POLAR EXPLORATION

Otago Witness, Issue 2955, 2 November 1910, Page 33

POLAR EXPLORATION

CAPTAIN SCOTT'S EXPEDITION. TERRA NOVA AT LYTTELTON. INTERESTING INTERVIEWS. CHRISTCHURCH, October 28. Shortly after 5 o'clock, this morning the Terra Nova, which is to carry the band of intrepid explorers and enthusiastic scientists to the Antarctic, was sighted off the Heads, and about half an hour later the tug proceeded down the harbour. On reaching the Heads the tug was confronted with a bank of fog, and neither good eyes nor powerful glasses could pick up the Terra Nova. After a stay of about an hour the tug commenced her journey back to port, but just as she reached the harbour entrance the Terra Nova was sighted. A new factor then entered the proceedings, the signal station notifying that there was a steam trawler in distress wanting immediate assistance. The only steam trawler in sight "was the Molloch, which did not display any signals denoting distress. It was decided to go on to the Terra Nova, which was under easy steam and jogging along towards the harbour at a most comfortable gait. Both vessels then came into port. When rounding the breakwater it was seen that the members of the expedition who had already arrived in Christchurch had gathered to welcome their comrades. Mr Ponting made his debut in New Zealand as a cinematograph expert by taking a moving picture of the Terra Nova and tug entering the inner harbour. Berthing operations took some little time, and Mr Ponting seized the occasion to take another cinematograph picture when the vessel touched the wharf. One of the first messages handed to Lieut. Evans was the following :—" I extend a hearty welcome to yourself, officers and men upon your arrival in the Dominion, and I trust that your important mission under Captain Scott will prove successful. I look forward with pleasure to meeting you before your departure.— J. G. Ward."

INTERVIEW WITH DR WILSON. THE SCIENTIFIC WORK. . NEW SUB-ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION. The chief of the scientific staff is Dv E. A. Wilson, who was a member of the Discovery's expedition. Dr Wilson is as full of energy and vigour as ever. Coming up harbour this morning he chatted in an interesting fashion about the scientific work which the expedition would be called upon to do. " You know," Dr Wilson said, " that the general plan we have is that there are to be two stations. One will consist of 24 people located at M'Murdo Sound, where they will build a hut and stay while the ship goes on and establishes another base with six men ■ under Lieut. Campbell, R.N., at King Edward Land, 500 miles away from M'Murdo Sound, and at the other extremity of the Great Barrier. Then the ship will go back home via the Bulleney Islands and Cape North, round to the west and along the shelf where the Antarctic continent drops into deep water. The ship's party will do biological work at these places until the winter comes on and then come on to New Zealand. Instead of lying up at New Zealand the ship will afterwards work round some of the sub-Antarctic islands, and we hope to get a good deal of help from the members of previous sub-Antarctic expeditions as to the work still to be done there. After that, of course, the ship will come back for us the following summer. That means that we shall spend this summer laying depots towards the South Pole, and the following summer there will be the big journey to the Pole. No one knows yet who will be in the Pole party. It will be chosen from the fittest men in the expedition. It will be a big party, because we have a lot of horses and dogs, and the motor sledges, and they will require some looking after. , "The interesting part of our work will be the meteorology of the ice barrier, the . ice itself, and the geology of the south - when we get to the Beardmore Glacier. The geologist will be Mr T. Griffith Taylor (Cambridge), an Australian man. There are two other geologists'—Mr J. A. Thomson (Otago) and Mr F. Debenham (Sydney). The two biologists are Mr E. W. Wilson and Mr D. G. Lillie. Mr Nelson ■will stay with us on the ice, and Mr Lillie will remain on the ship. There are three medicals—Dr Atkinson, Dr Levick, and myself. Dr .Atkinson will make a special study of biology and parasitology. He has been working on the latter in London for some time. Dr Levick will go with Lieutenant Campbell with the eastern party. The physicist is Dr Simpsorf. who lias been working on meteorology at the station in Simla, and also on atmospherical electricity in Lapland. " There are new points to be taken up in all the work," Dr Wilson continued. ' " It is a matter of applying new instruments and new theories. As far as meteorology is concerned, Dr Simpson will do soaio very interesting work with small balloons,- with which he will investigate the higher currents. Then there is another physicist—Mr C. S. Wright (Toronto an 1 Cambridge), who will a'so carry out sonic interesting investigations. Mr Pontine, the photographer, is really a scientific artist. We seem to have all the countries of the Empire represented in the expedition. The party includes English. Scottish, Irish. Welsh. Canadian, Australian and New Zealand representatives." To the natural question, " Will science be advanced by the expedition's labours?" Dr Wilson gave a confident affirmative. They expected, he said, to get some absolutelv new results. The magnetic and meteorological work were very important, eind new methods were to be applied. Then the expedition expected to*do some embryological work with the nenguins,

