The gentoo penguins, which had been observed at the beginning of the

month building their nests, commenced to lay, and the first ten eggs

were collected by us on September 18. Many sea elephant rookeries were

now well-formed as the cows began to arrive about the 11th and were soon

landing in large numbers. The first pups were heard on the 20th, and

Bauer and I walked along to the rookery from which the barking came and

had a look at the newcomers. There were only four, none of which was

more than a few hours old, but they yapped their displeasure, and the

mothers made frantic lunges at us when we approached to get a close view

of them.

The sealers always gave the animals time to form their rookeries and

then killed the bulls for oil. A well-conditioned full-grown animal

yields about half a tun of oil, and as the commodity when refined has

a market value of from L20 to L25 per tun, it will be seen that the

industry is a profitable one. The cows being small never have a very

thick coating of blubber, but I have seen bulls with blubber to a depth

of eight inches, and some of them yield nearly two thousand pounds,

though I should estimate the average yield at about one thousand one

hundred pounds. The sealers in the early days used to obtain the oil

by cutting the blubber up into very small pieces and melting it down

in "try " pots. These pots, many of which may be still seen about the

island, were made of very thick iron and the fuel used was the refuse

taken from the pot itself. In the present method steam digestors are

used, and the oil from the melted blubber is drawn off, after steam

has been passing for twelve hours. Coal is brought down by the

sealing-vessel to be used as fuel. The "elephant season" lasts only

about three months, and within about four weeks of its conclusion, the

"penguin season" begins; the same gang of men being employed as a rule.

The most difficult operation in connexion with both of these industries

is undoubtedly the loading and unloading of the vessel. If auxiliary

power were used, the ship could then steam to within half a mile of the

shore, but as it is, a sailing-vessel has to anchor about two miles off

and the oil is towed in rafts over that distance.

We heard sounds from Adelie Land wireless station for the first time

on September 25, 1912, but the signals were very faint and all that we

could receive was: "Please inform Pennant Hills." Sawyer called them

repeatedly for several hours, but heard no acknowledgment. Every effort

was made to get in touch with them from this time forward, Sawyer

remaining at the instrument until daylight every morning.

The Royal penguins returned to the island on the 27th and immediately

commenced to make their way to the rookeries. They had been absent since

April and were very fat after their long migration.

On the 28th Blake and Hamilton started out in the dinghy for Lusitania

Bay. They had already made a step and sprit, and, with a calico sail

hoisted, the frail craft ran before a light breeze. Having a fair wind

they made good headway along the coast, dropping in at a gentoo penguin

rookery en route, and collecting about two hundred and twenty eggs. Mac

was a passenger and was a very sick dog all the trip.

Shortly after their departure, the 'Rachel Cohen', which had been blown

away on the 18th, reappeared and again anchored. The captain reported

having seen numerous icebergs, some of which were very large, about

thirty miles to the eastward of the island. The sealers immediately

commenced to get away the rest of their stores and coal and also to put

some oil aboard the vessel, but on the following day the wind increased

to such an extent that, in attempting to reach the ship with a raft of

oil, they were blown down the coast and had to beach the boat several

miles away.

On the night of the 29th Adelie Land wireless station was again heard

tapping out a message apparently with the hope that some station would

receive it. All we got was: "Having a hell of a time waiting for calm

weather to put up more masts." Sawyer again repeatedly called, but they

evidently could not hear him as no reply was received, and the above

message was repeated time after time.

The weather during September was not quite so rough as that of the

previous two or three months, but misty days were very frequent. Gales

were experienced on six days and strong winds on nine days, but several

quiet periods occurred. The average temperature was 38.6 degrees, with

extremes of 44.7 degrees and 26 degrees F.

October was ushered in by a strong gale and rather heavy rain-squalls.

The 'Rachel Cohen' had a severe buffeting, though she was lying on the

lee side of the island.

Just about three-quarters of a mile to the west of the Shack were two

large sea elephant rookeries, very close to each other, and on the 3rd

Sandell and I went along to see what was happening there. We found about

two hundred and fifty cows in the nearer one, and, as closely as we

could count, about five hundred in the adjacent colony. The babel of

sounds made one feel thankful that these noisy creatures were some

distance from the Shack. Nearly all the cows had pups, some of which

had reached a fair size, while others were only a few hours old. We saw

several dead ones, crushed out almost flat, and some skuas were busily

engaged gorging themselves on the carcases. These birds are indeed

professional plunderers, and will venture almost anywhere in pursuit of

food.

During the evening we again heard Adelie Land station working, and the

burden of their message to an apparently chance audience was: "We do not

seem able to get Macquarie Island, all is well, though bad weather has

so far prevented any attempt at sledging."

