SCOTT EXPEDITION NOTES

Southland Times, Issue 17010, 6 April 1912, Page 5

SCOTT EXPEDITION NOTES

f.TP. ITTEUAHT EVANS

MAKIXG GOOD PROGRESS,

WILL BE ABOUT AGAIX SOOX.

Lieutenant Evans, who was attacked by scurvy, and who was confined to his cabin on the voyage to Xew Zealand, was taken to the residence of his father-in-law, Mr T. G. Russell, in Papanui, on Wednesday. He was not allowed out of his cabin until two days before the vessel reached Akaroa, but lie was able to walk a little, and it is expected that he will be about again soon. He was attacked on the way back to Corner Camp after leaving Captain Scott to make the southern journey. His constitution had been broken down by the hardships he had experienced while doing survey work. He had bad luck with his motors, which broke down, and lie had to depend upon human haulage. At the time, he was on the ordinary rations —seal meat, pemmican and biscuit. While he was out on the surveying work Lieutenant Evans kept a meteorological diary, to help Hi .Simpson in !iis investigations. In the interviews yesterday, Dr Simpson showed tliis to the reporters, it Is kept in an exemplary way, but in the last entry, made on February 9. instead of the figures in the columns, there are tho words; "Last entry. Observer too bad with scurvy lo continue observations. Sorry." On two other dales, January 19 and 22, there are no figures in the columns, and the words have been inserted; "Too snow-blind to observe.” A TOUGH OLD WHALER. HISTORY OF Til Id TERRA XOVA. The auxiliary steamer which I’aptain Scott chose for his expedition to the South Polar regions was the old Terra .Vova, the same old whaler which carried relief to the Discovery expedition in 19ns. The Terra Xnva was built in Dundee in 1884. and is regarded a'-, the largest and strongest of the old Scottish whalers. She is IST ft. in length and 31 V2 ft. in beam—that is to say, 15 ft. longer, hut lb ft. narrower, than the Discovery. She is quite a famous ship in the Greenland trade, hut on account of the decline of whaling during the last few years she has generally been engaged in sealing out of St. John’s. Xewfoundland. It was in 1903 that the Admiralty purchased the Terra Xovn Cor the relief of the Discovery. She wits specially .strengthened for the work, and carried it out in the most satisfactory manner. After returning to England she was sold mu bv the Admiralty,

peared again in the role of an exploring ship, this time Jn relief. Qt the American Ziebler expedition, which had been cut off by an exceptionally severe winter in Franz Joseph Land. The relief expedition sent out in 1904 had been driven back, and Mr Fiala and his men, who had lost their own ship, the America, were in rather a bad pass. The Terra Nova rescued them.

The necessity of a larger ship than his own Discovery or Shackleton’s Nimrod arose from the fact that Capt. Scott could only hope to exceed Shackleton’s farthest south by having more men and an all-round bigger equipment. Further, the expedition had to maintain two bases for the purpose of scientific work and exploration, and both had to be equipped in such a way that the results obtained would be absolutely beyond reproach from the scientific point of view. The Terra Nova has auxiliary engines, and wherever possible she can proceed under sail and save her coal. She was bought, but is not yet paid for. This arrangement lias been found possible through tlie interest which the vendors, Messrs Bowring Bros., of St. John’s, Newfoundland, are taking in the expedition.’

The Terra Nova was secured on very reasonable terms, and the Liverpool and London directors promised a.donation of £SOO to the expedition fund. The brokers, too. Messrs David Bruce and Son, promised to make a donation of about £IOO out of their commission. Captain Scott was particularly pleased that the expedition sailed in a vessel which is British-built and British-owned. SAD TATE OF “KTCrQBB.” ADVENTUROUS CAREER CUT SHORT. ■When the officers of the Terra Nov* who landed at Akaroa reported “all well” they were guilty of a most reprehensible perversion of the truth. A most important member of the expedition perished miserably on the journey from Antarctica to New Zealand, in the person of "Nigger,” the small but highlyaccomplished black cat who so long and ably officiated as mascotte of the ship. "Nigger” was acquired in Portsmouth, prior to the Terra Nova's voyage south with the members of Captain Scott’a expedition. His adventures started before the vessel left England, for an elderly lady of determined mien appeared on board the Terra Nova, just prior to her departure, with a large basket. She obtained possession of “Nigger,” and was about to bear him off in triumph, when site was detected in the act. She asserted that a member of the crew had given her the kitten, but she was politely and firmly informed that the small feline was the property of the ship and was not in the bequest of any individual member. “Nigger” was restored to his friends of the forecastle and duly made his appearance in Lyttelton, Although but a young- and inexperienced cat, in the days of his kittenhood, in fact, his education had not been neglected. He had been taught to leap and to beg and to perform other Ingenious and amusing feats which endeared him to all beholders. He took to a seafaring life like niggers take to watermelons, and proved himself a staunch and fearless sailor. On the first voyage south he distinguished himself in an unusual manner. Some of the crew were at work aloft, and “Nigger,” hearing them talking, and feeling lonely, promptly scrambled up the rigging and joined them on the fore top-s’l yard or some such inaccessible place. Then one day, in a gale, he was washed overboard. The cry of "Nigger over-board,” was immediately raised, and according to Lieutenant Pennell, who is, a man not given to hyperbole, there was more excitement than if the name of any other individual on board had been mentioned. The ship was stopped, a lifeboat was lowered, and “Nigger,” swimming valiantly, was rescued after an immersion of twelve minutes, to the great relief of everybody on board. He was none the worse for his misadventure, and comported himself all the more gallantly thereafter. But on the voyage back to Lyttelton just completed “Nigger” disappeared from human ken. He was missed after'a heavy gale, and though facetious officers declare that he is probably swimming yet, there is little doubt'that he lias gone to Davy Jones’s locker. He \Vas beautiful and pleasant In his life, and-in his death he is not forgotten.