THE EXPEDITION TO ANTARCTICA.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2073, 27 December 1907, Page 1

THE EXPEDITION TO ANTARCTICA.

LECTURE BY LIEUTENANT SHAC'ELETON. A GREAT GATHERING. The keon in teres I taken by Cirri s-t----clmreh people in the Nimrod expedition about to set out for tlio South Polar regions was shown on .December 20th by tho largo and enthusiastio audience which filled His Majesty's Theatre, when LieutenantShackloton, 'the leader of tho expedition, delivered an illustrated lecture. The lecturer dealt principally with the work of tho Discovery expedition, in which ho took part, but extended reference was also made to tho equipment and intentions of the expedition now about to start. Lieutenant Shackloton, who is a lecturer of no small ability, was listened to with every attention, and thctellingpoints of liis remarks were received with loud applause. Tho gathering was presided over by tlie Mayor of Christchurch (Mr Geo. Payling), who, in introducing Lieutonant Shackloton, said ho was pleased at soeing so many .Christchurch citizens present to hear the lecture. Eor many years tho discovery of the Polo had been tho great aim of scientists, and Lieutonant Shackleton’s wish was that the scientists should be tho first to reach tho Pole (applause), and lie felt suro that if it were possible Lientenant > ShaC' kleton would on tho present expedition reach tho Pole. On behalf of the citizens of Christchurch, he wished Lieutonant Shackleton every success (applause). Lieutenant Shackleton, who wasreceivecl with applause, said that he could not say much about the present expedition, for the work of that expedition remained to be done. Ho would, however, talk about what the Discovery expedition had done,- and would, as ho went on, compare that expedition with tho present one. Tho Discovery was three tidies as largo as the Nimrod, but the latter vessel, though small, was good, and she was the only one available when ho purchased ' her. Directly shipowners heard that a Polar expedition was projected, prices went up, and one proprietor, who said that ho would like, for sentimental reasons, to have one of his ships in the Polar regions, .wanted £15,000 for her. He suggested that- if the reason was a sentimental one, the vessel might he lent, hut the owner replied that that was not -business. (Laughter.) A large number of verv interesting pictures relating to the Discovery expedition were then shown on the screen and explained by Lieutenant Shackleton.

Continuing, the speaker said that the present expedition would be very much better oif as regards food than was the Discovery expedition. It might seem that a great deal of what they were taking consisted of luxuries, -but those luxuries were really necessaries, if the men were' to do their, work -properly -in the cold Antarctic regions. As regards comfort and clothing, lie thought that tho Discovery expedition had hammered that down to a fine line, and few improvements- were possible, but the experience gained by the last expedition would be of value to the present one. There were the Manchurian ponies, which were likely to do well, and the dogs in case tho ponies and the motor car were to fail. Ho did not think the motor car would fail, hut it was quito an experiment, and he thought that it would do good work. Failing the ponies, the dogs, and tho car, there still remained the men, and ho felt suro that every man, whether with tho shore -liart-v or on

the sledging journeys, would do his best for the expedition. (Applause.) No amount of luck would do any good if any of the men were to fail in their Mart, and he did not think from what 10 knew of the men that any of thorn would fail. The mission of the expedition was a scientific one, and one that he hoped would 1 do a great deal of good to the world at large. The expedition also had a patriotic mission, and Her Majesty the Queen had herself entrusted to their seeping a Union Jack which she hoped would lead them safely to the South foie (Applause.) He had never denied that one of his great wishes was to get to the (Pole, and ho hoped that they would get there, but there were obstacles that were lying in wa’t for them that they did not know ot. and, therefore, whether they got there or not, thero was only one riling they expected from the people of this Dominion—a belief that the little expedition wottld try and do’ their best. (Loud applause.) v The Mayor said he had "Teat pleasure in expressing to 'Lieutenant Shackleton, on behalf of the citizens of Christchurch, the pleasure he had given in delivering so interesting and instructive a lecture. The people of Christchurch took a deep personal interest in the Antarctic Expedition of which Lieutenant Shackleton was the leader —(applause)—for from the Port of Lyttelton the expedition would set sail on their adventurous voyage, and he trusted that the expedition would he welcomed hack at Lyttelton o: their return from the Polar regions, having finished their work. (Applause.) He would move —“That this large audience of citizens of Christchurch tender to Lieutenant Shackleton their warmest thanks for the intensely interesting lecture delivered by him, and their wish that Lieutenant Shackleton and die officers and men of the expedition will have a safe and prosperous voyage and a successful ending to their enterprise.” The motion was carried by acclam-' ation, and three ringing cheers were given for Lieutenant Shackleton. Lieutenant Shackleton, in reply, said he wished to thank those present for wliat was, he thought;'one of the most enthusiastic concerts of cheers lie had ever heard; in fact it was the most enthusiastic. The expedition would be leaving Lyttelton in a few days, and hoped to return, all being well, to Lyttelton. He believed that nowhere would the expedition get a warmer greeting on their return than they would get from tho people of Christchurch. " On tho motion of Lieutenant Shackleton, a vote of tlianlcs was accorded to the Mayor for presiding and for arranging lor the use of the hall. ANTARCTIC KINEMATOGR AMS. FIRST EXHIBITION AT CHRISTCHURCH. Lieutenant Shackleton states that, should successful kinematograph pictures be secured in tbe 1 ar ftoutn, he will make a- point of utilising these to illustrate the lecture descriptive of the journey towards the South Pole, which he intends delivering in Christchurch on the return of the partv from their very arduous undertaking. A most comprehensive series of living pictures is to be attempted, commencing to-day with films depicting the operation of

