“GO I MUST.”

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1237, 25 April 1914, Page 4

“GO I MUST.”

IHE CALL OF THE ANTARCTIC. itiv Tr Ernea .Shackleton, in tho Daily ' ' Mail.) Yonder ilia lona- horizon lies . v>-,l thcra. I>y night and day. Tm. old ships d aw to port again, Ami the >oung ship* sail away ; And coin.- I may, but go I must, \ji< 1 if men a:-k mo why. V ,i ran lay tho blame on the pim and -la I ‘.ml tho w hito road ami tlx' sky. I have ol'(cn he on askocl, what can one see in the cold, inhospitable regions of (he Antarctic - ; And confronted by a bald question such as that, it is hard to give an a iishit. The mere fact that one cannot answer in a torso sentence, and that one feels u hat. Kouts calls “file dearth of human worth, (hr roughness of mortal .speech.” .shows 1 har, there must be an intangible something (hat. draws one back (o (he wild wastes of the Antarctic. And.it is (here, if those of ns dial know it could only set it down in so many words. Ever since we were hint there we haw 1 thought ami dreamed of the wide stretches of snow and ice. die silence of those places where men never trod before, the wonder of the unknown as it rolled into our ken. Those are tho memories that remain, and not the hitter cold, tho hard work, the rough and often scanty food, and the constant effort to do just a little more limn one should expect. Tho fascination of exploration begins from the moment, that one first starts organising. ami (he little details have a charm all of their own. Put every one longs for die moment to come when die last outpost of civilisation has been loft behind and all the land in front lies new. A DASH ACROSS A CONTINENT. The expedition of which I have dreamed ever since 1 returned from tho Antarctic has now taken definite shape, and next August, should see us on the way to eross fhe vast Mouth Polar continent. Months of preparation will he required to try out the aeroplane sledges, to selof t. the best dogs, and to train the teams together so that, they may know their masters. Month* also will be required for the selection ami preparation of food, that most vital question of all. Every little detail, die shape of the. si edge-tents the packing of supplier, even tho construction of our clothes, though we do not aim at being fashionable —has its fascination for us. and there are happy, busy mouths ahead before we sail from these shores. Rut perhaps these details are not of interest to the general public. It is the main idea of the expedition, the dash across the Antarctic continent from the Weddell Sea to (he Ross Sea, that will from all I have heard, chiefly catch the public imaghuit ion. and it is Unit feature that make,* the greatest appeal to its. f know (liar (he journey will be arduousand long, and therein lies a great part of its charm. To bo one of the few marching day after day in a. dense grey fog, to see suddenly revealed, for the first time to the eve of mortal man. the snowy summits of unknown mountain ranges whose, stern peaks dare the sky; to feel as each day goes past that one is making the first journey across a great- unexplored continent—that is a reward we hope to win and enjoy Ion tr before wo come home again. THE W0R1,1) tS NARROWING DOWN. The work! is narrowing down, and there are few places left where the pioneer may trace out new paths, open up new skies, write fresh chapters on the records of science. and widen the bounds of human knowledge. Though we explorers may not claim to be scientists in the (strictest sense of the term, we may gain experience* of value to scientists in the laboratory and the quiet loom of research. Rut all this work cannot bo done unless we have the sinew.s of war. I am fortunate that already for tin's expedition I have snlli'ieiif money to enable me to make a start. Rut to complete the full programme 1 have laid down, to add to the staff of scientific men' and sledge travellers, and bring the equipment up to a standard that will make tho. hit return in results will require more funds. I feel that this expedition. Imperial in the most far-reaching sense, will have support from ihose men who can afford if, from the ollieial sources in the self-govern-ing Dominions, and from our dependencies. SO that the first crossing of the Antarctic continent will become a matter of vital inf,‘rest not. only to those in our island hone, but to all who live under the Cnion Jack. THE GREATEST DAY OF .MAN'S LIFE. In rot urn for th.ic sympathy and support 1 think 1 may promise that (lie. expedition will he worthy of the Empire, so Jar as equipment, experience, and personnel are concerned, ami 1 write this because I alii thinking of the many good companion -if lonuer joys and hardships who will be with me again. There is your answer d you ask whether •.he icy wastes of the Antarctic have any fascinai ion, for already J am besieged w ith of ' -d -service from men who knew how little ol a pleasure trip the journey will be. ft is too early (o give mimes vet -- though f am glad to say that Frank Wild ami George Marslon, those staunch and capable old chums, will be with me again-. for those who will form the “sea to sea” party—already they are all dreaming of it, ami begging to he of the little hand—it is enough to say this; it will be the greatest day of their lives when, like the Greeks of old. having crossed (he continent, they cry, “The sea! the seal”