ANTARCTIC EXPLORATION.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 851, 27 March 1903, Page 2

ANTARCTIC EXPLORATION.

FURTHER DETAILS,.

(Per Press Association.)

CHRISTCHURCH’, lasi, night

The largest of the. sledge journeys, briefly referred to in Captain .Scott's report, Was a very notable feat in Antarctic exploration. While the snip was in winter quarters, near Cape Armitage, a party, consisting of Captain Scott, Dr. Wilson, and Lieutenant Shackelton, started on November 2nd, with dogs and sledges

—to push southwards over the great ice barrier. The dogs went very, well for a time., The total weight of the loads was 20001 b. After eight days, the party reached a depot sixty miles southward, established by a previous sledge party, in anticipation of the journey. After leaving the depot, the trou-

bles of the party commenced.... The snow began to get soft, and the task of hauling the sledges correspondingly difficult. The extra strain told

jtiickly on the dogs. ...On November Kith, the party had

to resort to “ relay work ” in order oo make any progress. The sledges were hauled for a distance of five miles, and then the party returned and brought up the remainder. To advance five miles meant a total journey of fifteen. Progress was slow ili the extreme. To add to tltoir fficullics, the dogs continued to grow weaker.; Captain Scott finally decided to shape a course towards the land—the party were still on the ice harrier—in the hope that travelling would he easier. Relay work with sledges lasted 29 days, till December lath. During that time, the dogs gradually died ofi. Travelling by slow stages, ...they leached latitude 50..T0 south. Hero another depot was established to lighten tiie sledges, in preparation for a dash southward. All superfluous gear was cast away. . With four weeks’ provisions, the party headed south on December 15th. By the beginning of January, the party had got as far as latitude 82.17 deg.

south; This proved the limit of the journey—a limit, however, which easily eclipsed all previous performances. Herr Borchgrevinck, in the Southern Cross expedition, reached 78.50 booth The party, after reaching 82.17 south —were compelled to retrace their steps. They had four weeks’ provisions when they left tins depot, Moreover, the snow was getting softer all the time, and it was impossible (without inviting disaster) to continue southwards.

Accordingly, on January Ist, the party returned, and, following the coast, traced land to the continuation of Victoria Land. From tho point where tney turned back, a range of mountains could he seen tway to the southward in lat. B ‘2 deg. south. Some were 5000 Icet in height; and others reared their icy summits 13,000 and 14,000 feet

(above sea-level, being higher than Mb. Erebus.

The party tried to make their way to the land, but so many crevasses barred the way that the task was found impossible. Turning back in the direction of the ship, they arrived o.ncc more at the southernmost '-depot on January 15th. .Some dogs still icmained, but they were very weak, and could not keep up with the sledges, and their sails were set for five days. The party had to steer through thick, foggy weather, and subsist on short rations, in order to eke out the provisions an extra week. By the time they left the depot en route for the ship, only two dogs weic left. These were killed for food I he first of the depots was reached again on January 28th. There the party had to remain until a fierce blizzard, which overtook them, had spent its strength. On resuming in calmer weather, they got back again io the Discovery on February 3rd, after an absence of 04 days. Several other sledge journeys of minor importance were undertaken prior to the main advance south. Very little sledging could be done during the winter, the temperature going as Jow as minus 62, and blizzards and heavy falls of snow keeping the expedition, within the vessel^

THE PROVISION SCANDAL.

Per Press Association

CHRISTCHURCH, last night.

A good deal of comment is made in town in reference to file bad provisions taken on the Discovery. None of the unsatisfactory provisions came from Canterbury. Large quantities of tinned meat, fish, fruit, and vegetables were obtained from England and Europe, and some of these, it, seems, were certainly not up to the required standard. When the Diseovety was at Lyttelton some of the tinned provisions were sold at auction. A local grocer who purchased considerable quantities states that he sampled most of the lines and found them very satisfactory. Even the worst, be says, were by no means unpalatable, the only objection being that the meat bad been somewhat overcooked. He is an expert in the process of preserving food, and says that iu bis opinion the work, so far as he eouid judge from the samplfs he i!..d received for trial, had been Very well done. Many of his customers purchased small lots of meat, and apparently were quite satisfied, as they, have made no complaints.

Another grocer in the city received some of the goods from the Discovery through a customer who found, that they were unpalatable to him. Though there were no serious results from the consumption of the meat, it is liow stated that the tinned fish specially prepared for the dogs was not as good as had been expected. A member of the Morning’s company states that some of the tinned vegetables were so had that the opening of a tin was a sure method of clearing the cabin. The future movements of the Morning will depend on instructions from England. It is estimated that the sum of eight thousand pounds is required to send the relief ship back to McMurdo Bay with supplies for herstif in case she is caught, and for the Discovery. About four thousand pounds arc available, but the balance ta's yet to be found.