THE SOUTH POLE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 453, 3 April 1912, Page 5

THE SOUTH POLE.

SCOTT NOT YET RETURNED. Captain Scott did not return with the Terra Nova on Monday, the leader of the expedition having been unable to get back from his dash for the Pole before the closing in of the seaway forced the vessel northwards. That the leader of the expedition reached the Pole there is little room for doubt, but he reached his object probably a month after Captain Amundsen, and to the Norse explorer belongs the credit of having first set foot on the meeting point of the meridians. When the last that will be heard of Captain Scott for a year was dispatched the explorer was only 150 miles from his goal; he had ample food supplies, all his party were in the best of health and the pink of condition, and circumstances generally were bo favourable that five men, instead of the four previously agreed upon, were included in the final dash. It waß on January 3rd that the reluctant three chosen to return from that point set out on their return, and as the party had been maintaining an average speed of over 15 miles a day, January 13th, if not earlier, should have seen the fulfilment of the Pole-seekers' desire. They would thus be nearly a month after Amundsen, who had, according to his story of the trip, a much better run than hM rival. Scott's Btory is one of heroic endeavour in the face of extreme hardships and extreme difficulties. His ponies did excellent work on the dash for the Pole, but it was with the aim of conserving them that Scott put off his departure for the Pole until November Ist. Leaving for the North the Terra Nova with difficulty steamed through new ice at the entrance to the Sound having at times to back and charge full spued to make any impression. It now seems impossible to return to McMurdo Sound this season. The ship was thus prevented from obtaining the latest news of Captain Scott. The ship was compelled to leave without picking up the northern party, as the winter conditions are* setting in, and the ship was in danger of being frozen in. The party would proceed south to Winter quarters.

Captain £vans was fully provisioned and equipped with a view of this possibility arising. Several depots are on the route and Beats and penguins abound. As the northern party was not picked up only an incomplete report of their previous movements is available. They landed at Cape Adare on February 18th, 1911, completed the hut on March 3rd. Blizzards and hurricanes were experienced, the recording instrument breaking with the wind at a velocity of 84 miles an hour. During the winter these gales were not uncommon. The party left on September Bth on a very bad surface. From then till November the time was occupied with collecting geological specimens, photographing, surveying land. Well preserved fossils, probably crustacean specimens, and bituminous coal were found in the western highlands. The Aurora Australis was observed all through the winter, but few brilliant displays occurred. Natural history research was greatly assisted by the cinematograph. Animated records were obtained of bird and animal life, every phase of seal, penguin and Bkua life being thus illuminated. Some remarkable films have been secured of the killer whale, the wolf of the seas, in his native element.