The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1916-06-21
GALLANT HEARTS.


magnificent endurance was revealed when
the news flashed around the world that Sir
Edward ShackletOn, the polar explorer, had
emerged from the mysterious darkness of
the Antarctic and touched hands again with
civilization at the Falkland Islands! A few
months ago when his supporting ship, the
Aurora, repealed from the accomplishment
of it's task by the memorable ice, returned to
New Zealand the fate of Shackleton and his
comrades was regarded as very uncertain
and in many authoritative quarters they
were given up as lost.
What strange and weird experience it
must have been after the sinking of their
vessel, the Endurance! Adrift on an ice
field for six months, carried hither and
thither, but luckily ever northward, the sole
inhabitants of another world as much cut
off from their fellows as if they had been
suddenly translated to the dead world of the
moon, and with but little more hope of ever
getting back, they will have some strange
tales to tell when they recover from their
suffering and exposure. Storms and biz
yards, binding SHOWS and tempestuous seas,
black lowering skies and piercing cold, sup
plies running short and animal life driven
northward by the fury of the elements and
that little band of courageous men defylng
fate, fighting determinedly and unfinch-
ingly against the cruel and relentless buffet
ing of nature in her most implacable mood!
In these years of wonders can even the
bloodiest battlefelds of Europe furnish
companion picture so crowded with the
struggles and sufferings, the undying cour-
age and unconquerable spirit of Man?
1t was late in the summer of 1914 that
the Endurance left South America for We'd
dell sea and the Aurora left New Zealand
for Ross sea, great bays on the opposite
sides of the south polar continent. Shack
letOn's main plan, apart from important sci
entific exploration and experiment, was to
Ill
over the ice to the South Pole and then con-
tinue straight on to Ross sea, where the
Aurora would pick him up.
A detachment from the Aurora was to
advance to meet him, laying down supply
stores as they went The Aurora landed ten
men for the purpose, and they are still there.
for the drift ice carried the Aurora over a
thousand miles away and left her, battered
and damaged in open water and unable to
do anything but limp homeward. Over
year and half had then elapsed from the
sailing of the expedition
Shackleton, it now appears, did not sue
coed in reaching his landing place. In De-
cember, 1914, the Endurance was caught in
the ice drift and in a few weeks was car
red through a thousand miles of glittering,
menacing icebergs. Finally she became
wedged in the ice foes, with towering bergs
threatening any moment to overwhelm her.
Through the long, gloomy months of 1915
Une pressure ana Jn6 QrHClng continued.
At last the end came. The terrific press
ure forced up the main deck, the ice cut gap
ing wounds in the hull, the fires were ex-
tinguished and on October % the gallant
ship had to be abandoned. Three weeks
later she was crushed into mass of splin-
ters and engulfed.
The little party was left in a frozen world
of their own with limited supplies and three
small boats their only hope of safety. For
the next six months eternal vigilance was
the price Of existence. The season was ex-
ceptionally bad. Even the seals hurried
north over the ice, forewarned by instinct
of the approaching danger.
All attempts to reach the open sea were
defeated The raging elements tore the ice
field apart, and often the crews of the little
boats were isolated on separate foes. There
seemed no escape, no end but death from
cold and starvation.
This terrible experience continued for
nearly six months, during which they were
carried nOrthward to the neighborhood of
Elephant island. After superhuman efforts
they succeeded in landing on April 18th last,
and ten days later Shackleton and five vol
unteers left in one of the whaleboats on the
perilous trip of $50 miles to South Georgia,
the nearest inhabited land TWENTY-FIVE
men were left in hole in the ice cliffs Of
Elephant island to await rescue if Shackle
ton should get through safely.
After fortnight of terrible struggles
with the elements Shackleton sighted land.
Even then it took him two whole days of
mighty effort to effect a landing, so terrific
were the seas.
Rescue ships were sent after the maroon
ed men on Elephant island, and it is hoped
that the party left on the polar continent
by the Aurora may be able to hold out until
relief reaches them.
The expedition has not been failure, ex-
cept in it's most spectacular aspect. Much
territory and sea have been mapped and a
great quantity of valuable scientific records
brought back But the main splendor and
value of the achievement is the evidence
given of the unfailing vision, the undying
hope, the unouenchable light of high en-
deavor, the unbreakable spirit and the unfal-
terng courage of men faced by deadly per-
lis that fall to the lot of few. Not embat-
tied Europe itself can show such record of
gallant hearts.