is undoubtedly the velocity nnd continuance of the wind, though much other striking scientific work was achieved in the terrible wind'and temperature recorded, descending to 29 degrees below zero, Fahrenheit.' . 1 v 'Fi>odless Sledge Parties. '■ Fivo ' sledging parties had .been despatched. Lieutenant R. Bage,. Mr. S. Webb,' and Mr.. C. F. Hurley returned, threo days' before the Aurora . arrived; Their objective was to Teacli the magnetic pole from tho north." They arrived within' fifty miles before an insufficiency of food compelled their ' retreat. 'Mr. Hurley's resolution to abandon .the search for. a lost depot and proceed foodless to tho next saved tho party from l disaster. Mr.' C. T. Mndigan, Dr. A. L.M'Lean, and Mr Correll traversed 550 miles eastwards, and mnde interesting geological discoveries. They failed to , lotate one fdod depot,, and spent'two days foodless in their sleeping bags. Dr. Mawson stated that he would definitely yeturn on January. 13. No apprehension was caused at first, but when he failed to appear eventually, sledge parties went searching, and the Aurora cruised sixty miles along the eastern coast. All, the members of the shore jiarty agreed to remain another year and search for Dr. Mnifson, while tho ship proceeded to rescue Wild's party. Dr. Mawson's Return. Mr. Madigaii, Lieutenant Bage, Mr. F. H. Bickerton, Mr. A. J. Hodgeman, Dr. M'Lean, and Jefferies were left behind, and tho Aurora departed on February 8. The vessel was victualled for only one year, owing to the shortage of funds. Some stores were 1 landed at- the main base for the relief party; consequently,.if the vessel was caught in tho ice wo wore in danger of starving. Eight hours after sailing the following wireless message was received:— Returned to base safely. Ninnis and Mertz dead. Return and pick up .shore party immediately.—(Signed) Mawson. : The Aurora returned, but a strong hurricane prevented communication with , the land. Tho ship flagged a message, "Send instructions,." and tho signal was observed by the shore party, but no attempt was made to reply. Tho hurricane increased. with such intensity that the : Aurora, in heaving, lost her anchors, and was unable to keep her ground. Main Party Left Behind. Captain John Davis summoned us, and explained the situation. Ho said the delay was jeopardising the lives of tho party nt Mr. Frank Wild's base. Wo all sympathised with him, knowing the terrible strain ( caused by 'tho responsibility, and wo unanimously supported Kis decision to start immediately for Wild's base, leaving Dr. Mawson nnd tho relief party to be brought back next year. If ever tho blame' is laid at the captain's door for deserting tho main base every member will stand shoulder to shoulder with him. 'Volunteers offered to row tho whaleboats ashore, but the captain refused to allow the men to risk their lives. There is little doubt they would have been swamped in the high seas. Wild's Party Embarks, Tho / urora pushed full speed ahead, and sighted the barrier thirty miles from Mr. Frank Wild's lmso on tho 23rd. Wo found tho party of eight nil safe, and took aboard their specimens and instruments and a few stores, and sailed at 9 at night for Ilobnrt. Mr. Conrad Eitel supplied the following list of tho disposition of members of tho expedition to Professor David:—' At Termination Glacier—Dr. S. E. Jones, Messrs. Frank Wild, A. D. Watson, George Dovors, M. 11. Moyes, A. G. Kennedy, C. A. Hoadlev, and Harrison (Tasmania). At Mawson's Base, Adelie Land—Drs. Douglas Mawson fin charge of the expedition), L. IT. Whetter, A. L. M'T.ean, Lieutenant R. Bage, Me«rs. C. T. Mail!Kan. P, E. Correll, A. ,T. Hodgeman, IT. D. Murphy, F. T,. Stihvell. J. ITunler, 0, F. T as?rn». W. If. Hannnm, C. F. JTnrlev, J. -H. Close, F, It. Bickwrtou, 8. Webb, and Jcflerioa.

Fivo other members of tho expedition remained at Macquario Island. WHY DR. MAWSON WAS LEFT. j CAPTAIN DAVIS'S FIVE REASONS. PLUCKY SLEDGING WORK, (R-ec. March 1(5, 5.5 p.m.) Hobart, March 16. Mr. Eitel's narrative states tlmt while the Aurora, after her arrival at the main base on January-13, was anchored under tho leo of an ice-dill', a strong gale arose, and the windlass having been negligently .left open, tho heaviest cable glided into the water, not having been mado fast. This .left the ship dependant on a much lighter cable, and was a serious loss. Motor Breaks Down. Messrs. liickertou, Wlietter, and Hodgeman wcro instructed to proceud iy a motor-sledge as far as possiblo and return along tho west coast. The motor, towing two ordinary sledges, flew up a slope of seventeen degrees at the rear of the camp, at a speed of nearly forty mile;; an hour. The engine was incapacitated thirteen miles' out, and the party continued the journey on foot, covering over thirteen hundred miles. They returned on January 18, and subsequently retrieved the motor. "We had hoped," continued Mr. Eitel, "that the Aurora would be able to proceed on January 20 to relieve Mr. Wild's party, located on the ice barrier ICOO miles westward by tho sea route, though only 1133 miles away as tho crow flies, . as we feared tho ice barrier might become detached from tho land ice, our anxiety to rescue them before tho sea was frozen over you may imagine. No Panic on the Ship. "The fact of Dr. Mawson recalling tho ship when he and the shore party were ill complete safety, and thus endangering the lives on the ship and at Mr. Wild's base will probably bo criticised, but Dr. Mawson was such a thorough leader that wo were confident that he would provide a satisfactory explanation. There was nothing-in the nature of a sudden panic about tho decision to desert Dr. Mawson. Our only reason was that wo believed 1 Mr. Wild's party would perish. We had every reason to believe that tho brief season of summer calms was over for another year. A Final Message. "On the night of February 9, one day after the Aurora's second departure, Dr. Mawson attempted to communicate by wireless. All that could be deciphered was: 'Please wait. Cable Ninnis Hertz,' and the word 'crevasse,' repeated several times. We understood this to mean that before complying with the news contracts wo should cable the relatives of Ninnis and Mertz, stating that they had been killed in a crevasse. This was another instance of Dr. Mawson's thoughtfulness. King George the Fifth Land. "Mr. AVild's parly accomplished 1524 miles iii sledge journeys, not counting relay work. They formally took possession for Britain of tho whole area from Kaiser. Wilhelm Land to longitude 101 degrees 30 minutes east, and latitude 07 degrees 30 minutes south. This was named King tho Fifth Land." Captain John King Davis, master of tho Aurora, gives the following fivo reasons for leaving Dr. Mawson's party at 'the main base:— (1) Tho party was in perfcct safety and fully equipped in every way for, a = second winter. (2) Tho short summer in Adelio. Land '. . was evidently over,, and further dc- - tention of tho vessel .would seriously . endanger the chance of relieving Mr. Wild, who was 1500 miles distant, (3) Navigation was extremely difficult on account of the constant snow storms and the growing darkness, and the only other vessel. penetrating south ■ in this region was frozen in on Feb-' ruary 22. (4) The Aurora was not provisioned for a winter among the ice, becauso most of tho spare stores bad been landed for the relief of tho party at the iiiain base. (5) As 'a seaman, knowing the difficulties wo lmd encountered in getting to and .'from the second base in tho previous year,.l felt that nothing would exonerate me if I further delayed depar- •. ture, and being unable to communi- ! cato with Dr. Mawson, it was clearly my duty to act as I was oonvinced he would wish me to act were I able to inform.him'of the situation Of the . western party. .