and that might produce interesting results, especially with the Emperor penguins. There would be a lot of sounding and magnetic work, and this would be continued by the ship during her sub-Ant-arctic exploration." The polar expedition is going to look out for some big game in the shape of whales," said Dr Wilson. "We want to get hold of some of the smaller whales down at the Antarctic. We have brought the equipment for killing them if we get the chance. There are several new species there, and we must try to secure some. It is possible that I may pay a visit to a whaling station in New Zealand to see what I can of the methods adopted here. Mr Lillie and myself have both been in the Northern Seas, and we visited a whaling station at the Cape to pick up what we could that would be useful to us." Time was not allowed to hang heavily on the hands of the scientists on their way out coming over from Australia. Some albatrosses and petrels were caught, and some magnetic work was done. On the voyage from Home to Australia them was moro activity, and a very interesting call was made at South Trinidad, where two days were spent. Collections of birds, insects, fish, plants, and marine phenomena were made, and the results, which are not yet worked up, will probably be incorporated in the report of the expedition. In the meantime the collection will probably be stored at the Canterbury Museum until the expedition returns. As to the sub-Antarctic expedition, Dr Wilson mentioned that the Terra Nova would probably visit tAie Snares, the Auckland, Macquarie, and Campbell Islands. The course to pursue would probably be determined by the advice of members of the previous expedition. Dr Wilson referred with appreciation to the work done by the New Zealand expedition, and stated that the Terra Nova would attempt to supplement the results then obtained. The last expedition, for instance, made no collection of vertebrates, and that could be done by the Terra Nova. What struck onlookers very forcibly today was the youthful appearance of the members of the expedition, from the young commander downwards. No fewer than eight members of the expedition accompanied Captain Scott on his previous expedition. They are : Lieutenant Evans, Warrant Officer Feather, Chief Stoker' Lashley, Petty Officers Evans, Crean, and Williamson, Seaman Heald, and Sailmaker Smythe. Seaman Patton, who accompanied the Nimrod expedition, is also a member of the party. A surprisingly large number of the scientists aboard are graduates of Cambridge University. The Terra Nova is a much more roomy vessel than the Nimrod, in which Sir Ernest Shaekleton sailed to and from Antarctica. After the Nimrod's poky quarters and cramped spaces the Terra Nova seems quite palatial. However, when the dogs, ponies, sledges, and other paraphernalia have been accommodated the members of the expedition will pro bably require all the room there is left to enable them to get about. The voyage from Melbourne Heads to Lyttelton occupied 10 days and 14 hours, the comparatively slow- passage beinj; attributed to the hampering winds which were met with during the greater part of the distance.

OTHER SCIENTIFIC WORK. SPLENDID EQUIPMENT. When the main shore party has been landed at M'Murdo Sound, the Terra Nova will proceed east along the Great Barrier to land a second small party on either King Edward VII Land or the fixed ice of the Barrier. In command of the party will be Lieutenant V. L. A. C. Campbell, and with him will be five others. Lieutenant Campbell, like many other members of the expedition, is a young man, and he is a Royal navy man. He fully appreciates the difficulties and privations that will attend the work which has been entrusted to him, but he is quite confident that if all their hopes are not realised the eastern party will, at any rate, do good work. "After the main party has been landed at M'Murdo Sound," said Lieutenant Campbell, in describing the work of the party, "the Terra Nova will proceed east along the Great Barrier to land my party. I cannot say where we shall be landed, as 60 much depends upon the circumstances that prevail when we arrive, but the party will be put ashore either on King Edward VII Land or on the fixed ice of the Barrier at the eastern end. I feel pretty certain that we shall be able to establish the party in some suitable spot approximately 500 miles east of the western party. We shall be breaking entirely new ground. So far King Edward VII Land has been seen only from a distance, though sufficient observations wei-e made to establish the existence of a land formation. What we shall have to do is to find out as much about the region as we possibly can." Lieutenant Campbell will make his first acquaintance with the Antarctic on the present expedition, but he is by no means unfamiliar with ice conditions. During the past five or six years he has paid eeveral visits to the ice-fields of Norway, and has gained experience that should be of use to him as commander of the eastern party. He will be accompanied by Dr G. M. Levick (surgeon and zoologist), a geologist who has not yet been i-elected, and G. P. Abbott, F. V. Browning, and Bick-erson (able seamen). A small hut 20ft-square will be the metropolis of the territory for over a year, and from it the party will carry on its work over as wide a radius as possible. The eastern party will be provided with sledges and ponies, but no dogs will be taken for that branch of the work.

