THRILLING STORY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2999, 9 February 1917, Page 6

THRILLING STORY

MAROONED EXPLORERS

HOW BRAVE MEN DIED

REPORT FROM THE AURORA

'A report.received yesterday by wireloss from the Aurora gives an account of the experiences 'of the party that has just been rescued from Ross Island, after being marooned there for m-oro thaiT twenty months. The massage was dispatched by Sir Ernest Shackleton, and has been distributed to New Zealand newspapers through tho Press Association. When {lie Aurora reached M'Murdo Sound (Ross Island) in February, 1915, a base was established on Cape Evalis. Then on March 11 Captain Mackintosh, who commanded tho party, went south with five mon with tho intention of placing a depot at Mt. Hooper, 175 miles to tho south. This dopot was required in case Sir Ernest Shackleton made a good passage through the Weddell Sea in the Endurance, and attempted the journey during his' first summer. On March 23 four other men occupied the winter quarters on Cape Evans. Captain Mackintosh's party did not return to the ship, and on April 14 a search party was sent south, but did not succecd in reaching Hut Point (Captain Scott's old winter quarters), at the head of the sound, owing to bad weather. On May 6, 11)15, after tho sun had disappeared below the horizon, the ship, which had been, anchored off Cape Evans, was carried into the Ross Sea in the pack ico in a blizzard, and did not sueeced in returning to tho men ashore until Captain Davis and, Sir Ernest Shackleton took lipr south within recent weeks. Sir Ernest Shackleton's message states that on March 22, 1914, the members of Captain Mackintosh's party were back at Hut Point. Some of the men had been frostbitten, the party haying experienced constant hliz?ards, wi® "temperatures as low as 30 degrees below zero Fall. They had placed a depot at Minna Bluff, in latitude 79 south, longitude 169 east, and other depot in latitude 80 degrees south. Sixteen dogs had died on tho trail. The party had to stay "at Hut Point, owing to constant blizzards breaking the newly-formed ice, and they did not reach the base at Cape Evans until June 1, when they found that the Aurora had gone. The ten men at the baso had ample provisions, with seal meat and blubber, hut thero was a shortage of clothing. The spring sledging started early in September and was made difficult by. the loss of dogs in the autumn. Working by relays, a party reached Mount Hope, at the foot of the Beardmore Glacier, on January 26, 1916. Four days previously, on January 22, the Rev. A. R. Spencer-Smith had broken down with scurvy. General symptoms of scurvy appeared among the members of the party, and they proceeded to make the greatest possible speed homeward, with tho. sick man lashed to a sledge. Captain Mackintosh was badly attacked, but he managed to keep on his feet. They made good speed over tho first 180 miles of the homeward journey, but afterwards the strain told. The rate of march decreased and the hours of march had to be increased. On February 17, when the party was eleven miles from the Bludd dopot, they were overtaken by a furious blizzard, which continued for fourteen days. The provisions were practically exhausted on the sixth day, and, driven by necessity, the party made a successful attempt to reach the depot through tho blinding storm. Mackintosh, Spencer-Smith, and V. G. llayward were now lashed to the sledges, and Joyce, Richards, and Wild, with four dogs, were pulling. The position hecame more critical, and on -March 7 Mackintosh was left behind with a supply of provisions, at his own request, in order to enable the other sick men to reach a place of safety. SpencerSmith died on March 11.- The remaining members of the party reached Hut Point on March 18.■ Tho sound men returned for Captain Mackintosh and brought him safoly to Hut Po'/it. The party had covered a total distance of 1560 statute miles during a period of 190 days. Tho ice in the sound between Hut Point and Cape Evalis was repeatedly blown out by heavy gales, and the party could not proceed to the base. At tho beginning of May Mackintosh and Hayward were on the ice during a calm period when a sudden blizzard overtook them. The young ice broke up and drove north. On May 10 tho remaining members of the party at Hut Point, anxious about the two missing men, followed their tracks and found them terminating abruptly at open water. The worst fears were confirmed when the party reached Cape Evans, on July 15, 1916, and found that Mackintosh and Hayward had not arrived. A search party went back to Hut Point but found no traces of the missing men. The Aurora reached Cape Evans on January 10, 1917j and picked up the seven survivors, also learning of tho loss of Macintosh and Hayward eight months previously. The hopelessness of search was recognised, but the Aurora nevertheless remained until January, 19, in order-that an examination might be made of the part of M'Murdo Sound-not previously searched, and the coast of Victoria Land, as far north as Granite Harbour. Captain Davis landed with search parties, hut no traces of the two men were discovered.

