SHACKLETON’S DEATH.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 February 1922, Page 5

SHACKLETON’S DEATH.

EXTRACTS FROM DAIRY. THE LAST ENTRY. By Telegraph.—Pres* Assn.—Copyright. London, Feb. 1. Captain Hussey has forwarded from Rio extracts from Sir Ernest Shackleton’s last diary. One, made on January 1, declared that the gale on Christmas and Boxing Days was the worst he had ever known, adding:—“Calm after storm. The year has begun kindly. It ia curious how a certain date becomes a factor in one’s life. Christmas Day in a racing gale seems out of place, and I dared not hope that to-day would be as it is. Anxiety has probed me deeply. Till the end of the year things have gone awry. The engine® were unreliable, water was short, heavy gales, all that can physically go wrong has done so, but the spirit of all aboard it sound and good.” On January 2 he wrote: “Anothei wonderful day. Very cheerful aftea stress and strain. We passed the first iceberg. The oM familiar right roused memories of strenuous years. Its deadened blue caverns shone with a •ky Kkm snatched from heaven itself. Green spurs showed beneath the waters. Ah! the years that have gone since in the pride of young manhood I first went forth. I grow old and tired but must always lead on.” On January 3 he ’ —“Another beautiful day. Fortune seems to attend this New Year, but I wonder what new difficulty will spring on me.” Then follows a quotation: “Thankful I can bo crossed and thwarted as a man.”

On January 4 he made his last entry. He wrote: “After sixteen days of turmoil and anxiety we came to anchor at Grytviken on a peaceful sunshiny day. How familiar the coaet seemed as we passed down and saw places full of interest over which we struggled in ’916 after a boat journey. Now we must speed all we can, but the prospects are none too bright, for labor i« scarce. The old familiar smell of whale permeates everything. Douglas and Wilkins are at different ends of the island. Tn a darkening sky I saw a lone star hover like a gem over the bay.” The diary ends here, and Shackleton died six hours later.—Times Service.

CAPTAIN HUSSEY’S STORY. FUTURE MOVEMENTS. Lohdon, Feb. 2. Captain Hussey’s special story from Monte Video says the Quest left Rio in good trim. She encountered a heavy storm on Christmas Day and was hove to for 24 hours. The helm was lashed and oil bags were used. She had a quick passage for the remainder of the distance. Sir Ernest Shackleton had

complained of vague neuralgic pains in the back while at Rio, and also on the voyage southward, but there were no indications of serious trouble. He seemed tired sometimes, but always insisted on carrying on. He went ashore at Grytviken on January 1 to arrange for coal and food. He said that he was now nappy and contented. He felt that the expedition had now really begun. He had been worried on account of the condition of the ship, which was not an good as expected. He returned aboard in excellent spirits, but died the next morning. Norwegian whalers showed every kindness. They made a rough wooden coffin and took the body ashore to the English Church. The Que* sailed on January 16. They had miner engine defects, probably of little consequence. Lieutenant Wild intends to work eastwards until he finds an opening in the ice. then to strike southwards towards the Antarctic coast, returning westwards, and will probably arrive at South Georgia at the end of March. He will then proceed to Tristan Cunha artd Gough Island, reaiching Capetown in June or July. ■ The ice conditions this year are bad. The pack ice reaches to South Georgia. If Lieutenant Wild finds he cannot make much progress this cruise he may return south next December.— -Times Service.