DR MAWSON'S EXPEDITION.

Southland Times, Issue 17002, 28 March 1912, Page 2

DR MAWSON'S EXPEDITION.

ZHTBBESTZWO ZMPKESBZOKB. WORK ON THE ICE. In an interesting letter to the editor of the Bluff “Press” Dr L, H. Whetter (surgeon to Dr Mawson’s expedition to the South Magnetic Pole) gives some idea of the work of the party and what the members have to undergo. The party went down to the Ice Barrier last November, calling at Macquarie Island en route where the wireless party was’ left. It was anticipated that the party would be absent about eighteen months or two years. Dr Whetter’s first com-

munication was headed “Somewhere about 70 deg. S. and 140 deg. E.,” while his second was from “Commonwealth Bay, Mawson’s Land (S.E. of Adelle Land).’’ January 7, 1912. All well so far, and as fit as fiddles. We had a very rough passage down an<J part of the bridge was carried away by the sea. We are at present somewhere to the East of Adelle Land, taking shelter under an ice barrier. We have discovered several Islands and a mainland. There have been several minor accidents to the men but nothing serious. The dynamo for the wireless was being hauled up a cliff at Macquarie Island by an endless rope when it got loose and fell down the cliff. We do not yet know whether it will be possible to mend it. So we do not know whether there will be wireless communication after all. We will probably be back sooner than expected as we have done a good deal of work so far.

Hamilton (Dunedin) and six others were left at Macquarie Island w r lth the wireless apparatus. I am with the first party under Mawson. We got on the rocks during a blow after we left Macquarie Island, but got off again all right. We were several days getting through the pack-ice, taut got througn without very much trouble. The colours in the icebergs are superb. We have two artists with us. Everything is Intensely interesting down here, I had a wash on Christmas Day—the first for three weeks! The food Is pretty good, and there is plenty of clothing. We will establish our winter quarters somewhere In this neighbourhood. I Jiave not been seasick, but the ship is rolling and pitching all over the place so cannqt write copperplate. Am a wealthy man down here—l have’3d In my pocket which I got out of a Christmas pudding. Threepence here is as much use as £IOO would be. We have seen plenty of seals and whales. Four of the dogs have died. The Aveather is warm at present. We have had plenty of enow but it does not wet one. Notwithstanding the bad weather we keep ourselves lively. There Is generally a sing-song at night. We have a piano on the ship, one of the boys plays it well. We have watches on deck of four hours each. There is plenty of tobacco supplied. I am taking some photos, but I understand that each member is going to get a complete set of the photos taken. We will probably be landing tomorrow. The huts are roomy and lit by acetylene gas. I shall be doing some ski-ing with Dr Metz, who is the champion of Switzerland. January 19, 1912.

We have fixed our main base here, and lam staying here with Mawson. We have discovered new land here east of Adelie Land. Everything was run ashore without any accidents although we had four blizzards during the landing. The wireless expert thinks he can get the wireless to work all right, but It Will bo winter before we have It fitted up. Everybody Is well and In the best of health. Our hut Is In a very sheltered cove, to the lee of come Islands wdiich have been called the Mackeller Islands. We have built a temporary hut of kerosene boxes until we get our main hut built. We will have to blast out a foundation as the, ground is frozen. The ship could only get about a mile from the shore. Everything had to be carried in by the launch and whale-boats and then sledged up an ice-hill to the site of the hut. It was great fun tobogganing dowm the hill again on the empty sledges. The landing of stores has been much hampered by blizzards. We have had a blizzard off and on, more or less for a week. One night tbe force of the wind reached. 95 miles per hour. Wo have just landed the dogs, and the last boat load is just going off. Several cinematograph view's are taken by the expert of the landing. He is sending them to Australia where they will be shown, perhaps in New Zealand also, before tbe Expedition returns. You w'ould hardly know me. I have a beard, and so you would hardly be able to pick me out. We are walking about with ice nails in our boots as it Is so slippery.

Watch the Australian papers for photos of the Expedition. Everybody was wearing green glasses yesterday as the glare from the snow would cause snow-blindness if we were not careful. The two New Zealand members arc well. Don’t forget the newspapers—we miss them. I have been sleeping ashore the last two nights. T have a little green tent and a reindeer sleeping bag which is beautifully warm. Wo are only landing two parties. No. 1 where I api is a combined party of No. I (Mawson's party) and No. 111. The No. II (Wild s) party is to go on West and be landed some hundreds of miles further on. The shortage of coal on the ships owing to the blizzards necessitated the dropping out of the third party. We have eighteen at our base and two teams of dogs, also a whaleboat and a motor sledge. We are all to learn to run on skis as the ground is suitable. There arc thousands of penguins and seals and sea leopards around our winter quarters. We have tons and tons of coal in briquettes and tins on tins of benzine. We have enough stores for three years or so, and then we can live on seals, but we will be back all right next year.

The sunsets and sunrises here are one and the same thing and last all night. The colours arc wonderful. If anybody painted them he would be voted mad. We have a hand organ, a gramophone, and a library of books —a telescope, and all sorts of instruments. We shall probably go to Hobart or Adelaide on return.