RESCUED FROM THE ANTARCTIC

North Otago Times, Volume CIV, Issue 13665, 6 September 1916, Page 2

RESCUED FROM THE ANTARCTIC

SAFETY OF ELEPHANT ISLANDERS. • SHACKLETON'S MESSAGE TO THE KING. STERLING TRIBUTE TO WILD'S LEADERSHIP. (Per Cable— Vrm Association—Copyright,) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, .September •!, Sir Ernest Shnckletou on his return with the rescued men from Elephant Island, telegraphs: "I reached Wild's canty on the 30th." In telegraphing Wild's full report Sir Ernest Shackleton informed the King that the rescue wis made under Divine Providence. His comrades thanked his Majesty for his gracious message and kindly interest, Sir Ernest's' report added: "The party's safety is primarily due to Wild's leadership, tact, and force of character,"

HIS MAJESTY'S CONGRATULATIONS. ADMIRATION OF WILD'S WORK, (Australian and N.Z, Cable Association.) Received September 5, at 6.15 p.m. LONDON, September 4. His Majesty the King replied to Sir Ernest Shackleton as follows:"I most heartily rejoice at the rescue of your comrades and congratulate you on the result of your determined efforts, I greatly adnvlre the conduct of Wild, which was so instrumental in maintaining their courage. I hope and trust you will soon bring all safely home."

SIR ERNEST SHACKLETON'B REPORT. HOW WILD WON THROUGH. ! SIMPLE STORY OF QUIET HEROISM. (Australia find N.Z. CnMe Association,) Received September H, at 7.0 p.m. LONDON, September 4, Sir Ernest Sliackletnn, in his dospetch to the Dailv Chronicle says:PUNTA ARENAS, Sept 3rd. The fourth attempt to rescue our comrades on Elephant Island succeeded. They have all arrived safe and well. On this oeeasion we set a course which enabled the Yelclin to approach the Island from the north-west, the ice having worked towards the north-east, We reached Wild's camp on August .'lfltli. after steering in fog through numerals "ergs. We immediately started on the return journey. With Wild lies the credit.. H e kept the party together in strength and safety under most trying and difficult; conditions. I cannot speak too highly of Croan and Worley, who have seen things through with me,"

Wild's Eeport.

The following is Wild's report:"On the 25th of April, the day after the departure of the boat, the' island was beset with dense, pack ice. The party were confined to a narrow spit of land, 2nfl yards by 40 yards, and surrounded by iuncessible cliffs. \ The ice-laden sens forced us to abandon our ice house, the snow making it untenable. We made a dwelling of two boats supported on rocks as far as practicable from the sea. The weather continued appalling. Saved by Ice Protection.

"The vitality of the whole party was lowered by exposure. Blackmore,' Hudson, Greenstreet and Dickinson became ill. Several others were frost-bitten. A blizzard in May, swept lmich valuable gear into the sea. We were in danger 'of being swept away by the heavy sons, tliie to a blizzard raging at seventy miles an hour. .Fortunately an ice foot was formed by the sea oil the shore. This protection meant saving us from total destruction, The adjacent glacier caved in on several occasions, causing heavy waves. The blocks of ice were once hurled within fifteen feet of our dwelling. Rations Drastically Economised. "We drastically economised our food rations, only one lint meal daily being allowed until we strengthened reserve with blubber. Our valuable stock of bovril rations was used for two meals weekly. The season was late, so we were kept in anxiety regarding our meat supply, but we' periodically replenished our supplies with small penguins and seals which were unable to land owing to the ice foot. Constant Pall of Tog. '"There was less wind from June onward, but we were under a constant pall of fog amj snow.. Blackboro's locs were amputated. The three previous attempts at relief synchronised with the time the island was beset, with ice. We were able to collect- seaweed and limpets at the. beginning of August which gave us a valuable change of diet. Heavy seas and ice prevented any fishing,

The Lifting of the Fog, A gale on the 28th drove the pack from the Island. Through the lifting fog on the HOth we saw the Yeleho approaching. I w ish to place on record the good morale of the entire party."