breaking in the- Manchurian ponies. It is scarcely possible to oyer-csti-nvato the value of the promised exhibition of films. POLAIt JOURNALISM. A UNIQUE UNDERTAKING. A special printing outfit, including type, a press, and lithographic apparatus, is to be installed at the base imt at King Edward VII. Land, and the first winter of the Expedition will ibe devoted to the production of a magazine chronicling the events to date. The printing will bo carried out under the supervision of Mr. E. Joyce, who took a. special course of study in the intricacies of the ancient craft ibeforo leaving Home, 110 will have the assistance of 'Mr. . Wild. The illustrations will bo carried out by the artist of the Expedition (Mr. G. E. Marstoii). who is a proficient lithographer. The magazine will bo printed upon hand-made paper, and bound with sealskin prepared and tanned on the spot-. Only somo 150 copies of the unique publication are to bo struck off, and their value, from -a collector’s point of v-iow, should be considerable. ARRIVAL OF THE SLEHGC DOGS. INTERVIEW WITH MR. E. JOYCE. Mr. E. Joyce arrived from the South by the first express on December 20th, bringing with him oho Eskimo dogs which are to bo taken down to tlie ico by the expedition. The consignment included Scamp, 2 years old; Rousay, 11 years; ’I ossum, 2 years; Queenie, 4 years; Dido, 4 years; lios’un, Huka, Spot, and Battie, 7 months old. The animals were conveyed in a large horse-box, and on its being opened at Lyttelton to afford tlie occupants a -whiff of fresh air and a run on tlie platform after their long confinement, the air was rent with a series of very cloggy and very sincero yelps of delight. The scientists ■ attached to the expedition went through to the port with Mr. Joyce, and assisted most ably in the important undertaking of giving his charges a “breather,” which was punctuated lavishly with a convincing chorus of whole-souled barks. Tlie dogs are descendants of those left in charge of .Mr. Traill, at Reinga Reinga, Stewart Island, by Sir George Newnes’s -Southern Cross expedition in 1898. At that time 75 dogs were entrusted to the keeping of Mr. Traill. AIL of these have since died, and of their descendants elev uremained- at Stewart Island, nine being selected by Mr. Joyce. These are not depended upon to do the sledging work, owing to their having been bred and born in a temperate climate. It is anticipated, however, that by February next some 35 puppies will have come into a world of ice and snow, and tliut, having made their debut in such vigorous conditions, by the succeeding November these youngsters will be fit for the strenuous life. It is possible, however, that one sledge team may be compiled from tlie adult dogs that are being taken down, but as lias been explained, Mr. Joyce does not pin bis faith to these. All of the present lot have been hardened olf by Mr. Traill, and not only have they become habituated to a diet of penguins and fish, but they have been put through a course of solid training by drawing a sledge from tlie beach to Mr. Traill’s house —a distance of about half a mile. Mr. Joyce 6tates that of the team of 27 dogs taken down by tlie Discovery not one survived. As the supply of fish grew dismally less, dog after dog was sacrificed to feed the survivors—a practical example of the interests of the few being overridden for those of the many. Six puppies were taken back to England, one of these being presented to tlie King. Mr. Joyce further confided that the present lot of dogs, being reared amongst civilising influences, were, with one exception, kind and tractable, but he doubted if they had that stamina to do much heavy wont in the Polar regions. He had made all the harness, which was fashioned from canvas, fitted with the necessary loops and swivels. In order to guard against the possibility of infection with any diseases the canine flesh is heir to, lie intends transferring the dogs to Quail Island to-day, and they will remain thus immured until the eve of tlie Nimrod’s sailing. “On reaching Homo after the return of Captain Scott’s expedition,” tlie speaker pursued, “I took up my duties in the Navy again, and was attached to the Whale Island Gunnery Experimental organisation. Latterly I was in charge of the boom-de-fence -construction at Gibraltar. I bought out of the Na-vy to join Lieut. Shaeldeton, and before his undertaking was mooted, I endeavored to join the Wellman North Polar Expedition (by airship), but was thirtylive hours too late to secure a berth. I am glad now I was not successful, because, after all, there is something in being -attached to a party of allBritish explorers. Yes, • there is something attractive in the Polar regions—when a man lias , been there once, and can stand the strain of it all. Look at Peary 1 He goes north as a. regular matter of habit. The silence is tho worst thing to become accustomed to. You go out into the darkness of the Polar night alone, -but cannot cover more than fifty yards'before you turn back again. ‘At first von can hear nothing—the silence almost roars in your ears—or then perhaps the shrill whistle of a seal below tlie ice sends your heart into your mouth. The seal bump, bump', bumps on the ice, and you feel somehow that you want human society, and you make tracks back to your cliums almost in a panic: But once you have tasted tlie life, you hanker for it again.”

