ONE HOT MEAL A DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 218, 12 September 1916, Page 6

ONE HOT MEAL A DAY.

PRIVATIONS OF WILDE'S MEN. HOW THEY KEPT FIT. LONDON, September 11. The "Daily Chronicle's" correspondent at Punta Arenas says the members of Sir Ernest Shackleton's party who -were recently rescued from Elephant Island are making good recovery from the effects of their privations. They will arrive in England at the end of October. Lieutenant Wild, who was in charge of the party, gives a vivid description of their life on Elephant Island. The hut was constantly flooded and had to be bailed every night. The only hot meal in the day -was served at dawn, and consisted of penguin and fried blubber. For luncheon the men had biscuits and raw blubber. The afternoon was spent \ exercising on a track 100 yards long. Dinner was made off penguins' breast, bovril —which was greatly enjoyed—and halfdigested fish found in seals' stomachs. The men smoked grass from the padding of the boots, their ■pipes being carved of wood and birds' bones. Lieutenant Wild decided that failing relief by the end of October he would try to reach Deception Island, where whalers came in the summer. The biscuite, sugar and sledging rations were reserved for this. The party went to bed at half-pact five, and took turns to read aloud from the Bible, Encyclopedia Britanuica, and leading authors. The first question asked of the rescuers was, ''When was the war over?"