PERILS OF ANTARCTICA.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 February 1917, Page 5

PERILS OF ANTARCTICA.

THE RESCUE EXPEDITION.

Sir E. Sliackletoifc's Copyright Report.

By Wireless from the Aurora.

Wellington, Last Night. March 22, lfllo. —All parties are back af. Hut Point, some being frost-bitten by constant blizzards. The temperature minus 30. We laid at Bluff depot 7!) degrees south lffl) degrees cast. The furthest depot was 80 dog. south. Sixteen dogs died on the trail on June 1, before „he party reached Cape Evans, owing to constant blizzards and the breaking of the lie-wly-formed ice. We found the Aurora had gone. There were ample provisions of flsli, meat and blubber, but a dearth of clothing. Owing to the death of the dogs, sledging was started early on September 1, and there was continuous sledging by relays to Mount Hope, which was reached on January 26, 1910.

VICTIMS OP SCURVY. On January '22 Smith broke down with scurvy. As there were general symptoms of scurvy appearing, we made the greatest possible speed homeward. Smith was lashed to a sledj*e, but Mcintosh, 'who was badly attacked, managed to keep his feet. A good speed was maintained for the next 180 miles, but afterwards the strain became telling, and the marches were decreased, though the hours we marched were longer. A FURIOUS BLIZZARD. We were eleven miles from Bluff depot oil February 17, when we were .overtaken by a furious blizzard lasting fourteen days. On the sixth day the provisions were practically exhausted. A successful attempt was made to reach the depot. Macintosh, Smith and Havward were now lashed on sledges, Joyce, Richards and Wild, with four dogs, doing the pulling. On March 7 Mcintosh was left behind, with provisions, at his own request, so as to enable the other sick men to reach safety.

' THE FIRST DEATH. On the ninth Smith died, and on the eleventh we reached Hut Point. On tho eighteenth, after returning for Macintosh, Hut point was safely reached. The total sledging period was 100 days, the distance covered being 1">00 statute miles. The "ice between Hut Point and C'ape Evans was repeatedly blown out. TWO LIVES LOST. At the beginning of May, during n. calm period, a sudden blizzard overtook them. The young ice broke up and drove north. On the tenth, the remainder of the party at Hut Point became anxious, and these two followed theis, tracks, which they found abruptly terminating at the open water. Their worst fears were, eonfrrmeil when the party reached Cape Evans 011 July 15 and found Macintosh and llayward had not arrived. A search wan made after returning, but it disclosed no traces of the missing men. THE AURORA ARRIVES. On .January 10, 1017, the Aurora arrived at Cape Evans, picked up the seven survivors, and learned of the loss 01 Macintosh and Ha,vward eight, months previously. Whilst recognising tho hopelessness of success ill finding traces, the Aurora remained until the Kith, making an examination of the remainder of the unsearched part of MeMurdo Sound, and as far north as Granite Harbor, whilst Captain Davis landed with search parties, but 110 traces were discovered by Shnckleton. 1 (The Aurora is expected to reach Wellington to-night or to-morrow morning-)