The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1907-04-24

tude. .fortyseven degrees fifty-seven
minutes fifteen seconds west, and lati-
tude forty-seven degrees fifty-seven
twenty seconds south, longitude forty
seven degrees fifty-fve minutes fif-
teen seconds west. On the 9th third
island was sighted, which need not be
referred to-
The discrepancies in the various ac-
counts are very great, without taking
into account the variations in the pre-
sumed positions, which in longitude
amounts to one degree eleven minutes
which in those regions is equivalent
to forty-two miles. One suggestion is
that the two peaked islands seen by the
Atrevida must have been the Shag
Rocks, which lie almost in the same
| latitude, but with a difference of six
degrees of longitude-too large an err
ror to be considered, if it were not that
such errors have often occurred from
assuming different meridians.
In order to verify these accounts and
ascertain the exact position of the Au-
roras in the interests of navigation,
Captain Weddell, in 1920, made care
full search, and for five or six days
sailed to and fro in the region in
which they were supposed to lie, but
in Vain-not trace of the islands
could be discovered and although in
1856 the Helen Baird reported that in
latitude fifty-two degrees forty minutes
COlth ai oh
twenty minutes west, large and small
island were seen about eighteen miles
away, and subsequently two others to
the northward, the authorities have
| definitely concluded that there is not
sufficient satisfactory evidence for re-
tanning the name of the Aurora ISL
ands on the charts of the South At
lantic.
The illustration next reproduced
shows position of chart, dated 1880,
bearing the last reference to them be-
fore their official erasure The Ad-
miralty note reads: Aurora Islands,
from Spanish charts (Have no exist
ence)." Captain Weddell suggested
that ice drifting from the southwark
may have packed about the base of the
Shag Rocks, leaving only their peaks
showing above the snow and ice on
the south side, and so altering Their
appearance that they could not be rec
ognized and identified. Another theory
is that an extensive bank of irregular
soundings exists at point where
large kelp bed has been more than once
reported, and that immense icebergs,
grounding here, have been mistaken
for land
These bergs, it should be explained,
are frequently loaded with blocks of
stone, gravel, sand and mud, and have
at times been taken for islands by the
most practised Arctic and Antarctic
voyagers, who have not been convinced
of their true character until they had
approached very close, or have act
ually landed on them, If this hypoth-
esis is true it would account for the
discrepancies noticeable in the descrip-
ton of the shape, size and even the
number of the Aurora Islands. On the
other hand, Captain D. H. Hatfield, of
Liverpool, points out that at the sea-
son of the year when Captain Weddell's
ship reached these latitudes the real is
lands would have been covered with
ice and snow, and so, if sighted, would
have been taken for iceoergs by the
latter, as bergs are frequently met in
these seas at that time of the year,
and sometimes very much later, as will
appear in due course. Captain Hat
fields own account of his glimpse of
the Aurora Enthusiastically declared
to have no eXistence-is so explicit
and detailed that it raises the whole
question anew. But let me tell his
strange story as he told it to me.
1t was during the last days of May,
1892. when the Bristol barque Gladys,
owned by Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and
Co., of London, and commanded by
Captain D. II. Hatfield, left Iquique,
on the west coast of South America,
homeward bound. A little earlier there
had preceded her large four-masted
sailing ship of the Watson line, of
Glasgow, bound from San. Francisco to
Hamburg. This vessel never reached
her destination, but was last sighted
after she had rounded Cape Horn some
time previous to the arrival of the
Gladys in those waters.
After passing Cape Horn the Gladys
stood on an easterly course, hoping to
pick up the southeast trade wind. She
had reached the neighborhood of the
supposed position of the Aurora ISL
ands when, at daylight on Sunday
morning, the 2Gth of June, land was
reported ahead by the chief officer. On
going on deck Captain Hatfield saw
plainly enough what appeared to be
bold headland about twelve miles away,
somewhat resembling Cape Clear in
shape, but perhaps higher The ships
head was promptly brought as far
north as the wind would allow, which