FURTHEST SOUTH.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 473, 3 April 1909, Page 12

FURTHEST SOUTH.

9 SOME IMPRESSIONS BY THE WAY. Lieutenant Shackleton does not speak readily of tho privations that wore endurod on tho " farthest 6outh " journey, and it is only by reading between tho linos that people may gather from his official narrative somo idea of what was undorgono in order that tho little Union 'Jack presented to tho expedition by Queen Alexandra might be planted in south latitude 88.23. It was on Novombor 3 that tho little party made a start from Hut Point, and on January 9 the flag was hoisted at the "farthest south" point, bo that for two months the men had plodded south over the snow and ice.

"Was it monotonous?" Lieutenant Shackleton was asked by a "Lyttelton Times" reporter.

"No, I don't think it was monotonous," ho replied. "We had our work to do and there was always tho prospect of meals and rests to look, forward to. 1 In answer to further questions, Lieutenant Shackleton said that there was very littlo talking while tho party was on tho inarch. Tho men travelled about twelve or fifteen feet apart, in order that thoro might not be a collision, if ono sledge stopped suddenly, and there was nothing to promote conversation in a waste of snow, so soft that tho "finneskoe" worn by the men sank deep at each step. When tho time came for rest—there was no night, for the sun was above the horizon nil the time—tho four men, after feeding and bodding down the ponies, had their meal in one tent, but then there was littlo inducement to tho social life. Thoy were utterly weary, and only anxious to get their food and creep into their sleeping-bags. There were two tents, each holding two men, and tho men who had tho tent in which tho meal had been cooked had tho better time, becauso the Primus warmed it to some extent. Towards the end of the journey south, and on the way back, all four men crowded into ono becauso tho poles of tho 'other were required to mark a cache of food left at tho top cf the great glacier by means of which the ascent to the polar plateau had been made.

When Dr. Nanson camo back from his farthest north expedition, ho had bitter recollections of tlio manior in which the dogs that drew his sledgos had boon treated. Ho described his own attitude towards the poor animals as one of "utter cruelty." Thoy wero starved, beaten, and overworked, and 0110 by one collapsed from hunger and exhaustion. Lieutenant Shackloton will liavo no similar regrets in connection with his ponies. Tho ponies wore given full rations, right up to tho hour when thoy were led behind a hummock of snow and mercifully shot with a heavy revolver, carried for that-pur-pose. "They did not feel a blow during tho wholo journoy," he remarked in mentioning the matter to a reporter. "Wo had made up our minds that they should not suffer unnecessarily. When the pon.v rations began to run short, then wo killed a pony and cached tho portions of tho carcass not immediately required, so that wo could get it on the way back."