The Antarctic Relief Ship Back.

Manawatu Herald, 28 March 1903, Page 2

The Antarctic Relief Ship Back.

The Antarctic vessel Morning, which left Lyttelton on the 6th December last to bear relief to the Discovery, arrived at Lyttelton on the morning of March 25th. The leading facts of intelligence brought by the relief ship, show that the Morning had sighted the Discovery frozen in about 77.40 south At first eight miles of ice separated the vessels, but three miles of that broke away, so that the relief ship got within fire miles of the vessel she had to assist The stores had been transferred from one to the other by sledges, but it was not possible to get all the coal to the Discovery. One man belonging to the Discovery, named Vince, had been drowned, but all the other were well. Captain Scett, in an official report of the Discovery’s voyage and operations, states that the vessel entered the pack on January 3rd in latitude 67 south On reaching the southern edge the Discovery proceeded along the barrier and the coast-line to latitude 76 south, longitude 152 J west. Owing to the heavy pack and the rapid formation of young ice, the expedition turned on February Ist to seek Winter quarters in Victoria Land. On February 3rd the Discovery entered an inlet in the barrier in longitude 174 west A balloon was raised and a’ small sledge party sent to examine the surface of the barrier.

Gape Bird Was rounded on February Bth. The mountains Erebus and Terror are on an island, and the expedition found apparently excellent winter quarters near its southern extremity, at Cape Armitage, in latitude 74.48 south, longitude 163.53 west.

The expedition next observed the coast of victoria Land extending to a conspicuous cape south of the ship in latitude 78 40 south, the barrier pressing up against this. Living and magnetic huts were erected, and the expedition prepared for wintering. The weather was very boisterous but reconnaissance sledge parties were sent out. It was during one these that J. Yince lost his life, on March 11th by falling over a high ice cliff into the sea during a snow storm The remainder of the party narrowly escaped a similar fate. The ship was finally frozen in on March 24th, the temperature falling rapidly. The expedition passed a comfortable winter, the ship being well sheltered. The lowest recorded temperature was minus 62 deg. Sledging was commenced on September 2nd. During this and the following month reconnaissance and depot parties were out to the west-south-west and south. On November 3rd Dr Wilson, Lieutenant Shakelton and Captain Scott, with dogs, left for the south, and reached land in latitude 80.30, south longitude 163 west. The party turned on January Ist, and traced land to the continuation of Victoria Land, arriving at the ship on February 3rd. Ranges of high mountains continue in approximately the 160th meridian, the foothills much resembling those under the Admiralty Range, The barrier is presumably afloat. It continues horizontal, and is slowly fed by land. Ice mountains ten and twelve thousand feet high were seen in latitude 83 south, the coastline continuing to at least 03 20 deg. nearly due south of Gape Armitage Skelton and party ascended a glacier on the mainland in face of many difficulties They found a new range of mountains, and gained inland ice. At a height of 9000 feet they reached a level, or slightly descending plain, with an unbroken horizon to the westward. “ This season is much later,” says Captain Scott, “ but I hope that the ship will eventually be freed. In the meanwhile, I think it advisable that the Morning should return. If unable to follow we are all prepared for another winter. I submit .that permission be asked to name the new land to eastward of the barrier after his Majesty the King.” Captain Colbeck, of the Morning, thinks that the chances of the Discovery being freed this season are very doubtful.