"GIVEN UP FOR LOST."

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 53, 27 March 1909, Page 5

"GIVEN UP FOR LOST."

EXPLORING EXPEDITIONS OVERDUE.

"A TERRIBLE SHOCK." Christchurcli, Friday. One of the members of the expedition liad a most interesting tale to unfold regarding some of the lion-scientific aspects of the great enterprise.

"We had to leave a lot of stores behind u«," he said, "as we had great difficulty in getting off those that we were enabled to ship. We lost one of the boats in a gale, and several members of the party nearly lost the number of their mess. This boat and another were engaged in transferring stores irom the iee, when a blizzard came on with great ferocity. One of the boat* succeeded in getting back to the ship in safety -with the crew badly exhausted. The other boat, however, did not fare so well. An oar was broken and the boat was forced back to the foot of the icc. Those on board had to be hauled up by the ropes,all more or less frost-bitten, and the boat itself sank out of sight. The ship had to put out to sea for two days, and wa<* unable to take the me:i off the ice owing to the severe weather conditions prevailing. On the second <lav, however, they were all got off safely*

Tile magnetic party, which discovered the magnetic pole, viz., Professor David, Dr. Jlaekay and -Mr. Mawson. were given up as hopelessly lost liy the ship, as ithey were long overdue. The ship nearched 300 miles:jot coastline, ana eventually picked up the party in a little iulet of Drygalski Harrier. They liad had a very rough time. They only arrived there the night before, ami were staying in the hope of being picked up. It was the biggest piece of luck in the world that we managed to lind them. Tliey were due back in January, and it •was" then February 4; After landing them at tile hut, the ship proceeded fo the Great lee Barrier, to search for Liqtit. Sliackleton's southern party, ipartv, which should have been back by February 15. The Simrod got a severe gruelling in going round, and many days were occupied in the journey. She was kept dodging about between the Discovery hut ai(d the Base hut, waiting far them to turn up. All hope of seeing ithem again was abandoned. As it turned out they were not picked up util Qlareh 1. They were picked up at Hut IPoint and were found through their lieliographing to the ship. Only Lieut. Shackleton and Mr. Wild could be seen, they having come in after a forced march to get relief for Dr. Marshall, i twlio was suffering from dysentery, and Lieut. Adams, who was (staying with Jiiin, they being camped 28 miles away. Naturally those on board received a terrible shock, thinking that the other ,two member** had been lost. However, the matter was quickly 'explained, and Lieut. Shackleton, alter getting a little pto eftt. set off again with u relief party two hours later, and picked them up. All returned safely to the ship at midnight on March 3. They were all terribly thin, but as soon as they came on hoard they were given decent food, and you can almost see tlieni putting on flesh* again. Everybody was tremendously proud of Lieut. Sliackleton's great achievement of beating Captain Scott's furthest south record by HIMi miles." The speaker stated that the ship had jirovcd perfect for the purpose of the expedition, and had stood the ie e pressure wonderfully well.