A "MORNING " VETERAN.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12970, 25 November 1907, Page 8

A "MORNING " VETERAN.

One of the most popular members of the Nimrod contingent is Mr A. Cheetham, -who, *s boe'un of the Morning, found high, favour with.: hosts of admiring Antipodean friends during the etay of his former vessel in Now Zealand, waters.:-,, Mr Cheetham, widely smiling, and comprehensiveGy genial as ever, comes /back as third mate of the Nimrod, and on Saturday was showered with congratulations upon, his promotion to so responsible a post. "Well, a'hm back again," be announced with breezy Yorkshire heartiness, "and it don't seem co long neither. Well, after wo got back in the old Morning, they gave' us <a royal time at Hull, where we mostly belong. I put in my four months Naval Reserve training, and then went bp'sun on the Montebello, running in the passenger trade to Chrietiauia. 'They tried hard toijet the Morning men lor the Nimrod, but they < were scattered so, ' and Biteby ("Chips") and I were the only ones Who could get away. So far ac I know,. tho Morning men ere all doing we 11... The bos'un'e mate was killed at Naples in the XJbeno. Wo donit oarry co many men on the Nimrod as tho Morning did. We have only six before the mast, whereas there were twelve on the Moping. ■ What made mc tackle it again P Well, for one thing, it is a fine exciting trip (you never, know what is coming next). I got, this stripe, and the wages are good, and then Lieutenant Shackleton and Captain . England are coming. That's why. J. Patten, a Lyttetton--1 boy, who came down with the Mornfog, ia, joining the Nimrod. All our provisions are in donible cases, and in 'this, and other respects, ours is one of the most perfectly equipped expeditions , that have left England. We have provisions for three years. Yes. the Nimrod belongs to the Royal Clyde I Yacht Club—didn't you see the club's flag at the mtesea" when we came in P— and we all wear the clirb's Ibadgo on lour caps., Wβ havo got some really fine talent ou board. Mr Murray, the biologist, and Victor Berry are thn artiste; we havo several poets, and of course a number of singers. A large gramaphone is the only musical in- : strumenft of any consequence that wo bavo on board. Wo hare had regular concerts on the way out, and church every Suuday, conducted by. Captain England. No, we have none of the Discovery's gear with ua. Everything is new. The gear used by the Discovery was distributed among various museums on account of its historical interest and value. Throuigh tho kindness of the,good friends I made hero before, I havo been kept posted ur» in New Zealand affaire, and I feel I am coming back io one of my homes again." Thore were many more questions BtiU to be asked, but one felt that a period must be placed oven upon public curiosity, and so. with not a little reluctance, one suffered Mr i CboothamV admirers to swoop down and bear him off in triumph.