IN THE FROZEN SOUTH

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2280, 14 October 1914, Page 3

IN THE FROZEN SOUTH

• STORIES OF ANTARCTICA. An intensely interesting story of Ant-, arctic adventure was told'by Sir Douglas Mawson at the Grand Opern House last night. The lecture and pictures were thoroughly appreciated by tko audience, which included His Excellency the Governor and the Countess of Liverpool. It was the story of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition's journey into that wonderland, the Seventh Continent, where the lure of the Frozen South is felt. Sir Dougks Mawson spolio in a simple manner of stupendous difficulties overcome, the nature of which could easily be recognised from the photographs and kineraatograph scenes taken by the intrepid photographer, Mr. Hurley. . ■, A3 everyone knows ,tho-expedition set out from Hobart in' September, 1911, and Sir Douglas Mawson and a party of six were compelled to spend two years in Adelie Land. Their experiences, though trying and dangerous, were on many occasions relieved by comedy, while the nature of their surroundings, according to the lecturer, nevor palled. The lecture was- accompanied Dy a running selection of lantern slides and moving pictures. Sir Doug: las Mawson talked in an interesting manner of the operations at Macquarie Islands, and at the mainjiase. The Croat Ico Wall. TJie arrival at the great ice wall was graphically portrayed. Huge, towering , walls of ice rose precipitously to a height of 100 ft. above the sea, whilo the ico pack extended below 6oa-level for 'another five hundred feet. It was impossible to, scale these- cliffs, but the photographer got some excellent scenes of grotesque and wonderful ico formations. Tho discovery of Queen Mary Land was an event of importance, but a barrier of ico, stretching out for 17 miles, prevented laud being reached. Frank Wild's party, however, which operated in that vicinity, took up their winter quarters on a floating formation of ice. In doing so, said the lecturer, they took the greatest 'risk, because they never knew but that they might wake in the morning and find themselves on nothing but an iceberg. Not the least interesting part of the lecture was tho graphic description given of the main baso by Sir Douglas Mawetin. When the huts were nearing completion, ho said, there was great excitement amongst tho party. Hammering was going'on both, inside and outoido tho roof, and so keen got tho competition that men working on the outsido of tho. roof wero nailed to it by those working on the inside. . Dr. M'Lcaii was an ardent worker there, but had tho misfortune to lose his grip, nnd went sliding! down the roof, taking the chimney with him. 200-Mile an Hour Wind. Walking against the wind in Adelio Land was an art that took weeks to learn. The wind was something phenomenal, nnd it was cetimntetj Unit it at the average rate of fiO

miles an hour throughout the year. "I think tho people of Wellington arc better able to judge of it than anybody olse," smilingly sand tho speaker. But a. fifty-itiilo an hour blow was nothing for the Antarctic wind of Adelio Laud, for-it often went over 100 miles at a' steady rate, and "puffy" up to 200 miles an hour. The moving pictures proved laughablo hero, as the explorers ivere seen facing these winds almost doubled ,up to make headway. Down at the frozen South tho _ intrepid band of adventurers after scientific knowledge had a difficulty in keying the mutton which they took with them. They stored this under the hut, but it was 'hard to got out. At length Murphy, the storeman, trained a dog to go under the lnit and bring out :i joint. Then it'was a case.of Murphy reaching the joint before the joint reached the inside of the dog. Seventeen beautiful Greenland dogs were taken with the expedition. They were wonderful animals, said the lecturer, and really loved their work. As _ lor'g ne- they were fed they, were willing Workers. Playful Penguins. Perhaps the most enjoyable pictures were those showing the übiquitous penguin. These .quamt birds, with thei' , strangely human actions, wue pictured in evory conceivable state, from Iho •early stages of the young till the oldaged antics of tho elders. They did not always appreciate the visits uf the photographer, said Sir Douglas Mawson, and Hurley was often given .''the stony stare" oy an indignant female, who had been appealed to by her yoimg for protection. The sea elephants, fear-Bome-looking things, faced the camera and delighted the audience, while many other forms of life, beautiful and quaint, were shown. Beautiful natural colour photographs of charming variety added preatly , to the value of tho. pictorial feast. . The lecture was full of humorous little stories, and every trial 3eemod to have been followed by. some amusing incident. ' Not once did tho lecture' grow dull, and at the conclusion the jeeturer was loudly applauded. A further lecture will be given this evening.