HONOURING SHACKLETON

AURORA DUE TO-NIGHT OR TO-MORROW

The tough eld Antarctic exploring vessel Aurora (Captain Davis), with Sir Ernest Shackleton, and the seven rescued men of the ill-fated Ross Sea shore party, is expected to arrive in. Wellington to-night or to-morrow morning. Her arrival here means the end of a page of adventure in Antarctic seas, the like of which has never happened before, and is not likely to. happen again. It is a record of amazing courage, endurance, and tenacity, of selfsacrifice, physical, and mental grit and strength, and all those bull-dog qualities which havo placed the British sailor in a class of his own since Drako "drummed 'em up the Channel, 1 ' and Sir Richard Grenville, in the little Revenge, fought alono a great Spanish fleet. It is deeds like Shackleton's trip across 700 miles of turbulent Antarctic seas in a cockle-shell of an open boat that make the blood stir. It is proposed to honour Sir Ernest Shackleton and the men who arc coming home after a living death oil tlio frozen harrier. The committee which has the matter in hand met in the Mayor's room yesterday, Mr. J. P. Luke presiding. Several reports were received from different quarters, and ideas wero approved of furthering the proposal in hand. The secretary (Mr. Carlton) renorted that so far the response had been satisfactory. Hn submitted tho following circular letter, which was beinir sent forward, per post, to prominent citizens, whom tliev felt sure would only be too oleasikl to do their little bit in honouring oneof the bravest men in the loiw roll of England's heroes:— "Pear sir,—Tt is oronosed to recognise the fine work of Sir Ernest Shackleton liv a presentation 011 his return from tho rescue nf the partv of men ■"•ho wero left on the Ross Sea. Sir Ernest Pbnokleton's courageous and successful-effort to save his companions who were stranded on Elenhanf. Island in the Weddell Sea. will live for ever as one of the finest 'and bravest of

rescue achievements in the thrilling history of Polar research. Now ho is returning from the rescue of the suivivors of the lloss Sea party. It will bo remembered that no sooner had ho rescued tho Elephant Island party than he came_ direct to New Zealand to assist in the rcscuc of tho other men. He was determined to save thoso men if it wore possible to do so, and , his olfort has been rewarded by the rescue of the seven surviving members of the party of ten who had been left marooned in the Ross Sea for nearly two years. His work has been of the most mnseliish character, and it hoped that a substantial purse of sovereigns may be presented to him on his return. "It will not be out of place to say that, beyond the mere deeiro to pay a tribute to Sir Ernest Shackleton for the courage and resource displayed by him in his Polar work and in the succouring of llis companions. The carrying on of the work of Arctic and Antarctic resparch appeals to many people because of their recognition of tho fact that it is owing to the dauntless courage and the fine spirit that animated the _ early adventurers of our country in their explorations of the Polar Seas, and m the trading ventures of years gone by, that our national character has been largely built up. ; "Though it- is true, in a sense, that owing to the forces of Nature and unavoidable causes, this latest South Polar Expedition resulted 111 a brilliant failure', so far as the work of exploration and discovery was concerned, our nation is proud of the fact that by tho energy, pluck lin(1 determination which were evinced by Sir Ernest Shackleton and his companions further testimony was borne to the gallant spirit actuating the British seamen. This is something of which the nation has reason to be moud, and adds weight to'the desire to do honour to a man of Sir Ernest Shacklcton's type. The Aurora is expected to arrive 011 Friday night or Saturday; so those who wish to subscribe should do so at once. The following gentlemen are acting as an executive to further the object 111 view His Worship the Mayor. Hon. -T. G. W. Aitken, A. Grav. .Tns. Macintosh. A. E. Maliin. R. .A. Wright, L. 0. H. Tripp, 0. R. Smith. W. F. Cuthbertson, John Huteheson. E. A. Phelps. Contributions will he received by any of these niembors and duly acknowledged. (Sgd.) J. P. Luke, Mayor of Wellington. A. J. Carlton, secretary. Commercial Travellers' Association, 10-12 Victoria Street." Mr. Zolirnb has vpit kindly pjaeed tlie harbour steamer Karaka at the disposal of the committee, the members of wliicli will visit the Aurora shortly after slie arrives in nort.