BRITISH ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2415, 22 March 1915, Page 6

BRITISH ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION

LIFE ON THE OUTWARD VOYAGE. Some details of life 'on the small sailing vossel, the Endurance, which is carrying Sir Ernest Shackleton and his party to the South Polar seas, are'contained in a letter published in England from Mr. Jack Vincent, who is on board tho Endurance. He states that tho party oil board, numbering twenty-five, were all enjsying good health. The weather was good on the voyago out, and they did not sight any hostile vessels. Lieutenant F. A. Worsley, of the Naval Reserve, is the commander. "All the scientists share in the work, says Mr.. Vincent, "and take their turn at trimming coal"'and doing 'peggy. ■They are a fine sporting lot. Vie ara going to winter among the ice, and our time will be filled up sledging m various directions for scientific purposes until the great journey across the Antarctic starts. Wo are at present at South Georgia, an island aoreast _ of Cap# Horn, in about 50deg. 50min. South. It is a whaling station, inhabited by about 300 mon. Wo have on board Sir Ernest Shackleton and Sir Daniel Gooch, and it seems funny to sea the baronet doing his two hours at th» wheel. Every mother's son on board has a wish to be back at the wa', and would have gladly postponed this expedition." Sir Daniel Gooch has just arrived home at Hylands Park, Chelmsford. Leaving England on the La Negra on September 19. he shared with threa members of tho British Antarctic Expedition the care of tho seventy dogs, which were shipped on tho Enauranc« »t Buenos Ayres at the beginning of October. The party reachea CuniWland Bay, South Georgia, on November 15. and Sir Daniel bade them adieu on December 5, after a farewell dinner aboard the Endurance, He states that all the members of the Expedition were then in the pink of condition, and . full of confidence. It was Ins original intention to accompany tTio party until their winter quarters wer» reached, but owing to the fact that ho was anxious to reach England by the end'of January he took his"dischargß" ami his "wages"—a shilling—at Cumberland Bay, and after spending a short time in whaling returned homo an the Highland Loch.