ALONG ANTARCTIC ICE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 377, 25 April 1908, Page 4

ALONG ANTARCTIC ICE.

“ The Nimrod was in thirteen fathoms. Please go further in,” s..id Lieutenant Sbackleton. “It

..impossible,” said Captain England. After some argument the lieutenant made towards thelelegraph as if intending to signal “ Full speed ahead,” but the captain got in front of him, and said, ‘‘lam master of this ship. It is not possible to take her nearer land with safety.” Then they had some more talk and went below.” This statement made by Mr H. B. Bull, one of the crew of the Nimrod, just arrived in Melbourne on furlough, affords commentary on a cablegram published on xoth March- ‘ ‘ Interviewed at Eyttelton yesterday Captain England said, 1 You may announce my resignation as commander of the Nimrod on account of ill-health.’ Mr Bull was at the wheel at the time of the reported misunderstanding. “ Nothing was mentioned to us men about it,” he stated, ‘‘ until we got back to Eyttelton. Then one night before we made port the skipper called us aft, complimented us on the way we had worked the ship, and hoped we would enjoy ourselves during our nine months’ stay in pert. We got in on Sunday or Monday night. He called the men again, and said, ‘ I have to say good-bye. The unexpected has happened since I saw you last, and he did not say much more, for his feelings got too much ior him. I could see he was nigh cry in?. Wenmn were veo aon bled Ward! "severrn ' said they’d leave:

v, .hi the captain, and nine out of the crew of 17 have left. The boatswain, carpenter and several others told the ‘ old man ’ so at once. He advised them to wait and see how things turned out, but by now, I think all nine have resigned—one engineer, one sailmaker, two firemen, four seamen, and the carpenter.” “ Of course, if the captain takes •harge again we shall like to serve under him. He is a splendid master. He got married last week to Miss Turner, and is now on the seas taking his wife on their honeymoon trip to the Old Country, and we hope when he sees the owners of the Nimrod and the manager of the expedition in London that whatever dispute there is will be settled.” Mr Bull corroborates Lieutenant Shackleton’s account of the hardships of the voyage out. In the estimation of the men the trip from Lyttelton to Cape Royds was one ot the most trying that any man could experience. Battered by ice the Nimrod leaked. Nearly every berth in the forecastle dripped. All hands were engaged twice for over 48 hours without a break in working the ship against blizzards. Six never to be forgotten hours were devoted to setting up a new foretop gallant backstay in an icy gale. Most of the heaviest work had to be done at a temperature of 19 degrees below zero. ‘‘We missed the sendoff which the laud party had intended to give us before the Nimrod sailed, and only just in time to escape the pack ice, because a storm came on. The rum cask was smashed, and the liquor lost before we were half-way. We had not a single hot meal fr om leaving New Zealand till we got back.

“We missed a sight we had looked forward to, the motor car. The wheels would not grip, the snow was so soft. They only skidded, so instead of seeing it whiz down to the old Discovery quarters we had to haul it back, and we missed being frozen in, which several of us had been hoping for. We wished the pack would catch the ship, and so force us to stay with the explorers. All being well the Nimrod will—after being docked for overhauling—set out to fetch Lieutenant Shakeltou in time to make Otago Heads some time next March. News as to her commander may be expected as soon as Captain Engiand reaches London in May.”—Sydney Morning Herald.”