El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-01-19
SCOTS ANTARCTIC
EXPEDITION IS
UNDER WAY
Fort Chalmers Is Last Port
Made Before Dash Into
Unexplored Area.
CBy T. S. Andrews.)

Dunedin, New ICELAND, Dec. Is
They're off for the south pole" That
would no doubt have been the Ameri-
can expression as the Terra Nova
moved out Of the harbor at Port Chal-
mers. a few miles down the bay from
this port, but the quiet-going Sotch
men and Englishmen Of this solid little
city only cheered and gave expression
to their feelings by waving flags and
wishing captain r. F. Scott and his
gallant crew OF IS men God speed and
a safe return
It was the last port Of call on the
voyage to the ice barriers and search
for the mystic pole. being really the
last port of any consequence in the
far south, as The Bluff is off the
course somewhat and only couple Of
hundred miles away.
The sight was an imposing one, and
many Of the people on the wharf shed
tears before bidding a final farewell,
but the members of the crew seemed
to take 1t in a matter Of fact way, and
were all business instead Of shedding
tears. If the officers of the. little
whaler felt sad at all they did not
show it. and captain Scott seemed the
most Gnconcerned of all
Many Bid Farewell.
The little hamlet of Port Chalmers
was crowded to OVERLOOKING and the
bay was filled with small craft Of all
kinds. also several big steamers All
the boats were gaily decorated and
two Of them fired salutes as the Terra
Nova steamed out Of the Heads. The
tug Plucky acted as pilot, while the
Lady Roberts acted as escort, all the
prominent city officials being aboard
the two boats. Many presents were
made to the crew as the Terra Nova
was putting out and the women hand
ed the men all kinds of keepsakes and
received in return souvenirs Of all de-
scriptions, taken from parts of the
whaler.
From this port to the ice barriers is
a distance Of 20e0 miles. The first
sight Of land viii be at Campbeli's
island. over 500 miles direct south. and
thence on TO the great ice wall From
this point the route southwark will be
the usual approach to the South Polar
regions. Leaving Cape Hudson the
Terra Nova will follow the course of
the discovery through Ross sea into
the supposed gulf which separates
King Edward VII land from Victoria
land. the great ice barrier being prob
ably encountered in q line west OF
Mounts Erebus and Terror. After this
there are alternative routes, but cap
tain Scott considers that in view Of
the -osibility Of these unexpIored
routes resulting in failure and that
expeditions from other nations are
making also for the south pole, it
would be wiser to push along the old
route, skirting as it were the coast of
Victoria land and up the Beardmore
glacier. There are to be two stations
One will consist of "A men located at
MMurdo sound, who will build a hut
and remain while the Terra Nova goes
on and establishes another base with
the men under Lieut.. Campbell, r. N,
500 miles east on King Edward VII
land. at the other extremity Of the
Great Barrier. The ship will then re-
turn to Dunedin or Lyttleton by way
Of Cape North, round to the west, and
along the shelf where the Antarctic
continent drops into deep water Cap
tain Scott hopes TO arrange for wire
less installation on the Terra Nova
when she returns 70 New Zealand, by
which time he hopes Marconi sta
ton may have been established at the
Bluff
It was Sir Ernest Shackleton, who
On his. last trip south. discovered the
one small pass leading up to the Beard
more glacier at a high altitude, and