The Springfield herald., 1912-04-12

in our winter hut, its arrangements
for lighting. heating, cooking and
ventilation proved eminently satisfac-
tory. A comfortable stable had been
built for the ponies and some shelter
improvised for the dogs during the
four winter months. The temperature
at the station was rarely below.
minus, 40 degrees, at lowest minus
90 degrees. The wind averaged 10
miles an hour, but sometimes blew
hard with the temperature minus ~
degrees Everyone was very fully
occupied with station and scientific
work, exercising animals, etc. A
series of lectures was organized and
football was played 20 within month
of mid-winter.
Frequent visits were made to Cape
Royds and Hut Point. The animals
steadily improved in condition. On
June 9th. middle winter, Wilson.
Bowers, Cherry and Gerard started
on sledge journey to Cape CroZier,
to observe the incubation of Emperor
Penguins at their rookery. Very heavy
surface on the barrier forced the
party to relay work during the main
part and fortnight was taken on the
| outward journey The temperature
was seIuom above minus 60 degrees
and often minus 20 degrees. the low
est observed with sling thermometer
being minus a degrees.
Behind land ridge on the slopes of
Mount Terror, the party spent three
| days building a stone hut on which
+! they rooted with canvas from this
camp. The men had great difficulty
| in crossing the huge barrier pressure
| ridges in the dim noon twilight to
reach the rookery. They were sue
| cessful at 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 We're secured which should
| give considerable information con
| cerning the embryology of this inter
| esting bird. The same night violent
gale commenced and the ridge proved
inadequate shelter from the hurri-
cane gusts which whirled down on
the hut. tent and other carefully
secured articles were blown away, and
after straining for IA hours the roof
of the hut flew to ribbons. For 80
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 and they
were able to get a meal. Searching
for lost articles they We're fortunate
in finding the missing tent among
some morainic boulders, practically
uninjured.
The state of their equipment now
forced them to turn homeward. on
the return journey they We're held for
two days by another storm after
which the temperature fell and re-
manned below minus 60 degrees. The
party returned after five days absence
incased in ice and suffering from
want of sleep but otherwise well.
On September first Meares and
Mimintri, with dog teams made their
headquarters at Hut Point the dogs
| leaving for that depot in splendid
form. At intervals since our 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 1t is thought the cause must
be some minute thread worm enter
ing the brain.
First Antarctic Telephone Line.
At the end of the month telephone
communication was established with
Hut Point through 10 miles of bare
wire. This telephone has already
proved extremely useful for reporting
the movement of parties, pending
changes of weather.
With Bowers, Simpson and Petty
officer Evans, l travelled west on
September 10. Ascending Ferrar
Glacier, we found by stakes planted
| by Wright that the ice stream had
moved 30 feet in seven months.
Later, As miles northwest of our sta
tion, We found part of the glacier
tongue broken in March with the for
age 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 under
take further spring journeys.
start Delayed to Gave 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 de-
cided me not to expose them to great
cold We shall therefore start later
than ordinarily intended.
The motor sledge party consisting
of Lieut. Evans. BAD. 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
therefore, placed the possibilities of
motor traction beyond question.
The pony party consisting of my
self with Wilson, Oates, Bowers,
Cherry, Garrard, Atkinson, Wright,
Evans, Cream and Koehane, will start
about November first. Independently
| of the success of the motors, ponies
will be worked with light loads, in
easy marches to Corner Camp with
| full loads and easy marches to One