What are we going to do? " Just ae much as we possibly can," said Lieu-

tenant Campbell, continuing his narrative. " We don't know anything of the conditions of the ice ior travelling. It may bo good or so badly crevassed that our sledging operations may be very much restricted, but we are going into new regions, and we want to find out all we can. First of all we will endeavour to ascertain the extent of the land formation, which may be confined to one or more islands. Then we shall survey it and map as much of it as possible. The geological characteristics of the region will be closely studied by members of the party, and systematic observations will be made of the life of that part of the Antarctic. We shall have a complete equipment of meteoroligical apparatus, and that will be utilised in an importantpart of our work, as the comparisons that will be made between simultaneous observations of the meteorological conditions at stations situated 500 miles apart will be of great value. There will be plenty of work for six of us." The scientific staff of the expedition is the largest that has ever been assembled for investigations in Polar regions, and it will carry out a great deal of work of a character that has not been attempted before. The expeditions that have penetrated the high latitudes of the north have always had one definite object, to which evervthing else was, made subordinate, and * although a great deal of valuable scientific work was done in connection with the last two British expeditions to the Antarctic the plans of the Terra Nova expedition will be oh a much greater scale. Dr E. L. Atkinson explained this morning. that his investigations into the bacteriology and parasitology of the Antarctic would be virtually a new undertaking. A certain amount of work of that class had been done by the Discovery and Nimrod expeditions, but neither had brought back many results. A number of worms had been studied, but only a few species had been described. One new species was found during the Discovery's expedition. " We know," said Dr Atkinson, " that bacteria and parasites exist in the Antarctic, and I hope to be able to ascertain something of their character. The blood and intestinal parasites of the fauna will be the subject of special study, and very careful investigations will be made with a view to discovering distinctive characteristics attributable to the adaptation of these organisms to the excessive cold. The transmission of parasitisms from bird to bird and seal to seal will also be studied, and if I find that there is such a change of these microorganisms the methods and nature of the transmission will be investigated." The summer months, Dr Atkinson explained, would be devoted to the collection of material for examination during the winter months, and he anticipated that he would be able to find sufficient! material to occupy a great deal of time after the expedition returned. " Bacterial organisms," he added, " have been found in the Antarctic, and it is only a question of collecting and classifying them." Dr Atkinson has made a special study of micro-photography, but he said that he would not rely very much on the assistance that photographic work would afford. Before the Terra Nova left London some additions were made to her deck fittings. These included a small deck house divided into four laboratories erected on the port side of the poop. Externally the little structure is wondrous neat and clean, with its white paint and bright brass fittings. Farthest' forward is the zoologists' laboratory, adjoining it the ornithologists' and the physicists' laboratories, and the fourth is the special domain of the photographers of the expedition. The biological work of the expedition will be in the hands of two enthusiastic young scientists--Messrs E. W. Nelson, who will be attached to the western party, and D. G. Lillie, who will continue on board the Terra Nova after the shore party has been left at the expedition's base, and who will conduct the biological work to be done by the ship after she has returned to Lyttelton for stores. Mr Nelson, who has been engaged for the past three years in the Plymouth Biological Laboratory in connection with the fishery investigations in the English Channel, explained to a reporter the nature of the work that he hoped to :e able to successfully accomplish in the south. In connection with the recent Antarctic expeditions, he said that as the scientific men were in the position of Dioneers they had been unable to do any specialising. They had had to take everything that they found, and were unable to pick and choose or follow any particular line of investigation. The scientific men with the previous expeditions having done this pioneer work and having obtained a general idea of the fauna of the Antarctic regions, it was now possible for the scientific men with Captain Scott's expedition to devote attention to special phases of different subjects to be investigated. The biologists, for instance, would be able to concentrate on the important and special departments of the study of the living creatures that inhabit the Antarctic and the surrounding seas, and would be able to select the best specimens for preservation or examination. He himself desired to specialise in the microscopic life in the sea. At the same time he hoped to carry out an investigation into the conditions under which life exists in the ocean. Some Antarctic creatures showed a modification of well-known organs, and it would be bis endeavour to attempt to ascertain what caused such modification. The effect of the long Antarctic darkness upon life, especially vegetable life, was another problem that he hoped to attempt to solve, and in doing so he would probably get some indication <>f the cause of the modification of well-known organs already referred to. The great difficulty that was experienced by Mr Hodgson, the biologist with the Discovery expedition, was that when he took specimens of life from the Antarctic seas they became *»n*o» immediately they