Sawyer again called them at regular intervals for the rest of the night,

but, as before, got no response.

Hamilton and Blake were busy at Lusitania Bay during the first two weeks

of October securing sea elephant specimens and collecting eggs. They

visited Caroline Cove where is established a giant petrel rookery

containing about four hundred birds, and gathered a large number of

eggs--purely specimens, as they are no use otherwise.

The 'Rachel Cohen' finally left us on the 8th, expecting to pay another

visit in December for the purpose of taking off the sea elephant oil

procured by the sealers. Sandell and I visited the gentoo penguin colony

in Aerial Cove during the afternoon, for the purpose of getting a few

eggs. We found plenty there and collected as many as we required. On

returning to the empty nests, the birds would first of all peer round

to assure themselves that the eggs were really missing, and then throw

their heads back, swaying them from side to side to the accompaniment of

loud, discordant cries.

Several of us started out on the 10th to visit the west coast for

the purpose of getting some wekas and, incidentally, to make any

observations possible. We saw thousands of sea elephants along the coast

and passed many rookeries of various sizes. There were a large number of

wekas about, but after shooting fourteen we were satisfied with our bag.

A westerly gale during the night proved too much for the aerial, and

down it came. Blake and Hamilton were away, so Sawyer, Sandell and I

went up, and after much battling and frequent use of the "handy billy"

succeeded in fixing things. We also re-tightened the wire stays and

thoroughly overhauled the ropes. Snow and sleet fell all the time,

making the task most disagreeable.

About the middle of the month the Royal penguins commenced to lay, and

on the 17th Sandell and I went to their rookeries at "The Nuggets" and

collected about fifteen dozen eggs, which we buried in a hole in the

bank of the creek for preservation. This species of penguin is the one

which is killed for oil, not because it is any fatter than the others,

but because it lives in such large colonies. There is one rookery of

these birds on the south end of the island which covers an area of

sixteen and a half acres, whilst at "The Nuggets" there are numbers

of them scattered along the banks of a creek which reaches the sea,

aggregating ten acres. At the latter place are situated the oil works

belonging to the sealers.

From careful observation I should say that the number of birds killed

during the season would not total one hundred and fifty thousand. The

method of killing--by blows from a heavy club--is about as humane as any

that could be adopted, and the yearly increase in numbers in the only

rookeries that are being worked is certainly greater than the decrease

due to the depredations of the sealers. Apart from this, there are acres

of rookeries on the island from which not a single bird is taken, and

they go on year after year adding thousands upon thousands to their

already vast numbers.

This species resembles the others in habits, and I shall not describe

them at any length. They are of the same colour as the Victoria

penguins, but have a more orderly crest. Their rookeries are always on

or very close to a running stream which forms the highway along

which they travel to and fro. There is no policeman on duty, but a

well-ordered procession is somehow arranged whereby those going up keep

to one side and those coming down keep to the other. Once they are in

the rookery, however, different conditions obtain. Here are fights,

squabbles and riots, arising from various causes, the chief of which

appears to be a disposition on the part of some birds to loiter about.

During the nesting time much disorder prevails, and fights, in which

beaks and flippers are energetically used, may be seen in progress

at various places throughout the rookery. The nests are made of small

stones, and occasionally, a bone or two from the skeleton of some

long-dead relative forms part of the bulwarks. The attempt on the part

of some birds to steal stones from surrounding nests is about the most

fruitful cause of a riot, and the thief generally gets soundly thrashed,

besides which all have a peck at him as he makes his way with as much

haste as possible from the danger-zone. As the season advances, these

rookeries become covered with filthy slush, but it seems to make no

difference to the eggs, as the chicks appear in due course. When the

moulting process is in full swing the rookeries are very crowded, and

feathers and slush then become mixed together, making the place anything

but fragrant.

A fifty-four mile gale from the west-north-west blew down on us on the

20th, but shortly after noon it weakened, and, towards evening, with the

shifting of the wind to southwest, came squalls of sleet and snow and a

drop in temperature. Hamilton returned from Lusitania Bay in the dinghy

on the 21st, but Blake stopped there as he had not yet finished his work

in that locality. The dinghy was well laden with specimens of various

kinds and, on the way up, some wood and pickets were left at Green

Valley for future requirements.

On the 25th Sandell and I visited the west coast, but, instead of going

the usual way, we walked down the east coast and went up the creek at

"The Nuggets" with a view to having a look at the penguin colonies along

its course, finally crossing over the hills and getting into another

creek, which we followed all the way down to the west coast. Along this

creek were numerous waterfalls, one of which was quite sixty feet in

height with wind-blown spray frozen white on the rocks on either side.

