THE TERRA NOVA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 145, 15 December 1911, Page 8

THE TERRA NOVA.

THE ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, (Last Night. The Tenra Nova, with seven Indiaa mules, 13 Siberian dogs, and a full supply of provisions, leaves early to-monow on her return., to the Antarctic. She is expected: to return in April. If Captain Scott is unsuccessful in reaching the Pole this year, he will remain, another season, and the mules and dogs are being sent with the possibility of & second dash in view. LAST DAY IN PORT. A. BUSY TIME. Chris tchuiroh, Last Night. Tha last day in port foir the British Antarctic expedition ship Teirra Nova was a busy one for all on board. The store lists were all carefully checked off to ensure that nothing had been omitted. Oases of stores and gear were coming to hand all the morning and were stowed away in convenient places, and the perishable foodstuffs, including fresh meat, eggs and fruit, were taken on I board! and placed in the ice house. Shortly before noon the steamer Purau went alongside the Terra Nqto with the mules and dogs, and then harness and' other equipment. The mules were carried in pairs in horse boxes and seemed perfectly tame and tractable. The seven mules and the fourteen dogs are all in splendid condition, and' appear to have benefited very considerably by their stay on Quail' Island, where they have been trained and exercised daily by Mr. J. A. Dehniston, who is going souith in chairge of them. To the accompaniment of a chorus of yelps and howls, the dogs were quickly got on board and tethered' by short chains to convenient stanchions. They exhibited great eagerness to get on board the ship, and settled down q,uite contentedly. This afternoon they will be placed in theiir sea-going quarters on the top of the ice-house, which has been covered with tarpaulins to protect them from the weather.

The mules were hoisted on board in i the boxes, and although one or two ( kicked in a somewhat excitable manner ■when being slung, they were perfectly quiet when being lc-d into their stalls in the cosy little deck houses. These houses have been, divided by means of moveable rails, and the flooring has been covered with thick matting to afford' the 'little beasts a foothold when the ship ds rolling and laboring in heavy weather ait sea. In half an hour the animals were all on board and secured in their stails.

The work of squaring up the ship and stowing and lashing all deck geair waß completed this afternoon, and the Term Nova is now quite ready to go to sea. A weather forecast is being got from the Government Meteorologist, but conditions appear favorable and the'ship will sail a,t 6 a.m. to-morrow on her relief voyage to the Antarctic.