MAWSON'S EXPEDITION

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16958, 23 May 1929, Page 8

MAWSON'S EXPEDITION

DUCHESS ON DISCOVERY DINNER TO SIR DOUGLAS LONDON, May 6. Sir Douglas Mawson, the Australian explorer who will lead an expedition to the Antarctic, towards the end of the year, conducted a party, consisting of the Duke and Duchess of York, Prince George, tbo Secretary for the nonunions, Air. L. S. Amery, Sir Granville Ryrie, and Vilhjalniar Stefansson, on a tour of inspection of the expedition ship Discovery. Very remote from the calm and peace of sunny Loudon did the Antarctic seem, with its perils and vast wastes of snow and ice, hill- Ihe Duchess was observed to shiver as she visualised the hardships through which the explorers must pass. "Will you really be. able to stand the intense coldT" asked the Duchess, handling a warm blanket Sir Douglas laughed; and invited her to glance at the wool and camel-hair clothing, wolf-skin gloves, and boots made from the skull of reindeer. .lie explained that the fur covering of the skull spreads in all directions, enabling the feet to grip the snow and ice. The Duchess displayed the explorer's spirit, of adventure, and tasted pemmiean. a composition of fat and dried beef, which will form the explorers' staple diet away from the ship. Sir Douglas 'explained that the Discovery was carrvinir 40 tons of stores, chiefly British, "which will be supplemented by seal and penguin. Sir Douglas proposes to carry two miget-type aeroplanes and to replace lifeboats bv motor-boats. He does not intend tak'ing dogs, as he will not be doing much long sledging. lfiffiv participants in former Arctic expeditions gave a dinner to Sir Douglas at'the Cafe Royal, on the eve of his departure for Australia. Engineer ViceAdmiral R, W. Skelton, who was a member oS Captain Scott's first expedition, presided. The guests represented ]3 Polar exoeditions, commencing in 1899. and included Sir Hubert Wilkins. Captain .1. K. Davis and Mr. Herbert Cr. Pontine-.