SIB E. SHACKLETON'S DEATH.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 February 1922, Page 1

SIB E. SHACKLETON'S DEATH.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. CAUSE OF SHACKLETON’S DEATH LONDON, Jan, 31. Dr Joyce, commenting on Professor Sarolea’s statement, thinks Sir E. Shackleton’s attack is traceable to the sledging journey Pol which Captain Scott specially picked him owing to his cheeriness. In the course of the return journey when the others were suffering from frostbite and exposure Sir E. Shackletop insisted on doing the bulk of pulling the heavy loads, with the result that he broke a blood vessel and wag an invalid for a long ime. Ever since he had felt the strain thereof, but would not give in.

, FURTHER DETAILS. , - A SUDDEN COLLAPSE 0 } : MONTH!VIDEO, Jan. 30. Sir Ernest Shackleton had been suffaring from sharp pains in the hack H for some time, but lie bad refused to ' u,ndei J go treatment .before sailing. When the Quest reached the South Georgia whaling station, 44, Shackle--7 ton went ashore, intending to pro- >’ c-ced within a day or two to seek Bn--5 derby Lapd. He returned to the ship ' at nine in the evening in the best of ' spirits, and retired early. His health A wag apparently good, but shortly after 2.30 next morning, Doctor Macklin, \ who was summoned, found him suffer- ■ ? ing from a severe neuralgic pain in the back and chest. Sir Ernest said: “Give me something for this, and in a few minutes I will be alright again.” Doctor Mctllroy also online in, hut ' before the physicians could do anyj thing Shackleton was dead, three j minutes after summoning assistance, j The derangement of the ship’s wireless • made it impossible to communicate the j news of Shackleton’s death for several [ week#.

air .ptucou fering from sharp pains in the bae ? for some time, but lie had refused t ’ u,ndei J go treatment .before sailing When the Quest reached the Sout Georgia whaling station, 44, Shackle ", ton went ashore, intending to prt coed within a day or two to seek Be ’ derby Lapd. He returned to the shi ■ at nine in the evening in the best o spirits, and retired early. His h e altl was apparently good, but shortly afte 2.30 next morning, Doctor Macklin who was summoned, found him suffer 3 ing from a severe neuralgic pain in thi back and chest. Sir Ernest said: “Give me something for this, and ii a few minutes I will be alright again.’ Doctor Mcfflroy also online in, hut ' before the physicians could do any j thing Shackleton was dead, three j minutes after summoning assistance, j The derangement of the ship’s wireless • made it impossible to communicate the | news of Shackleton’s death for several ! weeka. ! ' TRIBUTE FROM N.Z.E.I. i WELLINGTON, January 31. The Board of Governors of the New’ Zealand Institute on the motion of Dr Coleridge, Professor Farr, and Hon. 0 M. Thompson, M.L.C., passed a motion expressive of admiration of the great work done by Shaokleton in the interests of science, and of sympathy with Lady Shackleton.

SITACKLETON’S CONDITION. UNITED SERVICE TELEGRAMS 'Received This Dav at 8.30 a.m.) LONDON, Jan. 31 Regarding the assertions that Sir E. Shaekleton’s life did not justfiy his undertaking the expedition, it is authoritatively stated that he was thoroughly examined by independent doctors, who pronounced him a first class life. He had a slight attack of i-n fluenza en route to Rio de Janeiro and was afterwards tested medically and found thoroughly sound. Another unfounded suggestion is that Shfickleton was worried regarding the finances of the previous expeditions, but the truth is he started the present expedition entirely free of debt, after discharging every liability of the earlier voyages. Queen Alexandra telegraphed to Lady Shackleton—“My whole heart goes to you and your children. God give you strength to bear it.”

THE QUEST EXPEDITION. The Quest, the stout littje ship in which the late explorer hoped to make his final voyage, left; England in September, last. She was of little more than two hundred tons. She was built to withstand ice pressure, and is equipped with the most modern instruments for scientific research. The ship carried captive balloon gear, seaplane platform, and powerful wireless. A complete hydrographical survey en roijte was to be undertaken, charts were to jbe made of air currents, and bird apd* apiipal marine life investigated, The staff included a number of Sir Epnest ShackJeton’s colleagues on the Nimrod and Endurance expeditions. No crew other than the scientists was j to be carried on the journey to Cape Town, where the ship was to finally fit ] out, calling en route at Salvage’s Is-

lamb and South Tirinidad. From Cape Town the Quest was to head direct south to the Sandwich Islands and South Georgia, in search for suitable whaling stations. After refitting the vessel was to explore the little known sub-Anta retic Ocean Islands, where it is expected to find traces of the supposedly extinct valuable southern fur s&al. Later the Quest was to call at Itfew Zealand, proceeding thence in search of the lost island of Tua-ueki, mentioned in missionary records and native legends. Afterwards the expedition was to go southward. seeking the mysterious Dougherty Island, tf discovered and an accessible landing place were available, the island would be made an oceanic wireless relay station, for messages between New Zealand and South America. The survey was to be continued thence via Capo' Horn homeward by the Atlantic. A ROUGH VOYAGE.

