THE FROZEN SOUTH

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 26 November 1927, Page 11

THE FROZEN SOUTH

THE discovery crept, into Falmouth Harbour one evening at the end of August This tnree-masted auxiliary barque in which Seo-tt made his first Antaltic expedition, from 1901 to 1904 and in which Shacklet-on later served as third officer, lias returned after cruising for two years in kolar seas. , Although the expedition lias had none of the glamour and excitement of previous Antartic voyages, it had been entirely successful irom the point of view ol scientirie research, and a good deal of hard work has been done in extremely rough weather. The New Zealander, Commander J. It. Stenhouse, D. 5.0., and his officers and crew are reported as fit and there have been no casualties. The \ essei is a veritable scientific laboratory. She is loaded with many strange creatures from the deptii of the Antartic seas, some of them new to zoology. 'Hr. Stanley 4Y. Kemp, the director of the research, said that a large amount of material and data had been obtained and that there would have to be much examination and investigation before it would be possible to state the full results of the expedition. The work had been totally different from that on which the Discovery had been previously engaged. The' territorial aspect had changed to the scientific. So far as the South Georgian whaling grounds were concerned enough data had been obtained to enable conditions to be compared in future seasons. It would be possible, said Dr. Kemp to establish a standard of comparision from one year to another. There was a land station at Grytvick, South Georgia, where other members of liis staff were engaged in a statistical study of whales.- Another vessel, the Wiilliam Scoresby, had assisted the expedition during, the past year and would be leaving England for the South again toward the end of the present year. Preserved in spirits on board are many curious specimens of crustaeea — whale food—-and the lowest, forms of animal life. There is the fantasti-cally-shaped" Antartic _ crab of many legs, and something like a horseshoe with many protruding points. He has been affectionately named i “Prickly Peter.” “Many of these objects,” said Dr. Kemp, “we have been unable to identify, and some of them undoubtedly are new to zoology.” This study of the swarms of Crustacea and other ocean life which attracts whales from one part to an-

WORK OF THE DISCOVERY

other, is likely to afford valuable evidence of the migratory habits of the herds. There are many volumes and Albums or piiotograhps," drawings and record-,* 'dealing wjth Antartic -phenomea. One vivid sketch shows the phosphorescent wash of the Discovery under a star-filled polar sky. Others illustrate the majestic and ever-chang-ing colouring of the strange terms- of ocean life. •The Discovery visited the Dependencies and the Falklands —South Georgia, South Orkneys, and &outli Shetlands. Her farthest point was 6-5 degrees south in the neighbourhood of Anvers Island. Experiments had been made in the marking of whales, said Dr Kemp, but it was too early yet to say whether these would be successful. The method adopted had been to shoot darts into the whales, which, when afterwards caught by fishermen, could thus be at once identified. So far as he knew, no marked whale had yet been caught. Dr. Kemp added that it was certain that the humpbacked whale was diminishing in souther waters. That species was hunted very extensively some years ago, and it was possible that it might have changed its routes of migration, and that it was not in reality so scarce as it seemed to be. The blue whale and the fin whale appeared to lie as abundant as ever. The 1923-26 - season was extraordinarily good both in South Georgia and the South Shetlands, hut the 1926-27 season, although good in South Georgia, had been almost a complete failure in the South Shetlands. That would appear to be due to physical conditions of which we were at present- ignorant. It had been established, however, that whales migrated at times in herds of one sex. The Discovery shows signs of the rough weather ' that had ‘ been encountered, and all in her were glad to catch what glimpses they could of the (ornish coast through the driving rain. During the voyage physical exercises have not been neglected “We turned out an excellent Soccer football team,” said a 'member of the staff, “and set the seal on our efforts by defeating South Georgia, after ourselves suffering a series of defeats. Our crew of 39 included a Norwegian professional footballer, who could hold his own with almost any English League player.” The Discovery’s ©ol?ection and data will be sifted in London. Later she and the William Scoresby leave again for the Antarctic. s- v ~ • vlVAt"'' ■' •' ' >- -