Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-06-15

ward journey our provisions ran out,
and for a week or ten days we existed
on three ships biscuits day EACH"
What Of the dogs, Mr.. Bernacchi?"
The dogs had been killed long before.
You see, dogs can only go so far. They
give you good start, as 1t were, when
making a sledge journey across the ice.
You travel in a north, south, east or
westerly direction, as the case may be,
and as you proceed on your journey you
establish food depots, where you leave
provisions for the return journey. At
ter time, however, the stamina Of the
dogs runs out. The time comes when
they can hardly drag their bodies over
the snow. Then they are killed for
food, and the party harness them
selves to the sledges.
1T was in order to overcome this
great difficulty of making long sledge
journeys from the vessel or winter base
that Lieut., Shackleton employed Man
churian ponies, which appear to have
been q great success, while DR.. Char
cot, who Is trying to reach the South
Pole from the Patagonian sides Of the
Antarctic, is employing motor sledges."
Thanks to modern science, 1 sup
pose, Mr.. Bernacchi, an Antarctic ex-
plorer would be able to carry much
food in condensed or tabloid form?"
mot so much as you might imagine.
The members of the Discovery expe-
dition existed mainly on pemmican, a
certain kind of dried flesh, while we
carried a great deal Of cocoa and sugar.
! Sugar is most essential. You are seiz-
ed nth strong craving for it %h':n
in that region of the world. Its warmth
giving properties make it most accept
able when you are living in an atmos-
phere which is considerably below zero.
Do we eat a great deal Of fat? No,
there is no more inclination to eat fat
than when at home, and the stories of
existing on whale blubber, etc., are
somewhat mythical. -
Talking about food, 1t may interest
YOU to learn that each man working
under Antarctic conditions requires at
least two and half pounds Of food a
day, on account of the enormous
amount of energy expended. II the
allowance is cut down merely by half
pound you are really starving your
SELF" .....
"The monotony of living for two
years amid ice and snow must be par
ticularly trying also?"
"Yes. In the Antarctic regions one
seems to be absolutely cut off from CIV
ilization. The dead silence, the still
ness, the presence Of no other living
thing are apt to get on ones nerves.
But stay! We did discover one living
thing namely, a little wingless insect,
known as the springtail The same in
sect Is to be found in South America,
seeming to show that at some date the
Antarctic continent extended to South
America and New Zealand, and had
been severed by terrific convulsion.'
1.-THE Southern Cross expedition was
the first, believe Mr. Bernacchi, to be
fitted out on modern lines for Antarctic
exploration"
THAT is so It was the first to throw
light on the climatic, biological and
meteorological conditions Of the south
and paved the way, so to speak, for
other expeditions. 1t Is curious fact,
by the way, that one Of the closest
shaves we experienced while on the
Southern Cross expedition was when
myself and three other members of the
party narrowly escaped death by sur
location. We were living in hut, spe-
cially built to keep out the cold. One
night we retired to our hunks about IL
o'clock, leaving some burning Goals In
the stove. The wind changed in direc-
ton during the night, blowing down
the fiue of the stove and filling the room
with fumes from the red hot Goals.
We were nearly asphyxiated, and only
by a great effort did manage to stag
ger over to the door and throw 1t Open"
Il suppose, Mr.. Bernacchi, that
Lieut.. Shackleton having got so near
the South Pole there is little more to
explore in Antarctic regions?"
"Only a matter Of about 100000
square miles," replied Mr.. Bernacchi,
with a smile. There is still great
deal to be done in order to complete
our knowledge of the Antarctic regions.
Lieut.. Shackleton is one of the pluck
lest fellows living, and his great dis
covery will always be remembered as
one of the wonders Of our wonderful
century."-Tit-Bits.