HOMEWARD BOUND!

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14614, 14 March 1913, Page 3

HOMEWARD BOUND!

THE TERRA NOVA SAILS.

AX AUSPICIOUS START

The last night in port was one of farewells. Some had said "Good-bye," and were watch-keeping, but the others —officers and men—were busy till after midnight writing their Home mail or penning farewell messages to their New Zealand friends. It was a nij;ht of mingled pleasure and re_ret —the plea* suro of being homeward bound to Merrio England after threo long years' of absence from families and "friends, and the regret of parting with friends found in this ''Britain of the South." It was the closing scene, in Lyttelton, of tho drama of the greatest Antarctic adventure that has ever put forth to wrest from the Frozen South secrets that had been held since the World began—an adventure that has been crowned with success, in its great achievements/ and ono that has been overshadowed with the gloom of the appalling tragedy of the death of its great leader, Captain R. F. Scott, and his four bravo companions on their return from the South Pole. But, regarded in another light, that tragedy has crowned with a glory that will never die. tho achievements of the great adventure, and tho heroic deeds of tho band of gallant men —leaders •and rank and file—who were the brains and muscle of the expedition, and who. in tho words of its lost leader, havo shown "That Englishmen can enduro hardships, help one another, and meet death with as great a fortitude as ever in the past." The full story of the great adventure when written, will be a tale of ''hardihood, courage, and endurance," which will stir tho heart of every man. THE DEPARTURE. After a few hours snatched in sleep, all hands were astir at 4.30 a.m., tho noise of htirryin<_ feet, the steady "chirp" of the electric light engine and the pounding of a steam pump, rousing a sleepy Pressman, who had passed his last night on board on a comfortable settee in the ward-room. Before daybreak had come, the last supplies of fresh meat were taken on board, and a start made to single up tho mooring ropes. Eleven sledge dogs brought on board overnight yawned lazily, and regarded preparations for departure in quiet unconcern —thero was not a yelp or a bark —and they were indifferent as to whether tho Terra Nova was Homeward bound, or starting for another voyage to the Antarctic. . Soon a grey light grew in tho east, and day had come. Tho port was still asleep,' save for the few friends who had risen before daylight, and had come to the ship's side to say "good-bye" to tho Terra Nova and her men. The pilot camo on hoard shortly before sailing timo, and from the bridge directed operations. Tho bow-lines wero let go, and tho tug, which steamed up at the right moment, took hold, and gavo the ship's head a "pluck-off" tho wharf. The Terra Nova's bow swung round, a touch on the onr-ines, and a pull from the tug took her clear, tho last stern line was let go, and the littlo ship had started. The last good-byes and farewell messages were exchanged between tho crew and the crowd of fifty peoplo on the wharf, who gave three hearty cheers as the Terra Nova moved "slow ahead." She quickly gathered way, and swept out of port into the swell of the outer harbour, her shrill syren shrieking farewell to the port and its ships. The port was still sleeping, the only signs of life being a fluttering handkerchief or two from houses ashore, and the little groups of early risers gathering on tho ends of both breakwaters. INTO THE SWELL. With her white ensign fluttering from her staff, the Terra Nova headed down harbour, nosing her way into the easterly swell. The grey hills wero swathed in greyer, mist and a heavy bank of ■ f the: Headlfi* Soon the rising sun creeping up over the South Head turned the grey mist to molten gold, and lit up the grey waters of the harbour into.a long lane of flashing gold, down which the Terra Nova steamed to open "sea. Tho rays of the morning sun ate up the fogbank, through which the ferry steamer Maori tore into sudden view as sho steamed into the harbour. Abreast of Gollan's Bay the tug' ran alongside tho Terra Nova to take off the pilot and the last visitors, who climbed over the rail, amidst a chorus of good-byes, and laden with the last letters and telegrams for friends ashore. The tug took a turn round the Ten-a Nova, and then steamed down harbour abreast of her, with two motor launches, fully laden with friends of the crew, on the other side. The Maori swept past, her twin red funnels and her lithe green hull lit up hy the morning sun, and her officers and a few passengers waving farewell to the departing ship, and both vessels dipping their ensigns in exchange of sea courtesies.

The black hull of the Terra Nova node deep in tho water, but her ironshod bow, which had felt the grip of many a floe and pack, lifted boldly to the heavy swell, and anon plunged in until the plugged hawse-pipes were submerged. This was her fourth departure from Lyttelton since 1910, but this timo it was "Homeward bound" and a last "Good-bye." THREE PARKING CHEERS. Abreast of Camp Bay tho tug's company gave throe cheers for the Terra Nova and her men —it was "time for us to leave her." A minute's pause as tho crew gathered along her rail to "cheer ship," and across tho water camo threo rousing cheers in response, with ono moro for a mother whose son was sailing in the Terra Nova. Sounding farewell blasts from her whistle, the tug turned and headed back for Lyttelton, leaving the Terra Nova to go her way alone. Rising and falling oh tbe heavy swell tho Terra Nova steamed for the open sea, making a bravo show in the brilliant s_nshino, which flashed from her gilded masthead vanes, and shone on her trim yards and tall swaying masts. Silhouetted against the grey sea mist, she dwindled as she reached the Heads, and finally disappeared behind the high cliffs as she headed in the direction of Sumner to exchange a last signal with a flagstaff of a bouse at Clifton. A little later she was sighted by an incoming steamer, heading on her course to clear Banks Peninsula, and to cha.-5e the ■ ever-receding horizon until she reaches the rock-bound entrance to Magellan Strait, and after passing into tho Atlantic to steam for Rio de Janeiro and home to Cardiff. In mid-July, or possibly earlier, she will make the English coast, and her work will bo done. A great welcomo awaits her there after her long absence of three years. "Come up, como in'from Eastward, from __ guard por*a of the morn; Beat up. boat in from Southerly, O gipsi— of the Hot_ Swift shuttles of an Empire's loom that weave tts, main to main, Tho coastwise lights of England give you welcome back again!" A FAREWELL CALL. When the Terra Nova left the wharf at Lyttelton yesterday morning, the officers and crew -rave three rousing cheers _ for Dinritri, who is remaining in New Zealand, having enterecT the service of Mr J. J. Kinsey. The ship, once outside the heads, jwent round to Sumner, where, as a fitting finale to the visit of the e-rpedition to New Zealand, the ship's flag was dipped in farewell to Mr Kinsey, who replied by dipping the flag at his residence, Han o to, Atua," Clifton. In the meantime, Dimitri had walked over Iho hills from Lyttelton, and arrived at "To Han o to Atua" in time to assist in dipping the flag there. From the ship thero came a salute of gnns and a few minutes; after seven o'clock, tho Terra Nova

headed for sea on her return passage to England. This little expression of thoughtfulness is of moro than passing interest, for Mr Kinsey's residence at Clifton, as well as his town house, is closely connected with Captain Scott, who, with Mrs Scott and many members of the expedition, spent many happy days there whilst tho final preparations were being mado for tho departure of tho expedition. How much tho thoughts of tho days spent at "Te Hau o to Atua" and of its pleasant surroundings wero in Captain Scott's mind is shown hy the fact that when tho Terra Nova returned in 1911 sho brought for Mr Kinsey from Captain Scott a quantity of the stono known as kenyte—a stone found only in comparatively few places in tho world. In a letter, Captain Scott, referring to the stone, wrote:—"l hope it will provido an Antarctic rockery at Clifton," and, continuing, ho wrote: "Wo all agree that that is likely to happen, and ought to happen, and can imagine ourselves gazing at these black boulders when we drink tea with you!"