POLAR HEROES.

Hutt News, Volume 3, Issue 20, 9 October 1930, Page 2

POLAR HEROES.

j The following article, kindly contributed by a Hutt lady, farms yet another link in the chain of reminiseenceswo have recently published with, regard ito Arctic and Antartie exploration. ' Two weeks. 'ago theTe ' died in the I Wellington Hospital, Mr. Harry Mc/Jveish. Ho £ias served in ".the Royal ■ Navy for twenty three years, and had /assisted in the building of the "Discovery" in which he later sailed with Captain Scott to the Antarctic. But !it was in the 1914 expedition to the Weddel Sea with Sir Ernest Shackleton that he was to share with his leader in a world famous exploit. At t&at time the South Pola Continent had never been crossed and one of i Sha'ckleton's objects was that the fiTst crossing! o f the last continent should be by a British expedition. He failed; tiut the stoxy of the attempt that lie has written in "South/ descxibing the struggles, the disappointments, and. the endurance of this party of twenty three, •hidden for nearly two years in the Polar Ice, is unique in history. During the first summer the conditions were unfavourable, and instead of establishing a base on the Continent they were I caught in the pack-ice fox the winter. j The coming of spring did not bring the Respected promise, for with the movement of the ice under the influence of | the wind the "Endurance" was hopelessly crushed by the pressure and later ! sank. Black indeed was the' outlook now, as the party had to rely on their own efforts, and that of forty-nine dogs to bring them to safety. The nearest shelter, and that merely a hut, was by ice and sea three hundred and forty-' 1 six miles away at Paulet Island. Six months they spent in anxiety and uncertainty on the drifting ice, eventually reaching Elephant Island with tihree boats. {Now at last there was solid ground beneath their feet, but food was ! ■ru'ianing short, shelter there was none from the oncoming winter, nor was there any likelihood of search being ma.de there for the missing expedition. A boat journey must be made and at once eight hundred-; miles to South Georgia, w&ere there would be certain help from whalers. The .Sub-Antartie Oeoan in May was known to toe the most storm-swept area of water in the world, and the best of. their boats was but twenty $eet in. length and weather beaten. As ship 's carpenter, Harry' 3SfcNeish was chosen from volunteers to be of the party of six to go in search of help for the main party that they were leaving in dire straits on t&e i island. In Shackleton's words, although MciNeish was over fifty and not altogether fit he had a good knowledge of sailing boats, and was very quick. He ..strengthened the little boat, and although he had not sufficient wood to provide a deck he made a framework of sledge-runners and box lids and covered it with canvas. It was a patched up. whicih. when finished, looked rather like stage scenery, but without it the boat could never have lived. With difficulty between snow and sqjzalls the final preparations were hurriedly made and the little craft set sail. The next sixteen, days were a battle with mountainous seas and bitter gales. Cramped in narrow quarters, continually wet with spray, sleepless with cold and misery, their straggle was to keep alive as well as on their course. Cooking by

primus was more than difficult, and soon water was short and that, brackisii. The decking leaked, the ballast moved, and every discomfort beset these tired men whose clothing, never changed for seven months, chafed their aching bodies until they were raw and bleeding. During one storm they were forced to leave to in a tremendous sea aud ride to a floating anchor, shipping sea after sea width the temperature below zero. The freezing spray coated the boat with ice, so tthat she could hardly rise to the seas. Again she was almost overwhelmed by a mighty wave and the men had to bale for their lives with any receptacle ...they could seize. One of the crew collapsed, and 3VEcNeish suffered very much, but as his leader says showed grit and spirit. The last days were a nightmare of raging thirsty and on sighting land one of the worst; hurricanes they- had experienced came up, and in desperate plight they were driven towards the surf beaten roeksc Theend seemed veTy near with! the bo^t leaking badly before : 'the driving gale, but suddenly disaster was averted with a change of wind, and an. opening was found in the cliffs. They made a difficult landing, but \ still snowy ranges, had to be crossed: to reach the whaling station. ■Shackleton with two companions left on this dangerous trip, MeNeish having tried to make them a sledge. He also put screws in Shaekleton's worn boots, and though quite broken, with, exposure frost bite and privation, he walked two hundred yards to see them on their way. Sir Ernest reached the settlement safely and help was soon sent by sea to' MeNeish and his conrpaniohs," and later to those at Elephont Island. It is to such-men that we owe the strength and 'glory of the Empire. "Comfort, contend,' delight, - The ages' slow-brought gain-, They shrivelled in a night. Qnly ourselves remain To face the naked days In silent fortitude, ThrougiL perils and dismays Renewed, and re-renewed." . . ""' ■ ■ i