ANTARCTIC EXPLORATION.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 29 November 1901, Page 3

ANTARCTIC EXPLORATION.

(per press association.) Cbbistchuboji, November 28. Tho Antarctic exploring vessel Discovery arrived offLyttelton Heads late to-night and will be brought into the stream and inspected by the health officer to-morrow morning. Lyttelton, This Day. Arrived at midnight on the 28 th the Antarctic exploring vessel Discovery from Capetown.

Interview with Mr Bernacchi

Work of the Expedition

(our own correspondent.)

Chbistchurch, This Day. In the course of an interview with a "Press" representative Mr Bernacchi, who arrived in Christchiirch recently and who is physician to the Antarctio expedition, said : —'-I do not say that we will actually reach the geographical Pole, but there is no doubt that we will beat all previous record?. We will not have any difficulty in doing that. The knowledge obtained in the previous expedition will assist us greatly in the present one. We[now know something of the conditions down in the Antarctic regions. In the Southern Cross expedition we got on to the great ico barrier, and went inland for about fifteen miles. Then it was very late in the season, we turned back, as we could remain no longer. I have placed before the Royal Geographical Society a theory in regard to an ice barrier. It is a body of ice moving off the land, aud, so far as we can see; it is perfectly flat. The cliffs facing northwards are sheer, and are in height from 10) to 200 ft. We have never seen the end of the barrier, though we have followed the line for 270 miles. My theory is that instead of moving from the Pole to the North, it is moving from the we3t to the east, like a huge tongue of ice coming from Victoria Land." In reply to another question. Mr Bernacchi said there was not the alightest doubt that at one time there was a vast Antarctic continent extending from Northern Australia to Cape Horn, and including New Zealand and the adjacent islands. He says that the condition of life in the South are much harder than in the North. Somo Norwegians who were on the Southern Cross, and who had been engaged as whalers in the North, stated ,thafc the North, comparatively speaking was a paradise. The storms in the South are very severe. Little life of any kind is seen. There are no bears and no foxes, nothing but the seals and the penguins, which have adopted habits and customs in accord with their surroundings. They seldon or never leave the silent region?, spending all their days in the midst of the snow and ice. The ice petrel, a beautiful bird, with snow-white plumage and black beak and feet, is looked upon as an infallible sign that ice is near, as they never leave it far behind. Mr Bernaichi thinks that if the Discovery leaves Lyttelton before December 20th it will reach the ico pack in about a fortnight. If fairly fortunate the expedition should got through the pack in ten days, and reach Wood Bay at the middle of January, or perhaps the end of that month. Mr Bernacchi does not know what proposals have been adopted in regard to wintering, as the matter rests with Captain Scott. He thinks it -s probable, however, that a hutt will be erected at Wood Bay, and special arrangements will be made for the various instruments which he has brought out, and of which he speaks with great enthusiasm. The magnetic instruments are peculiarly sensilive, and from them is expected information which will be of exceedingly great practical value as well as scientific interest. They will correspond with the magnetic instruments in the observatorios at Chriatchurch, Melbourne, Kerguelen Island, Kew, Staten Island and other places. By means of the records kept in unison the navigation charts will be corrected, and knowledge in regard to the terrestrial magnetism of the Southern Hemispheare wilt be added to considerably. Mr Bernacchi speaks highly of both the Discovery and her commander. He says that the rumor with regard to the vessel leaking is quite without foundation. He visited the Discovery frequently at London, and is struck him that it was a splendid boat for the purpose, being much larger and stronger than the Southern Cross. Ic is very well fitted up, there being good cabins, equipped with hot water pipes and other comforts. Mr Bernacchi is of opinion that if the expectations in regard to the present attack on Antarctica are realised, there will not be much more to learn about the regions. He says that as far as the British are concerned the work will be done in a more thorough manner than was ever attempted before, the Discovery being much larger than the Southern Cross, and better in all respects. "I think this is a great expedition," concluded Mr Bernacchi, speaking with manifest enthusiasm. "It is beautifully equipped, and if we arc successful and the German expedition is successful—they are well equipped, too—l don't think thero will be very much more to know about the South Polar regions. The fact that the Germans are going, too, in a brand new ship, will be an additional stimulus to us. They have a fine equipment and good men, and I think they will do good work. But we must not let them beat us."

"Don't be surprised," he laughingly cuncluded, "if the German find us waiting for them at the South Pole."