BOYS' OWN COLUMN.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 71, 24 March 1928, Page 2 (Supplement)

BOYS' OWN COLUMN.

WITH EXPLORERS IN THE ANTARCTIC

A FOUR MONTHS' NIGHT

Dear Boys,— A night of four months' duration would seem extraordinary if it happened in this country. But in the Antarctic winter, which lasts from the middle of April to the beginning of August, it is a regular occurrence. This long night is not, however, one of continual darkness. Winter begins in an April twilight, when the sinking sun colours the ice fire-red. Summer returns as a rosy, autumnal dawn. Winter usually coincides with the end of a long summer sledging season. Although both men and dogs have earned a long rest, the home-coming to their w liter quarters in the evening of summer means hard preparation for the long night. Most important is the supply of seal meat, for shortage of fresh meat """"* sooner or later the appearance of scurvy, that bugbear of Polar exploration.

A way of maintaining a suitable supply of fresh water has to be found. For this a near at hand glacier in which the ice is clean is selected. When weather conditions are favourable, blocks of ice can be taken every day from this t° be thawed out in the winter hut. Sometimes, when a blixzard keeps all indoors, both ice and seal meat have, to be stored.

When there are calm periods during full moon, the reflection of the light against the white snow makes it to read a book out of doors; but these calm, bright intervals are by no means common. Another remarkable light effect is that of the Aurora Australis, which illumines the whole sky with curtains of dancing light, whose enormous arches cross the heavens in everchanging hues. Auroral displays are always accompanied by storms in which an icy wind blasts both man and beast, while the snow falls penetratingly, relentlessly. It never rains in the Antarctic.

Dogs as well as humans have to be sheltered and fed. Although healthy animals will live in the open, with only some lee place for shelter, care must be taken that they are not completely snowed up in blizzards. They have to be tethered on long metal chains that are long enough to allow good walking room. These often snap on account of the cold but rope and leather are unsuitable, both being materials through which the dogs can gnaw. Tethering: is made necessary because of their tendency to fight to the death. Happenings of this kind might spel! disaster to an expedition, since the animals afford the only means of transport.

Life in the hut, apart from cooking, cleaning and mending of clothes is occupied with working out »»<> r^°- r< ! ,nSr ,cie . ntifie observations and with writing up official and private diaries. Towards the end of the four months' darkness, preparations are began for summer sledging. Specially condensed foods are carefully rationed and weighed, while stoves, sledges, snow shoes, skis, foodbags and so on are put into commission, to say nothing of scientific apparatus, clothes and personal equipment—the latter is limited to twelve pounds. Mingled with these occupations are various recreations, such as card games, dominoes, draughts and chess.

As the long night draws to a close, the temperature becomes very low—so much so that water has been seen to freeze while being poured from one vessel to another. Such effects are, of course, only to be observed in the open air, the hut being heated with a mixture of coal and seal blubber.

In the early summer light of August a man's looks dirty and of a greenish yellow colour. The air is crisp and clear, save when it is full of myriads of ice crystals, all tiny prisms to reflect the new season's sunlight into tiny suspended _ rainbows. And the sun, daily rising / IJ higher in the QfT heavens, sheds on all a golden light.