RETURN OF THE AURORA.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVII, Issue XLVII, 12 July 1912, Page 7

RETURN OF THE AURORA.

GOOD SCIENTIFIC WORK. (UsiTBD PjRBSS ARSOCIATipNI) CHRISTCIIURCH, July 11. The steam "yacht Aurora has returned from its winter cruise, and all on boai'd are well. The Aurora is sailing in the interests of Dr. Mawson's Australasian Antarctic expedition, and returns to bring the leader and his party back to Australia iii November. In the meantime the boat is conducting scientific investigations in the .sub-Antarctic seas. The Aurora- left Sydney on May 17th. When in the latitude of the reported Royal_Con\oany- Islands -no trace of land vvas discovered. Captain Davis says defi- | nitely that the islands do not- exist where j laid do wn ori the charts, though-■ owing sto the nature of the weather experienced, it, is possible that, land exists in the . vicinity. The ship reached the Macquarie Isltinds_ 011 June Bth, .when the five men constituing Dr Mawson's Macquarie Island party, were found well j and were doing good work. The wireless station was working ■ mj(mirably, and daily reports; >y?re being sent to Hobart,. and Welling ton: The were being' caught''as Tar'as Fiji and Western 1 Australia.', The cVperator ' bej-' lieves that "messages frotn 'the -haver be.eii ■'reeeiv'edv at 1 £)r. |Mawson's base' iri ; Antarctica, b?ijs : owing, to clairi-'" , a S e .tc) a.-.p'ar'tr oi'. the apparatus: no mes- ■ sages l - received from the base. •' foundin" .dalicej-and sea leopards .Avere also seen, Maiqri, hens, imported . from . New Zealand 'years ago, have multiplied exceesmglj. ■*'' . boat next visited the Auckland Islands' anid the Wajte, of the, Canterbury Museum, j has secured-a valuable collection ; for the ! museum. One sea. elephant secured- is I ne Arly 17 feet in length, and \yheh alive weighed over a ton.