We came across several giant petrel rookeries, and were treated to a

display of the "stinker's" ability to make himself objectionable. A pair

of sooty albatrosses were seen nesting on the front of a rocky steep,

but on climbing up we found that they had not yet laid. After catching

some wekas and taking a few photographs we returned to the Shack.

On the last day of the month several of us crossed the hills to the west

coast in search of plants and birds' eggs. We secured a number of plant

specimens--a further sign of the arrival of spring--including two which

bore a very small flower, and were most successful in obtaining skuas',

giant petrels' and sooty albatrosses' eggs.

During the evening I received a message from Captain Davis stating that

the 'Aurora' would visit us in about three weeks' time and inquiring if

we needed any supplies. This was entirely unexpected, as we thought that

no more would be seen of the Ship until she came to take us home at the

end of March 1913.

Earthquake shocks were felt at 1.55 A.M. and 9.35 A.M. on October 28,

but did no damage other than to bring down some loose rock. Auroral

displays were rather frequent but not very pronounced, and in most cases

could only be classed as "glows."

A bright sunny morning on the 3rd induced Hamilton and me to make a

photographic excursion along the coast. Hitherto only still-life photos

had been taken, but with the sunlight we were then having, any work was

possible, so we determined to have some "shots" at the sea elephants.

They were rather difficult subjects, strange to say, but we spent some

time amongst them and did famously, till a snow-squall made us suspend

operations.

We heard the discordant but mournful cry of a sooty albatross coming

from the cliff-front, so Hamilton climbed up and, after scrambling about

for a while, succeeded in finding a nest, which contained one egg. This

led him to look along the cliffs fronting the east coast, and on the

following morning he found several nests and caught two birds, both of

which were taken by hand while on the nest. They had beautiful plumage

and made very fine specimens.

Blake returned from Lusitania Bay during the afternoon of the 4th and

reported that he required only four or five days to complete the survey.

The configuration of the island at the southern end is vastly different

to that shown in the published charts, and this became more apparent as

Blake's figures were plotted.

The news that Piastre had won the Melbourne Cup was flashed about all

over the southern ocean during the evening, and we picked it up; but

as this was the first we had heard of the animal, nobody seemed much

interested. It certainly gave a turn to the conversation, and quite

a sporting tone permeated the discussions of the ensuing two or three

days.

The subjects of discussion were usually those of environment, and

most of our talk centred round sea elephants, sea-leopards, penguins,

temperatures, wind, wireless telegraphy, fish, aurorae, exploration,

ships, Queensland and New Zealand. Sea elephants and penguins do offer

scope for a considerable amount of conversation, as one observes them

under such different circumstances, and they are so odd that something

remarkable is always associated with the sight of them. The weather,

being practically the bete noire of our existence, came in for a good

deal of abuse. Wireless telegraphy is a mighty interesting subject

at all times, and we passed many hours of our stay in discussing its

future. All the members were, allegedly, fishermen of some calibre, and

when I have said that, anybody with a knowledge of the man who claims

ability as an angler will know what all the others, in turn, had to

receive with restrained and respectful admiration. The advantages of

settlement in Queensland were so apparent to at least one member of

the party that he simply could not understand why thousands were not

annually killed in the rush to get to this, "the greatest of all the

Australian States." Good old silky oak!

The scenery of New Zealand was almost as well known to us as to anybody

who has lived in the country all his life, and three of us had never

been there. We have sat round the Shack sometimes and only the roar of a

sea elephant outside reminded us that we were not, as we imagined, at a

Maori "tangi." The wages to be earned there, the delights of travelling,

the legislators, Rotorua, kauri pine, and the moon they've got in

Auckland--we've heard of all these and marvelled at them. "Kapai te

Maori!"

Blake and Hamilton went to Sandy Bay in the dinghy on the 6th in order

to complete some work. They improved the hut there, to the extent of

making a fire-place and laying barrel-staves on the floor, afterwards

bringing a boat-load of timber from the 'Jessie Nichol' wreck and

rigging up a board bunk sufficiently large to accommodate both of them.

While walking down to the 'Clyde' wreck for some wood on the 7th I saw

a strange bird on the beach, and, returning to the Shack for the gun,

I got him at the second shot. He was a land bird and had evidently been

blown out of his course, as none of his kind had been seen before on the

island.

On getting up on the following morning I found poor old Ma lying dead,

and the feathers which lay about indicated that she had been the victim

of a savage assault, but whether at the teeth of a dog or the beak of a

skua I was unable to determine. This was most unfortunate, as the hens

had all started to lay again two days previously; but apart from this

she was a funny old creature and one could almost hold a conversation

with her, so we regretted her loss. However, to make amends for this

disaster the Victoria penguins started to lay on the same day, and as

several of their rookeries were only a few minutes' walk from the Shack,

the position was much the same as if we owned a poultry farm.

