SHACKLETON EXPEDITION

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2254, 14 September 1914, Page 9

SHACKLETON EXPEDITION

$ VISITING THE ENDEAVOUR. "Sir Ernest Shackleton approaching completion of preparation for liis third Antarctic voyage, invited a few friends to view the barque that will carry his fortunes," writes Sir. Henry Lucy in the "Sydney Moruing Herald." '"An earlier visitor on the same day was Queen Alexandra, who spent an hour chatting with the explorer, and viewing every nook and- cranny of the ship. Her Majesty brought with her an oldfashioned bit of jewellery which she presented to Sir Ernest as a mascot. Playing about the deck when it was not being hugged in somebody's armß was another mascot. It took the form of a white bitten, which, little dreaming of the experience in store for it, frolicked in the sunshine. It may be safely reckoned that whatever privations, whether of cold, hunger, or thirst befall the crew, the kitten will bo carefully ten'ded. The first impression of a visitor, shared, I am told, by Queen Alexandra, was the smallness of tho vessel charged with so arduous and venturesome an enterprise. She does not exceed a, measurement of (385 tons, a little larger than the ships Drake, Raleigh, Hawkins, and other bold buccaneors in the spacious times of Elizabeth commanded when ihoy went over unknown seas to loot the Spaniard and float the flag of England on stray islands and strips of vast continents. But by comparison with tho Atlantic liners of to-day, the Endeavour is a mere .coclcle-shell. ! "Every foot of spsu» is carefully utilised, much ingenuity being .displayed in more or less comfortably packing a dozen men in a compartment four would not find inconveniently roomy. The lure of the Arctio and Antarctic regions has ,a strange commanding influence. I had a chat with one of Shackleton's men who-is making his third voyage towards the South Pole. He accompanied Captain Scott 011 his two expeditions, the-grim tragedy of the last one not cooling his enthusiasm for further adventure. Sir Ernest told 'mo that since announcement of what is also his; third voyage was published, he has been overwhelmed with supplications for engagement in any capacity, however menial."