Souvenirs from the far south

Press, 4 May 1984, Page 15

Souvenirs from the far south

In February, 1982, I returned to New Zealand from Antarctica in the magnificent United States Coast Guard ice breaker Polar Sea. During the five-day voyage I was interested to observe a seaman engaged in intricate rope work on the tubular railing of a companionway to the bridge. One of many skills acquired by those living a life at sea, his talent fascinated me. The ability of sailors to accomplish such work with the hands can be seen in many items in the Canterbury Museum’s unique col- - lection of Antarctic relics.

Reputedly made of wood from Scott’s ship Terra Nova, is a small cabinet with brass handle which was recently added to the collection. It may have been used as a container for boot-cleaning equipment but the most striking aspect is the beautifully carved crest of the 1910-13 expedition. While the maker is unknown it is highly probable it was James Skelton, an able seaman who made a wall plaque with an identical carved crest. This was given by Skelton to the donor’s father who had a book shop in Wellington.

A search of the collection revealed an interesting range of other hand-crafted souvenirs often made by the crews of early expedition ships. These included a miniature/ wooden man-hauled sledge; ski of “German Silver” (nickel alloyed with copper and zinc) used on sledge runners during Scott’s Discovery expedition (1901-04); a pipe with a penguin on the bowl; and change purses made from crabeater seal skin and a hollowed out Emperor penguin foot. A wall-hanging letter holder of ships sail canvas is decorated with a heart, two anchors, and strips of seal and pony skin, while a simpler memento is a square of wood with a flake of white paint. Presumably

from the ship Nimrod, it is inscribed Nimrod 88 deg 23min. This is the latitude reached by Shackleton, Marshall, Adams, and Wild on their epic journey towards the South Pole in the summer of 190809.

Tom Williamson, an able seaman who served on both of Scott’s expeditions, not only made intricate wooden sledges but, like his fellow crew members, also saved seal teeth. On his return to Lyttelton he gave a jeweller a Weddell seal canine. This was encircled at each end with a strip of gold, while a small gold heart engraved to “L.E. from T.W.” was attached to the centre, thus forming an unusual brooch to a loved one.

Very popular as souvenirs on many early expeditions, as indeed they are today, were pieces of Antarctic granite. These also found their way to jewellers and were ground into a variety of shapes. Scott’s New. Zealand expedition agent, Sir Joseph Kinsey, had a sample fashioned into a watch fob resembling a Maori ear pendant. Others were shaped into hearts to which were often attached a carefully engraved silhouette of the Terra Nova Expedition Crest. Made of gold, the crest often had a fern frond either side. While the workmanship is identical, the identity of the jeweller is unknown.

Many souvenirs have interesting stories associated with them. These were often recorded in diaries compiled at the time. A typical souvenir associated with an age-old custom of the sea is a large, wellmade wooden razor. Made by Davies, the Terra Nova carpenter, it was used for the “crossing the line” ceremony on Friday, July 15, 1910, during the voyage to New Zealand. It is decorated with a penguin, with the inscriptions Terra Nova R.Y.S., B.A.E. 1910, and

on the blade, the razor’s name RASPO. The ceremony when it was used is well documented. Edward Wilson recorded in his diary (since published) how the “King’s barber” equipped with a bucket of whitewash and another of soot and grease, plastered the unfortunate victim over the face and chest. He was then “shaved” with a three-foot wooden razor. After the ceremony the razor was “souvenired” by Thomas Clissold, who was cook with The Shore Party at Cape Evans. Clissold later remarried and lived in New Zea-

land, and the razor, a treasured souvenir, eventually found a final resting place in the Canterbury Museum. Today, few return from Antarc- . tica without some form of sou- • venir. These include improvised flags, rock specimens for the mantlepiece or window sill, and small models of dog sledges made during winter and exchanged at the traditional mid-winter’s day dinner. Some of these souvenirs from the south have found their way into the _ museum which would be pleased to receive others.

By

DAVID L. HARROWFIELD