The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-06-19

ible characters. This 10 the farthest south
American graveyard in the world.
But the writer has the unenviable dis
tinction of being the only American who
has hunted the whale in this region since
those old days. I call it "rpenviable" be-
cause living conditions on board q Norwegian
whaling factory" are 50 unspeakably nau-
seating and repulsive that / would not repeat
last seasons experience for less than the
value of the entire cargo.
The South Shetland islands belong 10
Great Britain and she has made them a part
Of the Falkland Colony. This colony in
eludes the Falkland islands proper, the South
Georgias, the South Orkpeys, the South
Shetlands and nearby islands, and the Ant
arctic Continent. OF these. only the Falk-
lands and the South Georgia islands are in
habited all the year around.
Being Falkland territory, the Shetlands,
of course, come under Falkland customs
regulations. Each Norwegian whaling COM
pany must have . British license and must
pay q tax of 3h pence per barrel on all the
whale oil taken from these waters. For the
next two years, the tax win jump 10 1 shil-
ling 8 pence per barrel, but Of this, the
Falkland government will get only its usual
81 pence revenue. The balance win 90 tn
help pay the expenses Of Commander Cope's
expedition.
Naturally, with this duty to be collected,
il is necessary for a customs officer from the
Falkland islands to board one of the whaling
ships and 60 south With the fleet to keep
track Of the taxes due, to see to the obser-
vance Of certain leSal restrictions, to act
as postmaster and to be arbiter in any dis
pute that may arise among the whale hunt
ers- Down there we call him the Governor
Of the Penguins," rs penguins are the only
native inhabitants of these islands.
On the northern shore Of q cove, inside
the shell of Deception island, the Falkland
government has bcilt q sturdy little house
for this official, Ithas to be sturdy, for the
Lord only knows under how many tons Of
snow and ice it is buried when these seas
are frozen up and the long night sets in.
In this house, too, in ordinary years, the
customs officer functions as the postmaster.
Falkland island stamps are used, but a spe-
cial post mark has been made reading, "De-
eeption Islan+South Shetlands" and this
Is the farthest south post mark in the world.
Several officials Of the Falklands custom
service have acted rs postmaster. The only
one who had the hardihood to 90 down three
or four seasons in succession was A. G.
Bennett, and the lure that drew him back
to the privations and hardships of whaling
was his passion for ornithoiogy and othe.
branches Of natural history. As con-
sequence Of his studies in the South Shet-
lands, science has been enriched BY the dis
covery and description Of many hitherto
unknown species Of birds and molluscs, and
the name ''Bennetti' attached TO their Latin
nomenclature By British scientific author
titles will Be perpetual memorial to this
isolated mans self sacrificing labors.
Last season, however. Bennett went TO
England and his place in the South Sbet-
lands was taken By an Official named Richie,
Of Port Stanley. Through . combination
of circumstances, Richie, I believe, is able
to claim the distinction of, being the far
thest south customs !ofkcial and postmaster
In the world.
This Is due to the fact that the big land
whaling station on the shore Of Deceptioa
island YES sot n spsrseoa last seassa b!