Putnam patriot., 1912-04-12

they IOOttN Nlen NdtiANtA1 tAVAA NilAS camp. The men had great difficulty ir crossing the huge barrier pressure ridges in the dim noon twilight to reach the rookery. They were sue eessful at a second attempt They found comparatively few birds at the rookery. but these had begun to lay even at this early date. Fortunately some eggs at different stages of de- velopment were secured. which should give considerable information con eerning the embryology of this inter- esting bird.
 The same night violent gale com menced and the ridge proved made quate shelter from the hurricane gusts which whirled down on the hut A tent and other carefully secured ard- cles were blown away, and after straining for fourteen hours the roof of the hut flew to ribbons. For thirty hours more the travellers were con fined in their frozen sleeping beds, half buried beneath snow and rock debris. Forty-eight hours elapsed be- fore the wind decreased anu they were fortunate in finding the missing tent among some morainic boulders, prac- tically uninjured.
 On September first Meares and Mimintri, with dog teams, made their headquarters at Hut Point, the dogs leaving for that depot in splendid far,,, Al intarvolo cfuca pur arrival however, some obscure disease has robbed us of four excellent dogs In every case the dog attacked appeared vigorously healthy. but died in a few hours. It is thought the cause may be some minute thread worm entering the brain.
 First Antarctic Telephone Line.
 At the end of the month telephone communication was established with Hut Point through fifteen miles of bare wire. This telephone has already proved extremely useful for reporting the movement of parties, pending changes of weather. Lieut. Evans, Gran, and Forde travelled to Corner Camp to rebuild cairns. They expert enced temperatures between minus sixty and seventy, and Forde's hands were badly frost-bitten, but are now recovering rapidly.
 With Bowes. Simpson and Petty Off eer Evans, travelled west on Sept 15. Ascending Ferrar Glacier we found by stakes planted by Wright that the ice stream had moved thirty feet in seven months. Later. forty five miles north west of our station, we found part of the glacier tongue broken in March, with the forage depot left by Campbell intact Owing to work at the station and the need of increasing exercise for the ponies, we have been unable to undertake further Spring journeys.
 The western geological party. con sisting of Taylor, Debenham, Gran and Forde, delayed by Forde's accident, will leave in a few days for Granite Harbor.
 Start Delayed to Save Ponies.
 All plans and preparations for the southern journey are now complete and, despite the accident of last sea son, We have great hope of success. The necessity of getting the utmost out of our remaining ponies has decid- ed me not to expose them to great cold. We shall, therefore, start later than originally intended.
 The motor sledge party consisting of Lieut.. Evans. Bay. Lashley, and Hooper, started five days ago, with two motor sledges dragging fuel and forage The motors experienced un expected difficulty on sea ice where 1t was very thinly covered with snow but were last seen going well on the surface of the barrier beyond the base camp of last season. They have, there fore placed the possibilities of motor traction beyond question.
 The pony party. consisting Of my self. with Wilson, Oates. Bowers, Cher ry. Gerard, Atkinson, Wright, Evans, Crean and Keohane. will start about November l. Independently of the success of the motors, ponies will be worked with light loads in easy marches to 0ne-Ton Camp, and with such pressure as necessary thereafter Dog teams stating will rejoin Us at One-Ton Camp and help to advance loads. By these means we hope to gel thirty units of food to the foot ol Beardmore Glacier, a unit being 8 weeks provision for four men. Then with three divisions of four men and twenty-one units of provisions, hope to extend the advance to the required distance if the weather conditions are not wholly unfayorable.
 Of the ten remaining ponies one is unreliable and one doubtful. the re mainder being in very fine form. Off cers and men are in splendid health and eager to go forward. Owing to my decision to postpone, there is an obyi- ous chance that the mott advanced southerly party will be unable to catch the Terra Nova before she IS forced to quit the Sound. Under these con ditions, having regard to important scientific work done and facilities Of fered for further work. have decided to maintain the station for second year. The majority of the shore party will probably remain but details depend upon the date of our re- turning from our journey, on home news. and the extent of fresh trans port provided. I shall greatly regret the departure Of any member, as we have lived in the happfest social ac- cord. Pointing probably returns with large batch of photographic material, to which a second year might add ht- tie of importance. Owing to Ponting, the photographic results Of the expedi- tion are most remarkable series Of cinematograph pictures, giving a comprehensive record of our polar life