Hamilton returned from Sandy Bay on the 17th and immediately set about

collecting shags' eggs. He visited Aerial Cove for the purpose but did

not get enough, and was compelled to go to West Point, where he gathered

twenty-four dozen for specimens. He now had a collection of eggs of all

birds which nest on the island, with the exception of the weka and the

tern.

At 6.30 P.M. on November 22 the 'Aurora' steamed into North-East Bay

and dropped anchor. Hamilton, Blake and Sawyer launched the dinghy

and pulled out to receive the mails, which they brought ashore for

distribution. All on board were well and Captain Davis sent word to

say he would land in the morning, bringing our goods and some

visitors--Professor Flynn of Hobart and Mr. Denny.

The 'Aurora' next day steamed round North Head and took a series of

soundings between the main island and the Judge and Clerk. These latter

islets lie about eight miles to the north of North Head, and are merely

rocks about eighty feet high upon which thousands of shags and other

birds have established rookeries. On the following morning we said

good-bye to the Ship, which weighed anchor and steamed away, leaving us

once more to our own devices.

All the flowering plants were now showing their extremely modest blooms,

and the tussock looked like a field of wheat, each stem having a decided

ear. The gentoo penguins, as well as the giant petrels, had hatched

their eggs, and the parent birds were shouldering full responsibilities.

Blake and Hamilton were now prepared for another visit to the southern

end. Blake had almost completed the chart of the island, and the

difference between it and the published chart was very striking. In the

latter case the south end was shown as being six miles wide, whereas it

is in reality only a little more than two miles across, and the width

of the island is nowhere more than three and a half miles. About twenty

miles from the southern end lie two islets known as the Bishop and

Clerk. The former, which is the larger, is covered with a growth of

tussock, while the latter is mainly bare rock.

A distinct rise in temperature was noticeable during November and the

mean worked out at 41.6 degrees, while the extremes were 49 degrees

and 82 degrees F. Strong winds were recorded on thirteen days and six

short-lived gales occurred. We had less precipitation than during any

previous month, as thirteen dry days were experienced. The average

cloudiness was 93 per cent.; largely due to the frequent foggy or misty

weather.

On December 2, at 10 A.M., Blake and I packed our sleeping-bags and

blankets and started for Sandy Bay. The swags weighed only thirty-five

pounds each and we made a rather quick trip.

After repairing the dilapidated shack, we sallied out for the purpose

of catching our evening meal, and with the aid of Mac soon succeeded in

getting eight wekas. A sea elephant was then killed, and the blubber,

heart and tongue taken; the first-named for use as fuel and the others

for food. We cleaned the wekas and put them in the pot, cooking the

whole lot together, a proceeding which enabled us to forgo cooking

a breakfast in the morning. The beach was swarming with young sea

elephants and many could be seen playing about in a small, shallow

lagoon.

Just south of the hut there is a sandy spit and one of the only

stretches of beach on the island, where thousands of penguins from

the adjacent rookeries were congregated, amongst them being three King

penguins, which were easily distinguishable on account of their great

size.

Feeling a little weary, I sought the hut about 9 P.M. and turned into

the sleeping-bag, which was placed on a board bottom covered with

tussock, which was by no means uncomfortable. The old place smoked so

much that we decided to let the fire die down, and as soon as the smoke

had cleared away, the imperfections of the hut became apparent; rays of

moonlight streaming through countless openings in the walls and roof.

We rose at 6.30 A.M. While Blake lit the fire, I went out to fill the

billy at a small stream running out of the hills about sixty yards away.

After breakfast we set out for Green Valley, but had not gone very far

when it began to blow very hard from the south, straight in our faces,

and we scrambled on towards our destination amidst squalls of snow, hail

and sleet. Eventually we reached the valley and had a somewhat meagre

lunch in a small cave. The title "cave" rather dignifies this hole

in the rock, but it was the only friendly spot in a most inhospitable

locality, and we were inclined to be generous,

On the whole, the length of coast we had traversed was found to be as

rough as any on the island. There is not a stretch of one hundred yards

anywhere that can be termed "good going." In many places we found that

the steep cliffs approached very close to the water, and the mournful

cry of the sooty albatross could be heard coming from points high on the

face of the cliffs, while the wekas were so tame that one could almost

walk up and catch them.