weTe taken from the water. Mr Nelson said that he intended to attempt to get his ocean biological specimens in an unfrozen condition, and to attain that end he proposed using Thermos flasks. This method had not been tried before, and he could not, of course, say whether or not it would be successful. With the aid of a. specially devised instrument he was hopeful that he would be able to get records of the temperature of the ocean at different depths. It was also hoped that the water from the sea could be got and conveyed to the expedition's base and analysed in an unfrozen condition. Regarding the instruments generally, he said that the expedition possessed a complete equipment designed for biological work. The class of instruments on board had been evolved from the experience ■aine-d by the international frsneries investigation". Captain Scott had been extremely generous in allowing the biologists to have a good collection of instruments, and they had taken the opportunity to provide themselves with every- . hing in reason. Mr Nelson added that the present would be his first experience of polar expeditions. Of the fisheries investigations in which he has been engaged during the last three years he spoke with much enthusiasm, and said on ins return from the Antarctic and after he had completed his portion of the biological work of the expedition, which would have to be done in England, he would return to the. fisheries investigation work. Dr Wilson was asked on the Terra Nova if it was true that the scientists expected or hoped to find gold in the Antarctic. He laughed and said: "I don't know that there is any reason to expect that gold deposits exist there. I don't know why they should be there anv_ more than in any other part of the world. Some people seem to think tihat because there are masses of bare rocks and hard toil, and because the land is desolate and forbidding, thei-e must necessarily be gold. I know that the western party, to which I will be attached, does not expect to find gold. We will be muoh more pleased if we discover some fcssils or a fresh parasite or something else that will add to the world's knowledge of the Antarctic continent." Of the Terra Nova, Lieutenant Evans speaks in terms of warm praise. He says she could not be bettered for the work in hand, and is a marked improvement on the Morning and Nimrod, and to a less extent on the Discovery, particularly in the matter of acommodation. She behaves well under steam and sail. The vessel will be docked next week to have her bottom cleaned, and then there will be little room for complaint. Lieutenant Evans adds : "The stores are in right order oh board, and very little time will be lost on that account, and practically the only work to be done here is to get fresh supplies aboard and straighten up generally. Dr Wilson, head of the scientific staff, says that he expects the expedition to do great work. As each day brings him nearer to the Antarctic his enthusiasm grows. He speaks most hopefully of the prospects of both land parties and of the Terra Nova. While she is operating independently the work will follow the lines of H.M.S. Challenger's expedition very closely in many respects. Dr Wilson has high praise for every member of the scientific staff, and says the equipment is complete, and thoroughly up to date. CAPTAIN SCOTT'S MOVEMENTS. WELLINGTON, October 28. Captain Scott, R.N., leader of the expedition, was entertained by a number of local scientific men at luncheon at the Wellington Club*to-day. He 'eft for Lyt telton this evening. CAPTAIN SCOTT IN CHRISTCHURCH. CHRISTCHURCH, October 30. At the civic reception to Captain- Scott, who arrived in Christchurch from Wellington on Saturday, the Church was represented by Bishop Grimes and Dean Harper, science by members of the Philosophical Institute, the City Council by the Mayor and several city councillors, and the Harbour Board by its secretary (Mr Hood Williams). There was more than a sprinkling of ladies, and the general public was also well represented. The Mayor referred to the great interest felt by the people of Canterbury in the work of the expedition, and assure<L-Cap-tain Scott that he felt certain ever his requirements in the way equipment the people of Canterbury would be found ready to do their best to supply him. Mr R. M. Laing, president of the Philosophical Institute, dwelt on the interest which scientists felt in the results of the expedition, which he trusted would be found to add greatly to sum of human knowledge. Bishop Grimes, in a brightly enthusiastic and eloquent speech, expressed the pleasure the people of Christchurch felt at again renewing their acquaintance with Captain Scott, and their recognition of the bravery and indomitable jiluck which characterised him. " I believe," said his Lordship, "that if ther-s is any man on earth who can reach the Pole Captain Scott is the man." Captain Scott, who was loudly cheered, dwelt in his reply on the extreme pleasure with which thos>3 who had been with him in yens before found themselves once more in Christchurch, welcomed by both the warm sunshine and the hospitality of the prople. Speaking as a friend to friends. Captain Scott emphasised the fact that every minute of their time during their stay would be fully occupied in planning for the work before them and testing their equipment. " I feel sure," said Captain Scott, as it were to members of his own family, "I shall not be misunderstood by our very good friend.s here when I say that we want to be let alone to go about our business." He dwelt at some length on the great pleasm-e it gave him and the members of the expedition to receive, as they did. su\ hnaxtv a wel-

