NIMROD'S FUTURE WORK.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 82, 3 May 1909, Page 4

NIMROD'S FUTURE WORK.

SIIACKLETOX'S SCHEME. SUVA NTAIiCT 1C EXPLORATfOX. SEARCH i'OR DOI'BTFCL ISLANDS. (Sydney .Morning Herald.) "I hope to complete the work accomplished by the expedition to the Antarctic by making a complete search in sub-Antarctic regions for several islands the existence of which is doubtful. Successful or not, it will be an interesting piece of work, anyhow, for no one has ever landed 011 the Emerald, Xiinrod, or Dougherty Islands."

Lieutenant Sliackleton in these words summarised the objects he has in view when asked to unfold his scheme for the future employment of the Ximrod, now in port at Sydney. The work will be entrusted to Captain J. K. Davis, formerly chief officer and now commander of the Nimrod, and he will receive full instructions from his chief. Lieutenant Shackleton will not make the voyage by the Ximrod, but after lecturing in Melbourne and Adelaide will proceed to London by the R.M.S. India. "My proposal," Lieutenant Shackleton, continuing, said, "is that when the Nimrod leaves Sydney she shall go down to Macquarie Island to collect specimens, and from there she will proceed to Emerald Island, the existence of which was reported many years ago—in or about 1820, I think. We propose to find out whether it really exists at all, and what kind of a place it is. The Ximrod will next go to the Nimrod group of islands to aseertaiTi whethel there is any proof of their existence. "Then th e Ximrod will make another search to prove or disprove the existence of Dougherty Island. The Discovery in making her voyage home after the iast expedition to the Antarctic sailed over the position given in the charts as that of Dougherty Island, but saw no signs of land. Oi course, sometimes islands reported many years ago as having been sighted, and which subsequent expeditions failed to locate, do really exist. The latitude and longitude given by mariners of the early days were not always correct, and as a result many islands when searched for again were" not found. In some cases it was accepted as a fact that such islands did not exist, until after a great lapse of time they were rediscovered. As an instance I may mention Bouvct Island, which was searched for by two or thre° expeditions without success, and yet one hundred years later—in 1892, to be precise—Bouvet Island was located. "A ship must he in good condition, with plenty of time to spare and favored with good weather conditions, to enable an exhaustive search to be made, and these conditions will, I think, be experienced by the Nimrod. The ship will be dry-docked and repaired at Sydney, and will leave in good trim. There will be no necessity to make a direct run home, and at the period of the year that she will he carrying out her work she should eneouuter very favorable weather conditions. We therefore hope for success. 'Dougherty and the other islands, if. they are found to may reveal the presence of large numbers of fur seals. These seals, which are very valuable for trading purposes, have been practically exterminated on this side, but on the South Shetlandg they still got a number of pelts. "It is thought by some that what the discoverers of thes e supposed islands really saw were icebergs; but even should the Nimrod fail to find any trace of land th e expedition should result "in much use'iut knowledge being gained. The Nimrod, in addition, will take soundings, and will also call at other places to make collections of zoological, biological, and other specimens. There may be some of the rail family of birds on Macquarie Island, and a good deal of information ought to be gathered. The collection which we mad,, in the Antarctic will be lauded in Sydney in a couple of days and distributed to the Australian museums. The shells have already been landed, and are now being examined by Professor Hedley." DOUGHERTY ISLAND.

Dougherty Island is one of the most isolated spots in the ocean, being in the most open space of the great world of waters. It was supposed to have been seen by a whale ship—the James Stewart, commanded by Captain Dougherty —on 29th May, 1841. It appeared to be an island five or six miles in length, running north-east and south-west, with a high bluff on the north-eastern end, and with low land to the south-west. Between the north-east and south-west ends there appeared a valley covered with ice and enow. The discoverer passed it within a quarter of a mile, going at least 10 knots. The position was only gained approximately— at 59.20 S. long., 120.20 W. Its character and the circumstances of its not having been again encountered led to the inierence that it was an iceberg; but it was again seen, and therefore its existence raav be said to be confirmed.

