The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-02-10
AUDIENCE APPLAUDS FINE
PICTURES OF ANTARCTIC
In Lecture at Majestic Sir Douglas
Mawson Tells of Thrilling Expert
ences in Newly Explored Regions
Governor Is Appreciative

The beautiful scenery, the queer land
and sea animals, and the unusual
climatic conditions OF the South Polar
regions were all shown in four reels of
unusually distinct moving pictures at
the Majestic theatre last night, and
commented upon in tine course of his
talk by Sir Douglas Mawson, famous
Antarctic explorer, who was brought
here through the efforts of the Harris
burg Natural History Society.
The pictures, taken at many times
under difficulties, with the photog-
rapher hanging from ropes or facing
great wind storms, showed clearly the
nature of the land newly discovered
by Mawson's expedition, leaving only
the intense cold to be imagined. The
hut erected by the explorers was shown,
almost completely covered over by the
drifting snow and thus kept compare
lively warm almost up to the freez-
ing point in fact
Comfort Inside Hut
OF particular interest were the pie
|
was in two sections, work shop and
living room. Here were small libraries,
an electric light plant, an aeetylene
plant, a wireless apparatus which was
in continual use, and numerous micro
scopes and other scientific instruments.
The stock of food was sufficient to last
the party which stayed at the hut for
over year.
While the house lights were turned
ON between reels, the explorer told In
halting manner of the death of his
two companions, Lieutenant MINIS and
DR.. Mertz, while they and he were on
an exploring expedition, and of his
own narrow escape from a horrible
death in erevasee into which he fell,
and was suspended by rope. During
this recital the speaker nervously finger
ed the electric signal which he held in
his hand, winding the cord into knots
and then unsangling it, and looking at
the floor when he mentioned his dead
companions, or his own hazardous ex-
perience.
Narrow Escape From Death
"While was dangling at the end of
the rope over tine crevasSe,' he said,
"and seemed to have no more strength
left to make final effort TO escape,
thought of a lot of strange things.
Everything seemed different from the
way it did on the earth, for | felt that
| was no longer on the earth. | thought
of things that never occurred to me in
Just the same way before, and IL
can describe at all how it felt to face
death like that
Sir Douglas made his escape from
his perilous position by exerting the
strength of despair, and when he reach
Ell the firm ice at the edge of the
crevasse he swOoned away. He had been
living on small quantities of dog S meat
for many days, and was able to return
to the nut only with the greatest diff
Guilty. He had left improvised crosses
to mark the graves of his two dead
companions.
The pictures of the penguins, snow
birds, seals and sea elephants of the
South Polar region were very attractice
and there was much in the actions of
the queer animals that was genuinely
comieal.
Audience Applauds Pictures
The audience heartily applauded pie
lures of unusual beauty during the ex.
hibition, rather unusual procedure
The applause was probably meant for
the skillful photographer who succeeded
in getting so many odd pictures under
great difficulties.
Governor Brumbaueh, who intro.
duced Sir Douglas to the audience, oe.
curied box during the lecture and
bowed his appreciation to The explorer
at the conclusion.