THE LEADER OF THE EXPEDITION

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LX, Issue LX, 29 October 1910, Page 7

THE LEADER OF THE EXPEDITION

A MAN OF MANY PARTS. Robert Falson Scott, the leader of this, the best organised expedition that has ever set out upon an expedition of Polar exploration, is a well-built, rather slight, clean-shaven, blue-eyed man of 42 years. He has adopted the Nayyj as his profession, and he represents /its best traditions. In his face there are lines of courage and determination. He is a strict disciplinarian, and although he may be somewhat unbending in this direction, all who have served under him have expressed unbounded confidence in his judment and fairness. In many respects he is an ideal leader for an expedition where intrepidity, coolness and quickkess of, decision are requisite. A GOOD LITTLE VESSEL. The Terra Nova, which is taking a prominent part in this great enterprise; is of ' Scottish origin. She was built in Dundee, and has made a high reputation for herself as a northern whaler. She has cost Captain Scott £12,000,., which he feels has been well spent. As a special favor, granted in view of the good work upon which she is engaged, she has been proclaimed to be a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron, and she proudly flies its white ensign. On board of her there are officers and men who belong; to the Royal Navy. They have been lent to the expedition by the Admiralty ,and they remain in active service arid full pay, in order that they may wear their uniforms on board. They could not be gazetted to the Terra Nova, .as she has no place on the Admiralty list, but the imaginary H.M.S. ' President is • brought into requisition, and officially they have been told off duty on her while they are in reality engaged in exploring the Antarctic. The most notable • voyage made by the Terra Nova was to the relief of the Discovery. Captain Scott was in camp at the seaside in McMurdo Sound at the time, and the first time he ever saw the Terra Nova he resented her appearance. It was on a sunny morning, in January. The Discovery was fast in the ice, and her situation, and indeed that of the whole expedition, was a little serious. The Government guessed this, and had sent this old but carefully-chosen whaling vessel racing through the Mediterranean and Suez Canal, tugged along at top speed by cruisers and more cruisers, until, with the other relief ship, the Morning, she came up to the edge of the Antarctic ice pack. Captain Scott and some of his companions were discussing after breakfast their plans for the day, when the suddenly saw a vessel. Then Dr Wilson exclaimed, "Why, there's another V\ and there was the Terra Nova.' The sight meant safety and home again, but there were considerations which made the reflection not completely delightful. The Antarctic has its claims and its hold, and the explorer has a very sensitive pride; and so, before he "turned in" that night, Captain Scott wrote in his diary: "In spite of the good home news and in spite of the pleasure of seeing old friends again, 1 was happier last night than I am to-night."