A large creek whose banks are overhung with a coarse growth of fern

makes its way out of the hills and runs into Sandy Bay. Just a little

to the south of this creek Blake discovered a terminal moraine about two

hundred yards in length and fifty feet wide. It rests on sandstone about

fifteen feet above the present sea-level and the boulders consist of

polished and sub-angular blocks of sandstone and porphyry of various

sizes. It evidently belongs to the valley or to a later stage of

glaciation. The rocks along the coast are all a volcanic series, and

basic dykes are visible in many places.

We arose at 7 A.M. next day and breakfasted on porridge, weka, fried

heart, "hard-tack" and cocoa. Leaving the hut shortly afterwards we

climbed on to the hills and travelled south for several miles in order

to fix the position of some lakes and creeks. There was one lake in the

vicinity about half a mile long and to all appearances very deep. It lay

between two steep hills, and the grassy bank at one end and the small

sloping approach at the other gave it an artificial appearance, while

the water was beautifully clear and perfectly fresh. At the sloping end,

dozens of skuas were busily engaged washing themselves and the flapping

of their wings in the water made a remarkable noise, audible at a

considerable distance on the hill-tops. On returning to the hut at Sandy

Bay several rabbits secured by Mac were cleaned and put on to boil.

Next morning a dense mist shrouded the island till about 11 A.M., but

the weather becoming fine and bright, we started for the west coast

about noon. During our progress along the bed of a creek, Blake

discovered what was believed to be a glacial deposit containing fossil

bones, and considerable time was spent in examining this and attempting

to extract whole specimens, thereby making it too late to proceed to the

west. On returning to the hut we decided to pack the swags. We reached

home just in time for tea, finding that nothing unusual had occurred

during our four days' absence.

Hamilton and Blake went out fishing in the dinghy on the 9th and made

a remarkable haul of fish, sixty in number, ranging in size from a few

ounces to twelve and a half pounds. They were all of the same species,

somewhat resembling rock cod, but as usual they were covered with

external parasites, and their flesh was full of worm-cysts. Hamilton

preserved a number of them and the rest were cooked, but we did not

relish them very much and the one meal was enough.

On December 11 we had a hard gale all day, the anemometer recording

"bursts" of over fifty miles an hour frequently, while the average

exceeded forty miles an hour throughout. Twelve months ago on that

day we had made our first landing on the island from the 'Aurora', but

vastly different weather conditions prevailed at the time.

Christmas Day was now very close at hand, and as Blake and Hamilton were

going to celebrate at the other end of the island, whence they had

gone on the 10th, Sawyer, Sandell and I arranged a little "spread" for

ourselves. Sawyer produced a cake which he had received in the recent

mail, and some friend had forwarded a plum pudding to Sandell, so on

Christmas Day these, with a boiled ham, some walnuts, mince rolls and a

bottle of stout were spread on the table, which had been decorated

with tussock stuck in sea elephants' tusks. The highest temperature

registered on the island during our stay--51.8 degrees F.--was recorded

on Christmas Day, and the sun seemed so warm that Sandell and I ventured

into the sea for a dip, but the temperature of the water was not high

enough to make it an agreeable experience.

During the evening of the 26th we received a message saying that the

'Aurora' had left Hobart on her trip south to bring back the two parties

from Antarctica, but no mention of picking us up on the return journey

was made.

The King penguins and "night birds" had laid by this time, and Hamilton

added more eggs to his collection. He found for the first time a colony

of mutton birds near the south end. He also came upon a mollymawk

rookery on the south-western point of the island, and managed to take

one of the birds by hand.

Blake and he had an accident in the dinghy on the 29th, fortunately

attended by no serious results. They had gone from Lusitania Bay to

the south end, and, while attempting to land through the surf, the boat

struck a rock and capsized, throwing them into the water. They had many

things in the boat but lost only two billies, two pannikins, a sounding

line and Hamilton's hat, knife and pipe. Their blankets floated ashore

in a few minutes, and the oars came floating in later in the day. After

the capsize Hamilton managed to reach the boat and turn her over, and

Blake made for a kelp-hung rock, but, after pulling himself up on to

it, was immediately washed off and had to swim ashore. The boat was

afterwards found to be stove-in in two places, though the breaks were

easily patched up subsequently.

New Year's Eve came and with keen anticipations we welcomed the advent

of 1913.

CHAPTER XXVII THROUGH ANOTHER YEAR

by G. F. Ainsworth

We had now thrown a year behind and the work we set out to accomplish

was almost finished; so it was with pleasurable feelings that we took up

the burden of completion, looking forward to the arrival of April 1913

which should bring us final relief and the prospects of civilisation. I

shall deal with the first three months of the year as one period, since

almost all the field-work, except photography, had been done, and, after

the return of Blake and Hamilton from Lusitania Bay on January 8,

our life was one of routine; much time being devoted to packing and

labelling specimens in anticipation of departure.

