MACQUARIE PARTY RELIEVED.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1839, 27 August 1913, Page 7

MACQUARIE PARTY RELIEVED.

• TUTANEKAI.RETURNS' ' WARM WELCOME BY MAWSON'S PARTY, WILD AND DESOLATE (By Telegraph,—Special Reporter.) Bluff, August 20. The disquieting cablo mcßsago received from Sydney on August 6, to t-bo effect tli.it members of Dr. Muwson's cxpedi' tion at tlio Macquaries, as well aB tho men employed by Mr. Joseph Hatch in winning oil l'rom sea elephants and pen*; guins were so short of provisions that' they were practically starving, navo alarm, and there were fow who would question tho action taken by the- New, Zealand Government in dispatching tho' Tutanekai in relief. Tho steamer loft tho Bluff at 5 p.m. on August 16 for Half j\loou ]!ay, there to receivo fromi the brigantino Rachel Cohen tho stores that vessel had failed to land nt tho' Macquaries, but, as there was too muchsea to work cargo that night, and as the conditions wero almost as bad : nost morning, it wivs'decided to tranship this in Patterson Inlet. At 2.50 that (Sim-> day) afternoon tho Tutanokai left tho picturesquo inlet and stood away for tho Macquaries some 575 miles to thq S.S.W.Tho.following Wednesday dawned black and misty with tlio Macquaiv ies' abeam, but not within siglik Ab tho light grew stronger tho main isjand was disclosed black and grim looking on l\io port bow, for the Tutanekai had mado tho exact centre of tho island and had tu bear up against a violent northwester to the northern point whore tho men's huts were located. At 9 a.m. she was abreast of tho huts which aro built on a narrow neck of land connecting tho wireless hill (which forme the northern point of the main island) and tlio main land. No sooner had tho anchor chain rattled through tho hawse- j pipes than dim figures wero. seen strug-i gling through tho mist to the beach, 1 and a dog, crazed with delight at tho sight of a ship in the bay, scampered madly iip and down tho 'shore. ; It was presently seen that tlio men wero launching a fx>afc among tlio breakel's without regard to tho fact that big waves wero breaking right oyer tlio little craft. A quarter full of water, ' the motor launch of the Hatch party bumped alongside, and six foot of boarded man, wearing knee-high raw- ' hide boots, a. rough'; woollen cap, a. coarse grey woollen shirt, and a coat stitched and restitclied and patched in rivalry to Joseph's famous articlo of ' 1 apparel, jumped on board. It was Mr. . Goo. F. Ainsworth, ono of tho Commonwoaltli stair of meteorologists, and loader of tlio Mawson party_ on tlio island. Ono could not help ..thinking that , tho appearance of tlio• man 1 , and that ■ of the men (of Mr. Hatch's party) in tho boat at onco discounted tho starvation story. * • Mr, Ainsworth's Story, ~ "How do you do?" said Mr. Aina* wortli to The Dominion correspondent. "Never -so pleased to sco anyone in my life." From tho grasp of his hand ana the glanco of his clear bluo eyes ho un- ■ mistakably felt what ho said. "What on earth are all you pcoplo here for?" asked Mr. Ainsworth. "I was never so surprised in my lifo as when 1 heard by.wireless from tho Tutanekai that there'wore reporters and photographers on. board, so much so' that I asked Mr. Sawyer, our wireless man, if ho had sent any message off without my knowledge. He said ho had not." . Tho message camo to us from Sydney, was the reply. Hero it is, ana tho original cable message was produced. . . , "Oh, yes. Now I-see. Tins is based' upon a wireless message sent to Mr. kitei, the ■ secretary of tho expedition, saying that wo were out of stores owing to" tho llnchcl Cohen having missed. Then you arc not starving? "Starving? • Well, do I look liko itp"< Indeed you don't, but what is the exact condition of your party regarding ; stores? "Oh, we'ro jjrettv well out or stores j that part of.tho story is all right." ; And what aro you living on ? "Living on tlio fat of tho land. The natural products of tho country—tho heart and tongues of sea elephants. ' A; man could only starve hero through! sheer lazincis. This meat is not tho best of fare, but it is quit palatable, and a man could live tho rest of his natural life hero without , worrying much." But you arc pretty well out of oram« ar.v provisions? "Yes, flour and bread we've boon wit of .for five weeks, potatoes for eight weeks, sugar and preserved milk for six weeks, and oatmeal —good old oatmeal— . hung out until this morning (August 20)." What did you have left? . "Sago, tapioca, and a, littlo canned beetroot and spinach, ;sonio tobaoco, and stout, but our staple food is sea elephant's tongue and heart.' Tho heart makes a decent'hash, but wo all prefer the tongue—not very nutritious, perhaps, but quito all right to go along with. The only; Unfortunate thing was that our provisions, should have given out just between tho penguin and tho sea elephants, and in tlio middle of winter. Still, we've been doing all right, and tlio sea" elephants' serfSoli'is just coming on again. In tho penguin season we collect hundreds of eges and stow them away in tho ground. They're all right anyhow you like to cook them." So satisfied "was 'Mr. Ainsworth with bis lot that ho actually refused to partake of'breakfast on board,, whoro a delectable, menu-was going its merry rounds. 'He "expressed himself as intensely delighted to look on new faces, and. was keen on getting hold of a very fat' ljiail bag. A Trip Ashore. After my talk with Mr. Ainsworth, tho latter with the visitors left for the shoro in. Mr. Hatch's launch, and after a rather desperate experience—a rapidly-rising ga'o and sea, with a decrepit engine to battle with —tlio whole party tipped, out on the beach in tho surf near some bold rocks/ called tho Nuggets, sonio throo miles to leeward of tho boach opposito to which tlio Tutanekai' was anchored. The plight of thoso ill tho launch (which included tho writer) was such that Captain Holloiift sc-ut a whaleboat, after it, but seeing tho occupants safely emptied out into the surf, the whaleboat put back to the ship. From the Nuggets wo had a weary tramp back to th'& huts'against a forty-mile gale, compared • to which Wellington nor'-wosters are tlio merest zephyrs. To illustrato what such a galo moans it was noticed .that long streamers of stout kelp, twenty and - thtirtv feet in length, were lifted from the breakers and flung ' out''in long' dripping banners by the force of the galo, and strewn along-the-boarli were groat masses of kelp with great nieces, of granilo adhering'.-to tli" roots. To wo visitors fresh . off the wood-blocks tho wind appeared like an invisible wall, and on several occasions wo had to turn our hacks upon tbo gale to gain breath. Tho going was made much more difficult, by the fact that tlio • beach consisted of soft moving shingle, with morasses of mushy, rotten kelp, and bore and there the decaying carcase of a sea elephant to give a flavour to the outing. The. weary way was mado interesting to newcomers by tlio presence .on the beach of several' sea