Attempts at" Rescue,

The first attempt, at rescue was made by Sir Ernest Shaekleton in May in Captain Thomas's floorgian whaler. This was unsuccessful owing lo heavy ice conditions. The Uruguayan flovernmenl, in June, placed a vessel at the disposal of Rir Ernest Shaekleton, lint although the vessel got within twenty mites of Elephant'lsland, the attempt had to he abandoned owing to (lie presence of Ktvenrnjcejiul heavy ami impenetrable pncTHce' combined with a high northerly swell, In July. Sir Ernest left Puii'ta Arenas in (lie schooner Emma—a seventy-ton wooden craft—which was lowed by a Chilian steamer to a. point .140 miles south of Cape Horn. The Emma then proceeded under favourable weather conditions, but early in August she returned to Port Stanley, Falkland Islands, having been forced bad; by heavy gales. The vessel was badly damaged,'and Sir Ernest said he recognised it was impossible to try to force the ice in a light vessel and was prepared to await the arrival of the Discovery, which left England on August 1.1 tli.' However, the Chilian Government placed the yacht Yelcho at the disposal of the party, and on August 2(ifh Sir Ernest sailed for the fourth time on his mission, which is now announced to have been so successful.

A Dram'atic Story. The story leading to the abandonment of the twenty-two men on Elephant Island is dramatic in the extreme. In describing the experiences of the Endurance, in June last, when he returned to civilisation,, Sir Ernest Slincklcton said:—

"When the ice pressure increased in June and July, our peril increased,

Immense blocks of ice were thrown about, great ice ridges rising.

"We prepared for the worst, There was .1 great crash on August M, when the pressure drove the Endurance bodily nuf of Hie ice nml hurled her before the gale. She stood the strain, but. the rudder was damaged. Another and more severe crushing occurred in September. We emerged from the floe in the middle of October, and drifting to Xew South Greenland, were again caught in the ice floe. The ship W as then leaking badly, and the rmmps.hnd to be set working. "On Kith October the pressure, threw' the Endurance out of the pack, and on to her beam ends upon the ice. in such a predicament all hands camped on the ice, .'lull miles from land.

"We left the Endurance and began to sledge northwards. "As we were only making a mile a day, we abandoned a journey which was full of dangers, and returned to the camp near the ship.

"We drifted northwards upon the line for two months.

"After sledging northward for nine miles on four days, broken ice compelled us to establish what we christened ."Patience Camp.;' ''Here .we. remained for .three months, during which time we continued our northerly drift upon a small floe. We shot five, dog teams owing to shortage of food, .

We.crossed the Antarctic" circle-in January in the direst, of straits, and sighted the. South Shetland Islands on April 7th. ...

"We launched three boats next day I when tlie ice opened, and rowed northward through masses of pack-ice. , 'We camped on an ice floe for the iiipt, and reached the open sea on April 30th, but a heavy swell forced us to,retreat to the pack-ice, where we waited for two days, and then rowed westward. Landing on Elephant Island, Several of the men were 1 Buffering irom, exposure, the • shortage of fresh water, and the warming food We finally gave , lp hope on renohing Deception Island,. and headed northwards towards Elephant, Island, which we sighted on April. 14th, 40 miles distant, A strong wind hindered our progress.

Hudson and Blackmore were severely frost-bitten. A furious gale' blew all '"gut, in which n boat manned bv Dunley and Dockie disappeared. We'reach«l Elephant Island on April Inth. "Our equipment was sodden, and several of the. party were on the We ot physical and mental collapse. We fet landed at a point o V Inaccessible tlifT, amll.cn re-embarked to the westward. We landed through the surf f «nt h hole in the iPP-slope Bhov i preach of the wave*, "Owing to the seriousness of our si nation, the shortage of food, audiadequate proteciion against the winter,, t m oeidod that, I should endeavun! o reach South Georgia, and s PC „" MP- IMt Wild i c nrg „<X Party at Elephant Island On April 24th -Sir Erneat, and five companions left in an „pe.„ i^ai olp, and after a voyagi which wl eome Instoric, reached ,Sonth Geo g «" initiated those 'stops fo S winch have now succeeded. P The Abandoned Men. deferring to the Elephant'' Island party, threader of the olpedirio^ "Iliad no hesitation in leaving Wild 1 r 'l|ai'ee of the main party on-E asset to the expedition. The wither with ,/ SZ "iwau. The carpenter covered the »n with slcdge,un„er V box lid" canvas, in preparation for the 7fifl „l W from Elephant Island 5 Jwrp., during which the o,V Ant go manned its evil winter" r^. «tion After a hazardous landing ation at Stromness on May 2fith On ;tdayandthetwos«ecilil' (la y s n t« Jalersniade attempts tol'„ 'ip through to the relief oft So pliant Island, but the ice prev t ce £ fl ,!? mlst " 4l» assist' SSng X Sr f,llP >-^^ie 3^