The first business of the year was to overhaul the wireless station, and

on the 6th, Sawyer, Sandell and I spent the day laying in a supply of

benzine from Aerial Cove, changing worn ropes, tightening stay-wires,

straightening the southern masts and finally hauling the aerial taut.

These duties necessitated much use of the "handy billy," and one has

but to form an acquaintance with this desirable "person" to thoroughly

appreciate his value.

Blake and Hamilton returned on January 8 and reported that their work

was finished at the southern end. Thenceforth they intended to devote

their time to finishing what remained to be done at the northern end and

in adding to their collections. Blake, for instance, resolved to finish

his chart of the island, and, if time permitted, to make a topographical

survey of the locality, as it was of great geological interest. Hamilton

made the discovery that a number of bird specimens he had packed away

were mildewed, and as a result he was compelled to overhaul the whole

lot and attend to them. He found another colony of mutton birds on North

Head, the existence of which was quite unexpected till he dug one out of

a burrow thought to contain "night-birds."

About the middle of January I endeavoured to do a little meteorological

work with the aid of some box-kites manufactured by Sandell. But though

a number of them were induced to fly, we had no success in getting

them up with the instruments attached. They all had a habit of suddenly

losing equilibrium and then indulging in a series of rapid dives and

plunges which usually ended in total wreckage.

The 'Rachel Cohen' again visited the island on January 26, but this time

she anchored off "The Nuggets," whither the sealers had gone to live

during the penguin season. We could see the ship lying about a mile

offshore, and walked down to get our mails and anything else she had

brought along for us. I received a letter from the Secretary of the

Expedition saying that he had made arrangements for us to return by the

'Rachel Cohen' early in April, and the news caused a little excitement,

being the only definite information we had had concerning relief.

The end of the first month found Blake and Hamilton both very busy in

making suitable boxes for specimens. Many of the larger birds could not

be packed in ordinary cases, so Hamilton had to make specially large

ones to accommodate them, and Blake's rock specimens being very heavy,

extra strong boxes had to be made, always keeping in view the fact

that each was to weigh not more than eighty pounds, so as to ensure

convenient handling.

After a silence of about four months, we again heard Adelie Land on

February 3, but the same old trouble existed, that is, they could not

hear us. Sawyer called them again and again, getting no reply, but we

reckoned that conditions would improve in a few weeks, as the hours of

darkness increased.

Hamilton and I made a trip to the hill-tops on the 4th for the purpose

of taking a series of plant and earth temperatures which were of

interest biologically, and while there I took the opportunity of

obtaining temperatures in all the lakes we saw. Hamilton also took some

panoramic photographs from the various eminences and all of them turned

out well.

During the evening Adelie Land sent out a message saying that Dr. Mawson

had not yet returned to the Base from his sledging trip and Sawyer

received it without difficulty, but though he "pounded away" in return

for a considerable time, he was not heard, as no reply or acknowledgment

was made.

The 'Rachel Cohen' remained till the 5th, when a northerly gale arose

and drove her away. As she had a good cargo of oil on board no one

expected her to return. We had sent our mail on board several days

previously as experience had shown us that the sailing date of ships

visiting the island was very uncertain.

Sandell met with a slight though painful accident on the 7th. He was

starting the engine, when it "backfired" and the handle flying off with

great force struck him on the face, inflicting a couple of nasty cuts,

loosening several teeth, and lacerating the inside of his cheek. A black

eye appeared in a day or two and his face swelled considerably, but

nothing serious supervened. In a few days the swelling had subsided and

any anxiety we felt was at an end.

We now had only two sheep left, and on the 8th Blake and I went to kill

one. Mac accompanied us. Seeing the sheep running away, she immediately

set off after them, notwithstanding our threats, yells and curses. They

disappeared over a spur, but shortly afterwards Mac returned, and, being

severely thrashed, immediately left for home. We looked for the sheep

during the rest of the day but could find no trace of them, and though

we searched for many days it was not till five weeks had elapsed that we

discovered them on a small "landing" about half-way down the face of the

cliff. They had apparently rushed over the edge and, rolling down, had

finally come to a stop on the ledge where they were found later, alive

and well.

On the 8th Adelie Land was heard by us calling the 'Aurora' to return

at once and pick up the rest of the party, stating also that Lieutenant

Ninnis and Dr. Mertz were dead. All of us were shocked at the grievous

intelligence and every effort was made by Sawyer to call up Adelie Land,

but without success.

On the following day we received news from Australia of the disaster to

Captain Scott's party.

