Second Edition. MAWSON'S EXPEDITION.
RECEPTION TO THE PARTY. THE BIOLOCY OF ANTARCTICA. OF GREAT SCIENTIFIC INTEREST. [By Electric Telegraph—Copyright] XTJnitkd Pbbbs Association.] (Received 10.10 a.m.) Adelaide, Febuary 27. The University Council decided to tender a reception to Mawson's party. The Prime Minister and State Premiers have been invited. The mayor is convenor of a public meeting of citizens to tender a reception. Dr. Mawson, interviewed, said he was delighted to give any information he could without interfering with other arrangements made. After the ship was relieved at the two bases, the Aurora made an extended cruise in the west, attempting to discover new land, taking soundings for'deep sea dredging. He was sur# this collection of biological material was the best obtained from the Antarctic. The operations extended for miles down, and nearly everything got was new to science. When the British Association meets in August he will give a preliminary outline of the achievements. In addition to the large number of animals, he secured hundreds of birds' skins, which would be distributed throughout the Australian museums gratis. He had very trying times in Adelieland, which was The Worst Climate in the World. Yet even the terrific storms were a scientific study. Not one man who returned after the long scaisational sojourn there wouldn't commit suicide rather than stop another year. Dr. Mawson was Reticent when questioned as "to his own heroism after the death of Nineis and Mertz, saying simply: "I was thirty days absolutely alone and had a most marvellous escape, being reduced to the last stages of starvation. Tramping along; in the deep snow I noticed something; black, lb was a bit of food dropped by the search party sent to ascertain my whereabouts. It was then twenty miles from the hut in a place no previous expedition had ever been. The great point in this undertaking is that they were for the most part travelling in new country. With the exception of the death of Nineis and Mertz, the expedition was yery fortunate. Those Two Died Like Heroes. Nobody ever lived a braver life than j either. Taking into account the number of men in the field and the length of time given to the expedition, with the exception of Shackleton's and Amundsen'sj'they suffered fewer losses. The health of the party was remarkably gppd. owing to having taken great care in the provisioning. There was very nearly loss of lifo at the start.
Of the parties sent out, one le<l by Madigan prpved most successful, yet their tent carried away, and the men h#d a long march, Madigan was badly frost-bittea, his toes and finger nails floating off.
WONDERFUL WIND VELOCITY. THE VALUE OF WIRELESS. COUNTRY'S MINERAL RESOURCES (Received 10.50 a.m.) Continuing his account, Dr. Mawson said: "Very little sledging was undertaken this year, as it was late in the summer after the ship left, and I was in poor condition. There was always the possibility that the Aurora might return. The wind had a velocity of sixty-three miles per hour for every hour for a whole month, and on one occasion it recorded 116 miles per hour. In a puff the velocity reaches 200 to 300 miles per hour. Hurricanes very much hampered the working of the wireless, but the experiences demonstrated that no expedition should dream of going without such an equipment. On one occasion the Macqnarie Islands station was heard off Capo Horn.^
Regarding mineral wealth, Dr. Mawson explained that it was only i scattered patches of rock exposed: throughout the 1500 miles of country traversed, and of such small area and J so exposed that it was hopeless to j seek for a payable deposit, hut what he did rind shows great variety. Hej secured good specimens, which seems J to indicate that the land was even richer than the ordinary country. Copper was the most abundant ore found. He discovered a visible outcrop of coal, apd in fact, dredged it in many places | on the coast, which would indicate that there was a large formation running through the land. He said he had no,inclination to return at the] present moment, as there was plenty of scientific work to occupy any mind, but he must go to England very soon. LIST OF THE RETURNED PARTY. ALL IN EXCELLENT HEALTH. (Received 12.20 p.m.) Adelaide, February 27. Members of the expedition who returned were: —Ainsworth, Blake, and Sandall from the Macquarie Base; Bage, Madigan, Bickerton, McLean, Hodg'man, Jeffries from Adelieland; al*o aroonffst those on board were Hnrlev, Hunter and Correll, who returned last year with Wild's party. MftWßOn and the men are all in excellent health. The difficulty has been to keep themselves from getting too stout.
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Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 49, 27 February 1914, Page 6
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782Second Edition. MAWSON'S EXPEDITION. Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 49, 27 February 1914, Page 6
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