QUEST’S VOYAGE

Hokitika Guardian, 8 May 1922, Page 3

QUEST’S VOYAGE

WILD’S VIVID STORY. OF ANTARCTIC EXPLORATION. ] " THE TIMES ” SERVICE.

Received This Day at 9.40 a.m.) LONDON, May 5. The Quest returned to South Georgia on 4tli April and sails for Capetown in June. Wild cables a vivid story of the expeditious thrilling escapes from pack ice and hurricanes. They left Leith harbour oit 15th January aiid made a geological examination of Cooper Bay, Larsen harbour in South Georgia, leaving that island finally on 18th January. They found the charted position of Clarke Rocks inaccurate. They sounded and surveyed Zavosdoski Island and proceeding eastward entered a sea filled with innumerable icebergs, making in the thick weather which prevailed, night navigation difficult. The ship reached a position where Pagoda Rock is shown on the charts and found the rock non-existent. They sounded to a depth of 2,950 fathoms. They encountered and entered heavy pack ice on sth February and worked the ship with increasing difficulty through the pack until thoy reached the farthest south position on 12th February, when they were stopped by an impenetrable pack of rapidly forming new ice. We were compelled to heat a rapid retreat to avoid being crushed and frozen for the winter, our ship not enabling us to take the latter risk. Soundings at this point showed a rapid shoaling to a strong ice hank to the south, indicating the proximity of land. Our esca|»o was effected with the utmost difficulty after hard persistent efforts. We made a second attempt to push south in February and reached latitude (50 degrees 48 minutes south, and longitude no degrees one minute west. Impenetrable ice again stopped us. We then shaped a course for the appearance of but there was no sign of land. After seven days during which we were locked in ice. a heavy northerly swell caused the pack to open and hv using a full pressure of steam and warping the ship with hawsers attached to ice anchors placed oil the floes, we forced the Quest to a narrow channel opening in the ice and escaped. We reached F.loplinnt Island and effected landings, killed sea elephants for fuel, made soundings and carried out geological examinations. An attempt to revisit Cape Wild where Sbnckletnn’s party were marooned during the last expedition was.defeated by a violent hurricane driving northward. She narrowly escaped lieing swept on Seal Rocks'. Owing to the exhaustion of the coal supplies we were compelled to sail for South Georgia, which we experience! difficult*’ in reaching, owing to thick

weather. The total distance covered was 6,000 miles, of which 2,800 was through ice. Repairs and refitting of the ship are now being carried out in South Georgia.