Blake, who was now geologizing and doing topographical work, discovered

several lignite seams in the hills on the east coast; he had finished

his chart of the island. The mainland is simply a range of mountains

which have been at some remote period partly submerged. The land meets

the sea in steep cliffs and bold headlands, whose general height is from

five hundred to seven hundred feet, with many peaks ranging from nine

hundred and fifty to one thousand four hundred and twenty feet, the

latter being the height of Mount Hamilton, which rears up just at the

back of Lusitania Bay. Evidence of extreme glaciation is everywhere

apparent, and numerous tarns and lakes are scattered amongst the hills,

the tops of which are barren, wind-swept and weather-worn. The hill

sides are deeply scored by ravines, down which tumble small streams,

forming cascades at intervals on their hurried journey towards the

ocean. Some of these streams do not reach the sea immediately, but

disappear in the loose shingly beaches of peaty swamps. The west coast

is particularly rugged, and throughout its length is strewn wreckage of

various kinds, some of which is now one hundred yards from the water's

edge. Very few stretches of what may be called "beach" occur on the

island; the foreshores consisting for the most part of huge water-worn

boulders or loose gravel and shingle, across which progress is slow and

difficult.

[TEXT ILLUSTRATION]

A Section across Macquarie Island through Mt. Elder

Apparently the ground shelves very rapidly under the water, as a

sounding of over two thousand fathoms was obtained by the 'Aurora' at a

distance of eight miles from the east coast. The trend of the island is

about eleven degrees from true north; the axis lying north by east to

south by west. At either end are the island-groups already referred to,

and their connexion with the mainland may be traced by the sunken rocks

indicated by the breaking seas on the line of reef.

A very severe storm about the middle of the month worked up a tremendous

sea, which was responsible for piling hundreds of tons of kelp on the

shore, and for several days tangled masses could be seen drifting about

like small floating islands.

On the 20th an event occurred to which we had long looked forward, and

which was now eagerly welcomed. Communication was established with the

Main Base in Adelie Land by wireless! A message was received from Dr.

Mawson confirming the deaths of Ninnis and Mertz, and stating that the

'Aurora' had not picked up the whole party. Sawyer had a short talk with

Jeffryes, the Adelie Land operator, and among other scraps of news told

him we were all well.

Hamilton killed a sea elephant on the 22nd. The animal was a little over

seventeen feet long and thirteen and a half feet in girth just at the

back of the flippers, while the total weight was more than four tons.

It took Hamilton about a day to complete the skinning, and, during the

process, the huge brute had to be twice turned over, but such is the

value of the nautical handy-billy that two men managed it rather easily.

When the skin had been removed, five of us dragged it to the sealers'

blubber-shed, where it was salted, spread out, and left to cure.

We had communication with Adelie Land again on the 26th, and messages

were sent and received by both stations. Dr. Mawson wirelessed to the

effect that the 'Aurora' would, after picking up Wild's party, make an

attempt to return to Adelie Land if conditions were at all favourable.

Finding that provisions were running rather short on the last day of

February, we reduced ourselves to an allowance of one pound of sugar per

week each, which was weighed out every Thursday. Altogether there were

only forty-five pounds remaining. Thenceforth it was the custom for each

to bring his sugar-tin to the table every meal. The arrangement had its

drawbacks, inasmuch as no sugar was available for cooking unless a levy

were made. Thus puddings became rareties, because most of us preferred

to use the sugar in tea or coffee.

March came blustering in, accompanied by a sixty-four-mile gale which

did damage to the extent of blowing down our annexe, tearing the

tarpaulin off the stores at the back and ripping the spouting off

the Shack. A high sea arose and the conformation of the beach on the

north-western side of the isthmus was completely changed. Numbers of sea

elephants' tusks and bones were revealed, which had remained buried in

the shingle probably for many years, and heaps of kelp were piled up

where before there had been clean, stony beach. Kelp is a very tough

weed, but after being washed up and exposed to the air for a few days,

begins to decay, giving forth a most disagreeable smell.

At this time we caught numerous small fish amongst the rocks at the

water's edge with a hand line about four feet long. It was simply a

matter of dropping in the line, watching the victim trifle with destiny

and hauling him in at the precise moment.

Wireless business was now being done nightly with Adelie Land, and on

the 7th I received a message from Dr. Mawson saying that the party would

in all probability be down there for another season, and stating the

necessity for keeping Macquarie Island station going till the end of the

year. This message I read out to the men, and gave them a week in which

to view the matter. The alternatives were to return in April or to

remain till the end of the year.