elephants, mostly babies, and quite approachable. Mr. Edgar R. Whaite, curator of the .Canterbury Museum, actually held one by the flippers whilst it ' was photographed. Tho only sign of | resentment on tho part of tho elephant j was a mild .whine, , At the Hut. After the most dreary tramp in the world past,two depressing wrecks, -the remains of the ketch Gratitudo and tho ; Bchoonor Clydo' (gradually being broken up for firewood), tho cheery welcome at : ' the hut of tho Mawson -party, was quito refreshing. ' "What, jolly bearded fel- ' lows they are, and what a happy family they appear to bo under tho queer con- >' ditions they, live in. _ The party consists of Mr. Geo. E. Ainsworth, of Sydney (meteorologist and leader), Mr. A. ! , Sawyer, of Gisborno (wireless operator), 'Mr. .Harold Hamilton, of Wellington i (biologist), Mr. L. It. Blako, of Brisbane and Mr. 0. A. Sandell : of Dunedin ' (wireless mechanic). _ In the interests ' of scienco—there is no other, interest at the Macquarios that one Jean possibly, conceive—these men have 'be'on immured on a rocky island situated in tlio "shrieking fifties" since December 11, 1911, and,with one caption they, intend -to remain ; there ' .until' : the-' Mawson Expedition ship 'Aurora takes them away in January nest. Even then tliey are to return to the world, as tho vessel is then to proceed to Allelic . Land to pick up • the main body pf the_ expedition. Tho exception mentioned is Mr. A. 'of Gisborno, who returned by the..Tutanekai,. owing to .a slight indisposition j 31 ot ,ih any. way "Concerned 1 with life on the islands., ./For tho future the wireless work will bo attended to by Messrs.' Sandoll and Ainsworth, who-arc quite, competent to do .the work. It is not able that ever since the station was erected Messrs. Sawyer and Sandell-have hover : been absent from duty ono night, which is a remarkable record. - Tho two sleep in tho wireless hut on the top of a galehlasted hill 300 feet above the main hut, and which can.' only bo approached by ' climbing ' a precipitous and . slippory mountain path. To avoid useless climbing, .Mr. SandeU contrived to manufactuve a teiephone-p-a wonderfully homeJike.instniment \vith ( a'!candle-box front, a cardboard receiver, land a buzzer to , attract the attention of Mr. Ainsworth in tho hut at the foot of-tho lull. . , Sea Elephants' Hash. 'When wo laggards arrived at the hut those who had gone on before were found to be partaking of a hash mado ,of seaelephants' hearts. It was a dry-hash quito, black in colour und. disintegrated in tho manner of very dry black pudding. Tlioso who Woro tasting it said it was-not bad at all, which was noncommittal, to'say the. least. Ihis mess was being washed down by coffee, minus i sugar and milk.. The hut measured about 18 feet by 10 feet and was divided into three rooms,_tiny sahctiiaries ■ for Messrs.- ; - Ainsworth' and Hamilton, and a general living room fitted with bunks, a. table, a. harmonium,' a small stove, numerous boxes and packages holding- stores, a medical outfit, and photographic apparatus, rfiixed up with tho biological specimens. < The hut is protected from the dread south-west by a knoll of_ rock, ; .whilst tho front commands a view, of the anchorage in the . bay. After our 1 arrival a fresh lump of elephant blubber was thrown on t<J tho fire and amidst a lively interchange of questions and answers we did our'best to dry our'clothes, boots, and socks. The last-named w© placed in the oven of tlio little Btove arid then forgot all about them. Blubber makes a fierce fire.

