PATER’S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3624, 28 August 1923, Page 60

PATER’S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

IF: A PARODY. In “Shackleton’s Last Voyage: The (Story of the Quest” Commander Frank Wild quotes this amusing parody of iluyyard Kipling’s “If,” by Mr Hussey, the meteorologist of the expedition, inspired by the consistent misbehavour ot the Quest at sea : If you can stand the Quest and all her antics, If you can go without a cifink tor weeks, v If vou can smile a smile and say, How topping 1” - When someone splashes paint across your breeks; If you can work like V ilcl and then, like Wuzzle, Spend a convivial night with some old bean, 4md then come down and meet the Doss at breakfast, And never breathe a word of where you've been; If vou can keep your feet when all about you Are turning somersaults upon the deck, And then go up aloft when no one told you, And" not fall down and break your blooming neck; If vou can fill the port and starboard hunkers With fourteen tons of coal and call it fun, Yours is the ship and everything that s on it, Coz you’re a marvel, not a man, cid sou. Shackleton (the Doss referred to in these verses) had Kipling’s lines inscribed on a brass plate in front of the bridge of the Quest. “Wuzzles” is the nickname of a member of the expedition. » * * * * FILMING AN ECLIPSE. How immense an amount of work was involved in photographing the sun to test the Einstein theory is shown by the film, “The Sun Worshippers," witnessed privately in London recently by many eminent astronomers. this film is the official record of the international expedition headed by Professor Campbell and the Lick Observatory party to the wilds of North-west Australia in September last (says the Daily Chronicle). Sir F. W. Dvson, the , Astronomer Royal, said that astronomers knew the difficulty in photographing an (eclipse. They now knew that the filming difficulties were even greater. “I was astonished,” he said, “to know that an aeroplane was flving once a week from Perth to Wallal to'keep the expedition in touch with the outside world. Although there is no money in astronomy there is satisfaction in getting ahead of scientific competitors, and the Australian film is one of which the organisers may feel proud.” In spite of immense dust clouds, the film successfully depicts the elaborate scientific preparations. The transport had to moor five miles from shore owing to the great tides, and whaleboats landed the apparatus on Wallal beach. There the native women helped in the camping, and a wireless plant was installed. A 40ft camera was built, and all instruments were placed under canvas to protect them from wind. Close to the Crocker expedition the Canadians built a 15ft camera, and the Indian party erected their instruments. Motion pictures are shown of the actual eclipse. As the mooii advanced across the face of the sun the sea turned a lurid red colour, the magnificent streaming corona became visible, and the aboriginals held “corroborees.” Painted in horrible designs, they danced round the fires they had built as a sacrifice to the sun-god, believing that the world was coming to an end. Meanwhile, the astronomers, who had been drilling in their parts for weeks, worked frantically to secure successtul photos Settlers' travelled hundreds of miles to see the eclipse photographed. ■x * * * # THE ADAPTABLE CHINESE. The visit of the Chinese football team to Australia has opened lhe eyes of thousands, as perhaps nothing else could, to the adaptability of the Chinese character. It is hardly too much to say that w T hat the Oriental seeks to accomplish he will accomplish. It is estimated that there are now probably more ardent devotees of football in China than in Australasia. Amid the old-world surroundings of many a Chinese village (says a writer familiar with thi East) it is a common sight to see youths by the dozen getting as much fun out of a well-worn old ball, patched and showing signs of the many battles through which it has passed, as Ciieir more fortunate Australian brothers, who can get the most up to-date sporting equipment. Football was introduced into China by the European residents and by the many Chinese students who have in past years gone to England and America to be educated Its spread was first among the colleges and universities, and since then the craze for kicking the leather ball has spread through all the classes in the land. In the agricultural districts, where the land is flooded for growing rice, the game is played by young enthusiasts on the small ground in the centre of the villages which is usually reserved for thrashing the rice and drying vegetables of various kinds. It is a sight worth seeing when these youngsters, who are taking to “foreign” ways and pleasures, flock from the fields, where they have been working all day, and snatch the last few remaining minutes of light to have a short game.

Boots are considered superfluous —besides, they are much too expensive, and are only worn by the wealthy. The bare feet that have served them for many a rough-and-tumble are good enough. The god of sport is gradually permeating the walls of medievalism which surrounds China, and is doing much to overcome the prejudice against all innovations. The most important aspect is, however, that it is breeding in the Chinese people an enthusiasm which was entirely lacking. It is not good form—or v is not —to show any enthusiasm, or any emotion for anything. If one’s wife is dying the correct thing to do is to appear mildly interested; never grief-stricken. If a wealthy uncle dies and leaves one a fortune tire correct thing to do is to make pious remarks concerning his good works when alive, and express extravagant hopes for the hereafter of his soul. To jump up in the air and v/hcop with joy would mean social ostracism. So it was with the sport until the Chinese people learned that there was something fine in real sport, not the professional substitute. The older and more conservative people took to watching the rising generation in its new-fangled pleasures ; began to look with toleration, even approval. That was the thin edge of the wedge. Now China can take her place among the sporting nations. She carried off many honours in the bar Eastern Olympic Games in 1921, competing against Japan and the Philippines, and enthussiasm is no longer regarded as infra dig. To see real enthusiasm one should see intercollegiate games of baseball, basket ball, football, and tennis- “ Better than all-the propaganda in the world is this visit of a Chinese team to Australia,” says an Australian writer. Not one of the 40,000 spectators who saw 11 clean-limbed youngsters take the field for their country, but has changed his opinion of the whole Chinese vace. Many onlookers went to the match with an amused toleration; some even going so far as to resent the fact that Chinese were seriously considering the possibility of beating a team of Australians. Xo amount of talking would ever have convinced these same people that Chinese could play football, or that they were even worthy to play against white men. The match has done ao. These boys from China have shown that they can put up a good, clean fight in the open field.

It may be said that they are the best advertisements for their country that have ever appeared in Australia.