come from everyone, a.nd to be made to feel quite at home. A high meed of praise was accorded by Captain Scott to the Hon. Sir Charles "Bo wen," on whose suggestion it was that Lyttelton was first selected as the base of the pioneer Antarctic expedition, a suggestion which had resulted in all following expeditions also selecting Lyttelton. "Let me say," said Captain Scott, "that in no part of the Empire is so keen an interest felt in the work of the expedition as in New Zealand. That is proved by the generosity of the Government in giving the munificent sum of £IOOO, an amount which, I feel sure I am safe in saying, will be doubled by private donations." A local firm has given, free of cost, offices in the city for the use of the expedition. Regarding the Terra Nova calling at Port Chalmers on her way to the Antarctic, nothing has yet been definitely decided, but it is probable she will do sa in order to top-off her coaling, all stores and coal to be taken aboard at Lytteiton. A start has been made to unload the Terra Nova, which will be docked on Wednesday or Thursday. In the meanr <3me, huts will be temporarily erected on the reclaimed land at Lyttelton. Considerable surprise is expressed by those interested in tlie movements of the Terra Nova and by shipping people that no report of her having passed the signal station at the Bluff, last Tuesday was telegraphed to Lyttelton or Christ-church. The Terra .Nova, when coming through Foveaux Strait, went out of her course and stood in sufficiently close to exchange signals with the station at the Bluff at about 1.30 p.m. last Tuesday. About two hours were lost through this alteration of her course and the stoppage for signalling, but, although the Terra. Nova hoisted her signal letters and asked to be reported "all well," no report was received frouf the Bluff. CAPTAIN SCOTT'S EXPEDITION. PREPARATIONS AT LYTTELTON. CHRISTCHURCH, October 31. The work of discharging the stores" and gear from the Terra Nova started at 8 o'clock this morning, and the decks of the ship presented a very busy scene. A large quantity of stores were got up from the main hatch and stacked on the decks for the time being in order that the timber and other material for the huts to be erected at the. Antarctic bases might be discharged into trucks. ■ Every section and joist and board for the huts is cut and jointed and numbered in readiness for,erecting with the least possible delay and trouble. The amount of timber used in the construction of the two huts is surprisingly large, and completely filled five railway trucks. The material is to be placed on the reclaimed land at Officers' Point, and the huts and the observatory will be temporarily erected there to give the men practice in putting them together, and to ensure that everything fits well. A large quantity of ropa and spare gear belonging to the ship, which will not be required during the Antarctic voyage, has been stored in a corner of the Harbour Board's shed. The whole of the landing party's store* and equipment will be discharged and

stored in the shed while the vessel is in dock, and everything is being got in readiness to place the ship in dry dock on Thursday next. Evidence of the keenness of both officers and men. and the feeling of good comrades*hip which exists was given this morning, when several of the officers stripped to their singlets and worked with the sailors and shore stevedores in the ship's hold, breaking out cases and passing up the timber for the huts. The morning was exceedingly sultry, but all hands worked strenuously, and the officers vied with the men in pushing ahead with the work, two ot three of the officers, grimy and perspiring, working in the hot shed stacking away cases and bales of goods as they came ashore. " I was exceedingly pleased with both horses and dogs. They are the finest set of animals ever rat together, certainly, for South Polar work." Such was Captain Scott's opinion expressed to a Press representative, after inspecting the expedition's animals on Quail Island. Since they took up their residence on the island the ponies and horses have put on condition and are looking fit and ready for the work before them.