The Quest met with an exceedingly rough handling from the very outset of the voyage. The final departure from England was delayed by had weather mishaps, and then the voyage through the Bay of Biscay was a strenuous and eventful one. The Quest put into the Tagus to repair and refit, and later routined her voyage. The delays necessitated a change of plans, and the idea- of making the base at Cape Town was abandoned, it being decided to establish a base! at Rio doJaneiro instead. Engine trouble caused Sir Ernest Shackleton to dock the Quest at Rio do Janeiro, where he installed a new topmast, and increased the width of the yards, in order to drive foster ’tJiro'unT) tlie ice. The Quest was to sail for South Georgia, on December sth. and then proceed to Enderby Land, attempting, en routel to locate Bouvet Island, and prove the existence or non-existence of Thompson Island. The ship was expected to enter, the ice about the end of January, and Sir Ernest hoped to emerge about tbe middle of March and to reach Cape Town in April or May. “WRESTING SECRETS.”

Just before tbe vessel cast off, Sir Ernest Shackleton gave the following message to one pressman:—‘The Quest i» the tightest ship that ever ventured into Polar seas. She is hy far the best equipped in every way, so in one respect we are the luckiest explorers that ever went out into the lonely places. Tf we have ordinary luck, we who go in her should he able to wrest many of the! Antarctic’s grimly held secrets. There are vast tracts of land and ice and water round the South Pole that no one knows anything about, and in the two years of voyaging and research before us it is our hope to do much towards making these regions more familiar to those who follow us. It is very gratifying to us to realise what great interest is taken in Polar exploration.’' To anotner he commented: “A good ship, good comrades, good equipment, and plenty of good work to do. What more can a man want?” “MY LAST TRIP.”

To another: “My mind is so full of detail, I can’t take a long view at the moment or express properly all I feel about this expedition. When the prow cleaves the Southern Seas, I shall get back % vision. Just now I have to think about pork and tin plates. If we do all we hope to do this time, I am singing my swan song. This is to be my last trip.” He laughed and added: “That is what I .say now. This is my life, and the call of far places gets into the blood. To-day we go out a-s you see, the Quest loaded up with scientific instruments but there c omes a time even to-day until modern, scientific men whan there is nothing between you and God but a piece of speedy decision. Nothing is worth anything unless there is hardship and trouble in it. In spite of all our gadgets, we come in time to the fundamental things in the character

of man. -Those lines I have engraved below the bridge are three verses from

ie Kipling’s if.’ They are there for tho y young men, and they’ll do for the ojd ones too. There may come a time when the seas break over us, and we shall wipe the salt water out of our eyes and dread them. That’s why I put them there. I am ptoud of the Quest She i s a wonderful ship.” THE PERSONNEL. The following are the members of the expedition:: —Sir 'E. Shackjleton s (leader and c aptain): Commander Prank Wild (second in command); Commander Frank A. Worsley (hvdrographer and sailing master); Lieuten- ? ant-Commander D. G. Jeffrey (navigator) ; Major A. H. Macklin (surgeon I and stores manaker); Captain L. D. I A. Kerr (chief engineer); Major R. Carr (airman); Captain G. V. Douglas (geologist): Captain G. Wilkins (naturalist) ; Mr J. C. Bee Mason (photographer and Idneimatokrapheri; G. Smith (second engineer); J. Dell (eleci trician; Harold Watts (wireless operator), D. Ericsoai (gunner); 0. J. Green (cook); Boy Scout J. W. Marr. THE FATAL DISEASE. Angina pectoris, the disease to which Sir Ernest Shackleton succumbed, is coiwponly described as nduralgia of the heart. The words are Latin for “pain in the chest”. It is applied to a violent paroxysm of pain, arising al- ( most invariably in connection \vith disease of the coronary arteries, a lesion causing progressive degeneration of the heart. Occasionally the first seizure proves fatal, but more commonly death takes place as the result of repeated attacks. Angina pectoris is extremely rare under middle life, , and is much more common in males than in females. Sir Ernest Shackle- j ton was forty-eight years of age. (