Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-09-25
SHEATH OF ice
ALL THAT SAVED
SHACKLETON men
Explorer Tells of Final Success
That Attended Efforts to
Rescue Party

Sir Ernest Shackleton has cabIed
| the New York World from Chill an
account Of the success Of the fourth
| effort 20 rescue the party that had
been left on Elephant Island. He tells
a story of hardships overcome by in
| uominitable courage, and says in part
Our fourth attempt to rescue our
comrades left on Elephant Island has
succeeded and all have arrived here
safe and well. @.".
THE Gillian government very gen.
erously placed at my disposal the
steamer Yelcho. commanded by Corn.
mandant Pardo, The steamer, man.
ned and equipped at the expense of
the Gillian government, left Punta
Arenas on August 4. ..
"On this occasion / set a course
which would enable us to approach
Elephant Island from the northwest,
my reason being that hoped the ice
had worked toward the northeast.
This hope was realized, and on Au.
gust 80, after steering in the fog
through numerous stranded bergs, I
reached Wild's camp at p. m.
ITO the CHILEAN government, to Com
mandante Pardo and to Lieut.. Aguirre
! owe my deepest thanks for tho
means OF rescue. 1885,.
with Wild lies the credit of hav.
ing kept his party together in
strength and safety under the most
trying and difficult conditions.
Following is Wild's report:
On April %, the day after the de-
narture OF the boat, the island was
beset by dense pack ice. The party
was confined to narrow spit of land
ESQ yards long and 40 yards wide, sur
rounded by inaccessible cliffs and ice
laden seas. @....:.
We were forced to abandon our
ice hole, made untenable by snow
We made dwelling of our two boats,
supported by rocks, and set up as far
as practicable from the sea. The
weather continued appallingly diff
cult to work in and the vitality of the
whole party was lowered owing to eX-
Iosure.
" 'Blackborn, Hudson, Greetstreet
and Rickenson become iii and sew
eral others we're frost-bitten.
In May a heavy blizzard swept
much valuable gear into the sea, and
we were in grave, anxiety, owing to
the danger of being swept away by
the heavy seas raised BY the biz
zard, blowing with velocity Of 20
miles an hour. Fortunately, owing to
the low temperature, an ice foot
formed on the seashore and this pro-
lection was the means Of saving us
from total destruction. ~.s...
On several occasions the adjacent
glacier "calved," throwing up heavy
waves, and on one occasion blocks
OF ice were hurled to within Is feet
of our dwelling. Observing how the
island was beset, / realized the diff
ficulty our leader must experience In
effecting our early relief, and as a
measure of precaution drastically
economical our food, allowing only
one meal daily until we had strength.
ened our reserve of blubber. 81
Our valuable stock of special ra.
tions was used for two meals weekly,
thus supplying vital change in our
diet, and life was well maintained. ty
natures providence having arrived at
the island late in the season, we were
kent in anxiety as to our meat supply,
which was constantly depleted. 1t
was periodically replenished by small
penguins, but the seals were unable
to land owing to the ice foot.
from June onward the weather
was better as regards wind, 0ut We
were under constant pail of fog and
snow in the middle of winter Black
borns toes had to be amputated.
Whenever the sea opened our hopes
Of relief were renewed. The three
previous attempts at relief had syn
chronized with times when the island
was beset with ice.
At the beginning of August We
were able to collect seaweed and lin.
pets, which formed a valuable change
in our diet, but the deep water, heavy
seas and ice prevented us from fish,
ing.
On August % the gale drove the
pack from the island, and on August
30, through the lifting fog, We caught
sight of the Yelcho steering through
the maze of stranded bergs. An hour
later we were homeward bound.
81 wish to place on record the coed
morale of the entire pGrty, and espe.
ejaIly the energy and ability OF How,
Hussey, Hurley, Macklin, McIroy, Kerr
and Rickenson.'" -.:.