SIX MONTHS IN AN INGLOO.

Colonist, Volume LV, Issue 13648, 13 February 1913, Page 5

SIX MONTHS IN AN INGLOO.

HARDSHIPS OF-THE NORTHERN part*:. W

LIEUTENANT CAMPBELL'S AC-

COUNT.

NEARLY ENDED IN ANOTHER

TRAGEDY;

fUnited Pjiess Association.]

:)' Chris.tchurch, Fob. 12. The Terra Nova berthed at Lyttolton at eleven o'clock this morning. . The crew are all \<cll.

A story of a journey which was brimful of'hardship.".;, privations, and which very nearly ewiied in auotiier tragedy, whs told by Lieutenant Campbell, who fed the Northern party. , Tho par.ty consisted of -Lieutenant Campbell, Surgv-on Levick, Mr. Priestly (geologist), seamen;'Abbott, Browning, and Dickason. . '■"

Returning from' their- journey tlio party,'reached Terra Nova Bay dn February- 16th. They anticipated that tho Terra Nova would bo there to meet them, tli© vessel being.expected there about tho 17th. On reaching Terra Nova Bay, howtvor, they found that iho vessel was not there, and, while they were keenly disappointed, they thought that the.Terra"Nova must havo encountered bad weather. It transpired, however, ■■ that it was r.ot bad weather hut unfavourable ice-, conditions that had prevented tlio vessel reaching Terra Nova Bay. Lieutenant Campbell and his party were now faced with a .journey over jcq of 200 miles to Gape Ev;tus,:but if,was impossible, to .undertake the -.journey at this time, as the sea was not properly frozen over.. "There'were- six r>f*us ia the party, and. we had tomako up our minds to winter there in a siwiv drifts JJ continued liieutimant Campbell. .'"inthe snow drift we cut an igloo, which wag to be our home for six months. We only had about a month's provisions, and .wo were not . suitably clothed to spend tho winter in an igloo, but there was nothing elso for it, and we proceeded to make tho bast of our position."

Continuing, Lieutent Campbell said that they decided to kill as muuy seals . &c, possible, and- during their stay hero tlio party secured 17 seals. . "Was that all the seals you caught?"asked a pressman. "Well/ answered, Lieutenant Gampboll, with a smile, '''you can get a lot of moaf off seventeen seals if you eat it carefully." The party vcro in absolute darkness in. tlh© ingloo but th&y 'succeeded in mak-. ing some lamps wrin the aid.bf seal blubber, and so ■uot^uuxi light to.1 brighten their surroundings. Then a small blubber stove was 'arranged, and this added to the corafoit of the men. At the connnencement of .thoir six months confinement in the i^loo tho members of the pruty A\ove supplied v:th one bi.-cuit n d?.y eoch, but tfio r.muM supply of bisf-ults "mom r-rn ont, ;i:'d for tho rroatcr portion '>Ft>~ -iirn t.i ir daily rrteals rouristcd of or. • unchanging meal eocwrod from s aln. 'J'l'O c mpany also ran out of their supply of tobacco, and this sorvod to odd to thoir discomforts. Asked how they managed l^pass tho six months in the i S loo_in t'^Miowdrift, Lieutenant Campuejl Miuhngly remarked: "By doop", and occasional sing songs." Ho also said .that some members of the party gave intewjstmg Tocturos on various «uT)jecte wbich eerv-* od to while arwav the long dark hours. Eventually tie winter came to m

owl, and they were ablo to leave their camp- 'oh Septomoor 30th for Cupe iKvans. Two of their mon —BfQwning and \Dickason —were ill when they loft, and for tho first few days they woro able to make only a few milps a day. 'Alter threo days Browning impioVed, ■but Diokason suffered longer, and during tho journey to Capo Evans ho had occasionally to'bs placed upon a slodgo. On. thoir way to the base the members of; the party made collections of geological specimens. At one spot they found,a smail depot of specimens'leit by Professor David, who .was with Sir Ernes!/ Shadkleton's oxppditjon. Tho remainder of tho journey was carried cTUt without further incident; and tho O*po Evans camp was, gained on November 7th. There bettor food, of viliieh ihey.had been so long deprived effected 'pi 'speedy restoration of theiricondition. Lieutenant Campbell mentioned ; thati u iiis own caso he piii on twx>"ston^ and soten pounds in a week, jumpihg fro"m" Ift stono to 12 stone 7 poiind.B.,1 - Other I members improved!; ...; ■ -- ; ; v Then Lioutonant Campbell paused in hia disoourso, and Commander,. Evans observed that one could have no cohception of tho hardships which Lieutenant Ciampboll and his companions had gone through. "It Us extraordinary tliat thoy over survived," ho said.'