RETURN OF THE NIMROD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 55, 30 March 1909, Page 4

RETURN OF THE NIMROD

IN SIGHT OF THE POLE.

"COULD HAVE KKACHED IT." SHOIiTXESS OF FOOD. Chrisleliurch, Monday. Mr Wild, one of the southern party that gol within 100 miles of the pole, gave a reporter some impressions of the journey. "The principal drawback to the whole of the trip," he said, " was the extreme shortness uf food. We were out 120 days on 91 days' rations. That was as much as we could carry. We were thin as rakes. Ves, we could have got to the pole, but we couldn't have got back. We were running so many risks at the time.

" One of the features of the equipment." added Mr Wild, "was the inclusion of the cinematograph. It recoriieil the unloading of stores from the Xinirod ill a, blizzard, the arrival at Lyttellon Harbour, the starling of sledge' parties and actions of seals, leopards, and, most interesting of all, penguins the quaintest of birds. Mr Marshall,'in charge of the cinematograph, states that tlie re suits are highly satisfactory. He used over 4000 ft of lilms, and about 200 ft have been given up to the penguins alone. Over 1000 ft have been developed, and show by the pictures obtained that the apparatus was a good one. From a scientific point of view it will be the means of adding very largely to the world's knowledge of the habits of the Antarctic animals."

Mr Wild put in a good wont lor the Manclmrian ponies, describing them as wonderful animals. In the dash south some were shot owing to a shortage of fuod ami two fell down chasms. One was also destroyed because of its poor condition.

.. I ALONG THE SEA ICE. " UXHKAIiAISkY HOT WORK." ClirUicJntrch. Monday. Supplementing Professor David's magnetic polv .story, Mr. Mawson gives n graphic description of the long tvi-k inland. Tlic hauling was all done I>v the t »!«■<■>■ men. mi ilo«s lu-iii<r used. There was no supporting parly', so tin- undertaking was speeially daring and hazardous. For the lirst few weeks comparatively low temperatures were recorded, the thciuonieter reading SOdeg to -lOdcg. below zero. As summer advanced. .Mr ilawson added, it Ijeeame much warmer, and was soon unbearably hot. '■ It will seem strange, doubtless,''' he continued, to persons whose general idea of the Anl--1 arctic is intense cold, when J tell ynu we had to strip oil' our outer garments and were often pulling the sledges elad only in a singlet. The first' portion of the journey was made with comparative ease, as about 230 miles of travelling lay along the sea ice. " We journeyed along the coast until we discovered a suitable spot from which we struck inland to ascend the plateau. Both the Discovery and liorcligrevink's expedition had the idea that it was possible Id travel along the sea ice with a dog team at a very rapid pace, but wc soon found the work very dillerent from descriptions given previously, and also fciuv that the provisions would not last, and they were accordingly cut down to ,1 very small allowance, which hail to be cooked ou an extemporised blubber cooker. Seals and penguins were killed (is we went along, aim cooked on a slow blubber lamp. We soon managed to get used to blubber, and swallowed seal oil, linally coming to drink it with heaitv relish."

-Mr .\lauson said the Discovery partv had stated that such fare was so iinpaiiitable and nauseating that the slightest iiinoiinl caused \omiling. The explorers, however, took (~ the diet easilv, and found it really good. Only by establishing and stocking food depots was the party aid,, to complete its hazardous journey and return in safety.

LOOKING INTO THE* FUTURE. JiETTEI! EQUIPMENT .NEEDED. Christchui'ch, Friday. Lieutenant Shucklcton has not yet decided whether he will make further Antarctic explorations, but the probabilities are that the next expedition in Hie direction of the Mouth t'ole will be led by him. for a -final dash to the I'olc, however, more elaborate arrangements will be made. The supporting parties will be bigger, and the depots more numerous, and the appliances more complete.

Lieutenant Shack'eton is juiturullj much disappointed at failing to reach the lNilc when only 117 miles off, but the plight of the small party was so desperate that it was a matter of cither death or return.

Those who know Lieutenant Shackleton say that had he been alone he would have pushed on at all hazards. The commander informed a reporter today that the matter of reaching the I'olc was by no uis an impossibility. but better equipment was reipiiicd than that what he had been provided with. From what he saw of the surrounding country, tin- situation of the I'ole would be somewhere on the High plateau discovered by his expedition. This s phttcnu is very irregular, and makes very hard travelling, and further from its altitude is swept by severe blizzards, which are one of the worst things to be encountered.

It was whispered on board the Ninirod yesterday that Dr. Ji.ipkhv might possibly lead another expedition to the Antarctic, not with tin. object of reaching the I'ole, however, lm'i to cover a \a-l amount of exploration work. It is stated tinit the expedition will be carried out on lines which differ materally from those usually laid down in undertakings of this kind, in so far as the whole of the work will he done close to the coast, in order that dog-sledges moving very vapidly and carrving members of the party may be used with the utmost ell'ecl. Uv skirting the i-oasts. ample food supplies for dogs could he secured in the form of seals and penguins, this fare also furnishing foundations for the larde,- of the men. This would enable the party to trine] very lignr,, and also eu-iire a large a mil of ground being covered each day.

It is pointed out that coasts extending' from (iraliam's Land east to King Edward's Land are quite unexplored, and comprise an area of 18(1(1 miles, which could be ell'eclmillv traversed Indie means stated. The men. being carried on -ledges, would have to do no inarching, and, of course, would be in much better condition hi carry out the main object, of the expedition, viz.. seientilic olisenations and researches.

DAILY MAIL'S MF.SSAGE, HOW IT WAS SENT. Dunedin, Monday. 'Fhe I don Daily .Mail's great "scoop" the u'ry lirst information concerning the result of Lieutenant Shacldeton'.s Antarctic expedition—imposed on New Zealand Telegraph Depart incut, a tnskol considerable magnitude. Tile long message sent by Lieutenant, Shacklcton to the London daily is understood to have comprised many thousands of words,and it was handed in at the small receiving "H'icc at llalf-iu Hay, Mcwart Island. ' |-|l e '•-■■'"'• was not unexpected, howcmt. Mr .lames Mulvev, telegraph operator, from Invcrcargill. had been for sonic days stationed at llall-inooa liny ill anticipation of the Ninirod's arrival, and as soon as he received the manuscript from the hands of Lieutenant Shacklcton on Tuesday morning he telegraphed it to the principal olliccs on the mainland. There it was divided into sections, and the direct cables between New Zealand and Europe being utilised the whole story of the epoch-making expedition was in London in a few hours' lime.

I.clljftliv press messages uoini- fret(|ii('iitlv (u New Zealand frinii London, hit it is seldom indeed that so Ion;; mid so iiii|iurliiiil a inessa'»v as l.ienleniiiil Sliackleloii's hois tu Loudon friiui New Zealand.