The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-02

4 I
reach tho rookery. They were success
| ful at second attompt. They found
| comparatively few birds at tho rock
DRY, but these had begun TO lay even
! at this early date. Fortunately, some
| eSSs at different stages of development
! were secured. which should give con-
J siderable Information concerning the
embryology OF this bird.
The same night a violent sale com
menccd and the ridge proved made
quato shelter from the hurricane gusts
which whirled down on the hut y
! tent and other carefully secured ar
ticles were blown away. anu after
siraininS FOR fourteen hours the roui
of the hut ticw TO ribbons. For thirty
/ hours more the travellers were confined
! III their frozen sleeping beds, half
buried Denoath snow anu rock debris.
Forty eight hours elapsed before the
wind decreased and they were able to
get Il meal. Searching for lost ar
ticles. they were fortunate in nndin :
the missing tent among some iuoraiiic
ooulders. practically uniI.,ured.
Forced to Return.
the state of their equipment NOW
: forced them to turn homeward. On
the return journey they were held for
two days by another storm, after
which the temperature fell and re-
manned below minus 90 degrees The
party returned after ave weeks all
sence incascd in Ice. and suffering from
want OF sleep, but otherwise well
Having regard to tho darkness and
extreme temperature, this first winter
journey In the Antarctic remains Il rc-
markable feature of endurance. 1t
also shows the extraordinarily severe
conditions that obtain on the great
snow plain btrrier during the sunless
season. Since the return of the sun IN
August considerable Increase of wind
lEs been recorded and temperatures
have remained as moderate In spring
as in winter
On September l. Meerca and Mimin-
TIL, with dog teams made their head
quarters at Hut Point, the dogs ieav
inS Tor that depot in splendid form. AT
intervals since our arrival. however,
some obscure disease has robbed US OF
iour excellent dogs. In every Gaze the
DOG ATTACKED appeared vigorously
healthy, but died in few hours. 1t
Is thought the cause may be some
minute theadworm entering tile brain.
brain.
Al the end Of the month telephone
communication was established with
Hut Point with fifteen miles of bare
Wire This telephone has already
proved extremely useful for reporting
the movement of parties, pending
changes of weather Lieutenant Evans.
Gran and Forde Travelled TO Corner
Camp to rebuild cairns. They ex.
perlenced temperatures between minus
90 and 30. and Fordc's hands were
badly frostbitten, but are now recoy-
cring rapidly.
With Bowers. Simpson and Petty
ofhccr Evans. l travelled west on Sep.
tembci IL. Ascending Ferrar Glacier,
we found by stakes planted by Wright
mat the ice stream had moved thirty
feet in seven months. Later, forty
iiEe miles northwest of our station,
VIC found part Of the glacier tongue
broken in March. with the forage depot
leit By Campbell intact Owing to
work at the station and the need OF
increasing exercise for the ponies. we
were unable TO undertake further
spring journeys.
The western geological party. con
sistinG OF Taylor. Debenham, Gran and
forde, delayed by Forces accident.
VIII leave III few days for Granite
larbor.
All plans and provisions for the
southern journey arc now complete,
ana despite the accident OF last sea
SON we have great hose OF success
Inc necessity of getting the utmost
out OF our remaining ponies has decid-
ca me not to expose them to great
cold. We shall. therefore, start later
than originally intended.
Motor Sleda Stnrt Well.
Inc motor sled party, consisting OF
lieutenant Evans, bay, I-aehley and
Hooper started four days ago, with
Two motor sleds dragging fuel and
forage. The motors experienced un-
expected difficulty on sea Ice where
IT was very thinly coated with snow.
but were last seen going well on tn,
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, Oats. Bowers,
Cherry. Garrard, Atkinson, Wright.
| Evans, Cream and Keohane, will start
about November |. Independently of
the success of motors, ponies win be
worked with light loads in easy
marches to Corner Camp with full
loads, and easy marches 10 one Ton
Camp and with such pressure as
necessary thereafter. Dog teams
starting will rcjoin us at One Ton
Camp and help to advance loads BY
these means we hope TO get thirty
units OF food to the foot of Beard
provision for four men. Then with
three divisions of four man and
twenty -one units of provisions, l
hope to extend the advance to the re-
quired distance II the weather condi-
tions are not wholly unfavorable
or the ten remaining ponies one Is
unreliable, and one doubtful the re-
mainder being in very fine form.
Officers and men are In splendid
health and eager to go forward.
owing TO my decision to postpone
the start there ia an obvious chance
that the most advanced southerly
party VIII be unable TO catch the
I Terra Nova before she is forced TO
out the sound Under these condi-
tons. having regard to important
scientific work done and facilities Of
fcred for further work, i have de-
cidcd to maintain the station for u
second year. The majority of the
shore party will probably remain, but
details depend upon the date of our
returning from our journey, on home
] No o. NJ iLc cNtnnt Of frnsh tcaI