THE ANTARCTIC EXPLORERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 25 August 1909, Page 16

THE ANTARCTIC EXPLORERS.

MR SHACKLETON AS A SAVAGE. A POLAR MENU. (F_to_t Ou* Own Cokbespondekt.) LONDON, July 2. The Savage Club entertained Lieutenant Shackleton and his fellow explorers at its house dinner on Saturday evening. The famous explorer was made an honorary life member of the club, and the evening was c memorable one in many respects. The centre of the table was decorated with a picture representing the Nimrod among the ice-floes. The border consisted of penguins smoking cigars, a Union Jack planted on a snowfield, with figures of Lieutenant Shackleton and Captain Scott. The menu comprised: — Soup, spinach (seaweed). Fish — Scott-cb salmon and cucumber; sauce, tar tare to South Pole. Removes — hindquarter of (sledgte dog) lamb, mint sauce, roast (penguin) duckling, and green peas. Vegetables — (moss lichen), cabbage, and new potatoes. Sweets — fruit jell (y fish) ies (Antarctic), coffee, cream 90deg below. Savoiry— (seals' eggs), (s)kipper. on toast. | PRIMITIVE AND SAVAGE HABITS. I Captain Scott, in proposing the health of the guests, said he thought that the connection between explorers and the Savage Club was that the exploiers had primitive and savage habits. " I remember," he said, *' submitting a3 a claim the fact that I had been for 93 days without a bath. That record has been handsomely broken by Lieutenant Shackleton, who has been 122 days without a bath."— (Laughter.) The lieutienant had paid a tribute to his rearing in the Discovery. " Well, all I can say is, ' commented Captain Scott.. " if I had a hand in rocking his Antarctic cradle I am very proud of it, and I think you will allow he is a healthy product of that cradle " Referring individually to the members of the crew, the speaker introduced Mr Wild by his nickname of "John O'Stumps." MiMacintosh, he said, had perhaps a harder fate than any of the men of the expedition, because he had lost an eye out there, and they all sympathised with him. With regard to Sir Philip Brocklehurst, he was I minus a toe, and to have left it at the ' Antarctic was a great honour. — (Laughter.) At this point lieutenant Shackleton whispered to the speaker, and, amid roars of laughter, Captain Scott said, " I hear he has brought the toe back in a bottle." In .conclusion, Captain Scott urged that, for ■* the honour of the country, the South Pole must be discovered by Great Britain. f Personally. I am prepared to go forth in search of that object, and I thank Mr Shackleton for so nobly showing the way." —(Cheers.) " THE GREAT WHITE SILENCE. In replying, Lieutenant Shackleton said he could " not forget that the pioneer of ! Antarctic travel was sitting in the chair. "I was 93 days with him over that snow plain, and I thought I would never be as hungry again in my life. But I found I

'was just as hungry, if not more so, this ;time, and I har\e for a Savage by eating horse meat raw — when we hadn't oil enough to cook it. — (Laughter.) We became primitive savages during our journey. We certainly kept a little bit of that idea of giving way to one another in the matter of food, but in the hearts of each one of us wo looked enviously at the pocketed bit of biscuit put away by other men." He agreed with Captain Scott that there was j more work to be done down south, and never until the British Sag flew on the South Pole would the work be accomplished as regarded that sentimental portion which swayed humanity so much and was the saving grace of this commercial age. — (Applause.) He knew that the " Savages " there that nitrht would have the same sympathy with the sentimental as well as the other side of the work. There was always that call to go back, always the time when one was sick of the make-belief and show. There was a time when they all had known the great white silence. And the distinguished explorer, lapsing into poetry, continued : Have you known the great White Silence, not a snow-gemmed twig aquiver, Eternal truths that shame our soothing lies? Have you broken trail on snowehoes, mushed your huskies up the river? IDsired the unknown, clutched the prize? Have you mapped the world's void spaces, mingled with the mongrel races, Felt the savage strength of brute in every thew ? And though grim as hell the worst is, cani you round it off with curses? — Then hearken to the Wild, it's calling you! "It is calling every rran who is standing and sitting here to-night," Lieutenant Shackleton went on. It might be late when the expedition went, but hs knew ' that . when it did go— end might it be soon — it would carry with it the good wishes of the '"Savages — ' with i which I thank you," added Lieutenant Shackleton as he sat down, amid long and , prolonged cheering t Lieutenant Shackleton has been invited .by the Prince of Wales to become a Younger Brother of Trinity House. This , is tho second time in the history of the cor- ' poration that such a distinction has been ! conferred. I — _-_^ _____