Suddenly the Tutanelcai's siren was heard in full blast. "Come on, lads," said Mr. Ainsjvorth, "that' means a boat-load of stuff . We must givo them a hand." -And down .most. of the party trooped to the beach toward which the big whaler tfas being towed' with a load to work away up ito their hips in a particularly cold and treacherous surf. • Mr. H. Hamilton, son of Mr. A. Hamilton, Director of the Dominion Museum, Wellington, remained aching to yam to a town-man. Ho had many interesting things to. say. .He said that the temperature at ithe Macquaries seldom went above 51 degrees. The finest flay for twelve months past was strangely enough kst Christmas Day, when the thermometer cheered tliom lip by bounding tip to 53 degrees.Fahr. 1 There were occasions when the weather was fine at th'O'Macquaries, never of course when there -was-anything in ;the shape of. a Vessel about. Wind was their chief grievance,' it. was blowing 40 miles an Sour that day, but at times it reached a velocity of 74 miles. Tho average velocity was about 25 miles an hour. Ho with Mr. Blake, the geologist,'had traversed practically tho whole / of the island and woujd have somothing interesting to state in his.report, at. the ter-' ruination: of the expedition. Included in his work would ho-a report on tho fish life of the island waters. Among liis discoveries'were two entirely new species of fish which with other specimens have been handed over to Mr. Edgar Waito for classification and naming (which work that gentleman also did for the Shackleton Expedition).