On a voyage from Melbourne to St. John, Xeiw Brunswick; on 3rd September, 1850. Captain Keatvs, of the Louise of Bristol, passed two icebergs, and on the 4th discovered a round island about 80ft high of "a dark color/' with a large iceberg aground on the north-west side of it. "From the appearance," Captain Keatcs wrote, " it was thought that the ice had driven on or foul of it, as the prevailing winds were from th e northwest. The south-west end of the ice was low, the north-east very high, and lying broadside on to the wind. I mention these circumstances more particularly as I saw several icebergs, and every one ot them with the low part to the wind's eye and the high end to leeward, which I think will confirm the opinion that the above-named must b e land." Captain Keates' good observations place it to the eastward of Captain Dougherty's approximate position, and- in lat. 50.21 S., long. 119.7 W. THE XIMROD GROUP OF ISLANDS.

The group of islands shown on the chart as the Ximrod Islands was stated to have been seen by Captain Henry Eilbocli hi the ship Ximrod in 1828 oh her passage from Port Jackson to Rio de Janiero round Cape Horn. They "were placed by him in lat. 50'/, S., 10ng.'158.30 W., and appear to have been seen at a considerable distance. Xuincrous birds and amphibious animals, with a great quantity of marine vegetable found in tile vicinity, indicated their real existence.

(, A search for the group -was made by Captain Biseoc in 1851, but without success. This may have been due to the variation of th ( > positions given. The latter stated them to be in lat. 50.3, long. 137.50. which, should the fustnamed be correct, would not certainty disprove their existence. The water here, however. looked discolored, as though on a bank, but no soundings could be obtained. On -ttli Januarv, 183-2, in lat. 58.20 S., long. 150.48 \V., many birds were seen, and much seaweed was floating about." THE SUPPOSED EMERALD ISLAND.

Captain C. J. Xoekells, to whom the nautical world is indebted for several useful observations in the Atlantic, announced the existence of Emerald Island in lat. 57.15 S., long. 103 E. The following extract from a communication addressed bv him to Mr. Purdv is inter- | esting: "At II a.m. on 13th December. 1821, in the ship Emerald, lat. 57.30 S., long, by chronometer 102.12 E., we saw the resemblance of an island bearing E. by X., about twenty-five miles di£ tant. It appeared vcrv high, with peakc.l mountains. Direction X.E. and S.W.. about thirty miles." This supposed sile of Emerald Tste—lat 57.15 S., long. 102.30 E.—was passed by the United States Exploring Expedition on»Bth January. 1841. without seeing any indication of land. It was therefore inferred not to exist in I In locality laid down. MAC'QUARIE ISLAXD. Macquarie Island was discovered in the early part of the la=t century by a colonial vessel, and received the name of the Governor of Xew South Wales. It "was stated that the discoverers left, a party on it. and the persons P mploved in shooting killed not fewer than HO.'flOO seals. It was visited in April, 1811, by Mr. T. <!arbutt. in the brig Concord, again in February. 1812, and by Captain Bellingshausen. of the Russian navy, to 1822. Both the English and Russian j descriptions agree in giving it o breadth j of five or six miles. The United Slates Exploring Expedition, under Captain I

Wilkes, located the southern end of the island as 34.44 S., and long. 150.40 E. Th e island is high and much broken, and is apparently covered with verdure, although a long-tufted, rank grass was the only plant seen by those who landed. The highest peak 011 th 0 island is from 1200 ft to 1500 ft high, and as tile observations of the United States Exploring Expedition extended it had neither tree nor shrub 011 it. It alVurds 110 inducement lor a visit, and apparently 110 suitable place for landing with a boat. A party landed with great difficulty through the tremendous surf iu an indentation 011 the west side, and found it tenanted with myriads of sea-birds, penguius, and albatrosses.