BREAKING-IN THE PONIES. A STRENUOUS TASK. The Manchurian ponies, which lia% r e been running face in one of tho paddocks on Quail Island since their arrival from China six weeks ago, are very much quieter and more tractable than they were last week, when they were taken in hand by a professional horse trainer. Mr. IV. H. Tubman, who was specificai’.iy engaged for tlie task of breaking in the wild and excitable little boasts, lias spent a very strenuous week on Quail Island, and lie told a “Press” reporter yesterday that the nonies had been a “tougher proposition” than he had had to deal wit], for a long time. The little white pony which Mr. Tubman considered the best of the lot, \\as paiticularly vicious when taken in hand. “He rushed at Dr. Mackay,” said Mr. Tubman, “with open mouth, and that gentleman’s only chance of escaping the beast’s hoofs and teeth was bv throwing himself over the fence, "which he did with remarkable ability. We roped the little beast down‘on his knees, with his mouth on

the ground, and oven then ho kicked li'ko a mad beast."” Mr. Tubman adopted Professor Lichtwark’s style in breaking in tho animals, and he has done his work well. He spoke warmly of the valuable assistance given him by Dr. Mackay, who is now able to ride or drive any one of the fifteen ponies. Mr. Tubman has had a vast and varied experience in breaking in and training horses, and ho considers Dr. Mackay, who is to have charge of the ponies for tho whole of the time after the expedition leaves Lyttelton, is the very man for the task of •looking after them. The fifteen ponies wore all handled by Mr. Tubinan and Dr. Mackay, but as only ten are, being taken on tho Nimrod, these have been specially broken in and trained for sledge woi'k. They were a particularly wild and vicious lot, always fighting and kicking among themselves, and always ready to rush aiul attempt to kick their trainers. Now they are quito tractable, and Mr. Tubman is quito prepared to drive any one of them -through tho streets of Christchurch. Ho states that the selected ten are, splendid animals, and for their size aro .remarkably powerful. Any one of them can pull a loaded sledge weighing half a ton through tho sand on the beach at Ouail Island, and on the ice Mr. Tubman thinks they should each prove equal to drawing two sledges. He considers that they aro eminently adapted for the work that dies ahead of them in the Antarctic, and he feels condent that they will prove a tremendous success. ‘ ‘They are used to hard living in their native country,” said he, “and they will stand lots of hard work and hard living down South. The best of the crowd ‘is tho little white one, and for that reason we have named him Shackleton. Dr. Mackay is a very good man for handling horses, and I am sure the ponies will ho all! right under his charge.” . , , , The ponies are now picketed on Quail Island until the time comes for them to be shipped on the Nimrod.