Mr."Hamilton confessed that such was . his excitement over tlie coming of the Tutanekai that lie had not had a wink of sleep tho whole of tho previous night", and tho most welcome s.iglit ho had seen since he had been on the island was 'the Tutanekai swinging to her ancliol' iiitho.bay.' !: ... ..... Meteorolosfcal Work. • 'After tho cargo had .been discharged, Mr. Ainsworth; returned ~td ;the*, hut,'; carrying > a huge 'side of bacon,' and was tickled to death at the prospect of frizzling rashers for tea. He spoke interestingly'of his meteorological work, which ho was sure must bo of material benefit to New; Zealand..- -Every evening reports (9 a.m. and 6 p.ni.) wero dispatched bv wireless to Mr. D. C. Bates, but as to: tho valuo that gentleman placed upon tlio reports he could not say, as they had, as far as -lie was'aware, never been acknowledged. New Zealand benefited directly by the. observations made, far more so indeed than Australia, lVhero t'hp valuo of his work was moro academic! than. immediate.;' Tlio .winter had been' rather more severe than last year, -and there had been a deal more snow on the hills. Up to about a week before the Tutanekai arrived the whole island; bad been' cloaked m snow, - and some 'members of the party had impro-vised-skates and 'had l been skating on somo of t'he mountain lakes.

Mr: Ainswort'h was.enthusiastic as to the utility of the.'wireless telegraph in cqnjiection with -Antarctic exploration. They liad been able to keep in communication' pretty regularly with Adelie Land,-over 800 miles .away, and by that meani I)r. Mawsorn. tad been able to control each 'branch 'of- the expedition. Every: detail was transmitted to the •leaderj and all instructions came from iipi outiof the'Antanitic.' Apart'from that flio, ica party, wee kepf- posted with tho principal news of tho day. Thoir'little kilowat set had worked wonderfully well throughout the Whole chapter. a grain of humour came "across tho waters' A few weeks before the Sydney "Sun" liad sent a wireless 1 messago asking them to confirm or deny a report that Dr Mawsqn and all his party had bccjn wiped out. He at once sent the massage on to Adelie Land, and received the reply that nil were well and kicking. A short time ago Dr. Mawson wired llr. Ainswortli to take' .observations of the Aurora Australis, and to enablo that to be done a special tat had to be constructed, with a southerly aspect, and there Mr. Ainsworth' had to sit night after night until midnight, gazing into tho southern- sky. There were only three or four displays altogether, and none were of particular brilliancy. Message to "New Zealand, Before the Tutantfkai left, Mr. Ainswortli handed mo tho following messago /

to be conveyed to the Government and people of New Zealand

"As representative of Dr. Maw- ' eon's Antarctic Expedition in tlie Macquaries, I wish to to tlio Government and people of New Zealand my thanks and appreciation in placing tlio Tutanekai at our disposal on tliis occasion. The action is consistent with the generosity and warmth ' with which Now. Zealand ever shows, on such occasions, and it is characteristic of tlio progressive spirit of /he people of England's youligcst.and most •enterprising Dominion." 1 The Departure. No vessel must linger long at tlio shelterless Macquaries. The grim array of wrecks which scar the beach gives "eloquent warning to' that effect. All hands for tlio ship were towed off in the big l whaloboat early the same afternoon in case the weather hardened, and the steamer had to put to sea. Tho following morning tho surf broke heavier on the beach, and the prospect was not cheered by a dismal rain, which at times obscured the shore. Two more boat loads of stores, including 25 sheep and 22 casks of coal, were put ashore during the. morning, and seven of Mr. Hatch's men who wcro returning to New Zealand came off to the Tutanekai. As lunch was being served the wind whipped sharply round to tho south-west without the slightest barometrical warning, and within a quarter qf an hour a howling gale was blowing, tlio'wind having an edgo that must have been stropped on the. South Pole itself.. It was up-anchor and away without delay. •