I went through the whole of the stores on the 10th, and found that the

only commodities upon which we would have to draw sparingly were milk,

sugar, kerosene, meats and coal. The flour would last till May, but the

butter allowance would have to be reduced to three pounds per week.

It was on the 12th that we found the lost sheep, but as we had some

wekas, sufficient to last us for several days, I did not kill one till

the 15th. On that day four of us went down towards the ledge where they

were standing, and shot one, which immediately toppled off and rolled

down some distance into the tussock, the other one leaping after it

without hesitation. While Blake and Hamilton skinned the dead sheep,

Sandell and I caught the other and tethered it at the bottom of the hill

amongst a patch of Maori cabbage, as we thought it would probably get

lost if left to roam loose. However, on going to the spot next day, the

sheep was nearly dead, having got tangled up in the rope. So we let it

go free, only to lose the animal a day or two later, for it fell into a

bog and perished.

On March 22 a lunar eclipse occurred, contact lasting a little over

three hours from 9.45 P.M. till within a few minutes of 1 A.M. on the

23rd. The period of total eclipse was quite a lengthy one, and during

the time it lasted the darkness was intense. Cloud interfered for a

while with our observations in the total stage. No coronal effect was

noted, though a pulsating nebulous area appeared in front of the moon

just before contact.

A message came on the 27th saying that the 'Rachel Cohen' was sailing

for Macquarie Island on May 2, and would bring supplies as well as take

back the men who wished to be relieved, and this was forwarded in turn

to Dr. Mawson.

He replied, saying that the 'Aurora' would pick us up about the middle

of November and convey us to Antarctica, thence returning to Australia;

but if any member wished to return by the 'Rachel Cohen' he could do

so, though notification would have to be given, in order to allow of

substitutes being appointed. All the members of the party elected to

stay, and I asked each man to give an outline of the work he intended to

pursue during the extended period.

During March strong winds were recorded on fourteen days, reaching

gale-force on six occasions. The gale at the beginning of the month was

the strongest we had experienced, the velocity at 5.40 A.M. on the 1st

reaching sixty-four miles per hour. Precipitation occurred on twenty-six

days and the average amount of cloud was 85 per cent. A bright auroral

display took place on the 6th, lasting from 11.20 till 11.45 P.M.

It assumed the usual arch-form stretching from the south-east to

south-west, and streamers and shafts of light could be observed

pulsating upwards towards the zenith.

We now started on what might be called the second stage of our existence

on the island. In the preceding pages I have endeavoured to give some

idea of what happened during what was to have been our full period;

but unforeseen circumstances compelled us to extend our stay for eight

months more, until the 'Aurora' came to relieve us in November. As the

routine was similar in a good many respects to that which we had just

gone through, I shall now refer to only the more salient features of our

life.

The loyalty of my fellows was undoubted, and though any of them could

have returned if he had felt so inclined, I am proud to say that they

all decided to see it through. When one has looked forward hopefully to

better social conditions, more comfortable surroundings and reunion

with friends, it gives him a slight shock to find that the door has been

slammed, so to speak, for another twelve months. Nevertheless, we all

found that a strain of philosophy smoothed out the rough realities, and

in a short time were facing the situation with composure, if not actual

contentment.

We decided now to effect a few improvements round about our abode, and

all set to work carrying gravel from the beach to put down in front of

the Shack, installing a sink-system to carry any waste water, fixing the

leaking roof and finally closing up the space between the lining and the

wall to keep out the rats.

We expected the 'Rachel Cohen' to leave Hobart with our stores on May 2,

and reckoned that the voyage would occupy two weeks. Thus, it would be

six weeks before she arrived. I was therefore compelled on the 10th to

reduce the sugar allowance to half a pound per week. We were now taking

it in turns to go once a week and get some wekas, and it was always

possible to secure about a dozen, which provided sufficient meat for

three dinners. Breakfast consisted generally of fish, which we caught,

or sea elephant in some form, whilst we had tinned fish for lunch.

Sandell installed a telephone service between the Shack and the wireless

station about the middle of April, the parts all being made by himself;

and it was certainly an ingenious and valuable contrivance. I, in

particular, learned to appreciate the convenience of it as time went

on. The buzzer was fixed on the wall close to the head of my bunk and

I could be called any time during the night from the wireless station,

thus rendering it possible to reply to communications without loss of

time. Further, during the winter nights, when auroral observations had

to be made, I could retire if nothing showed during the early part of

the night, leaving it to Sandell, who worked till 2 or 3 A.M. to call me

if any manifestation occurred.

We had heavy gales from the 12th to the 17th inclusive, the force of the

wind during the period frequently exceeding fifty miles per hour, and,

on the first-mentioned date, the barometer fell to 27.8 inches. The

usual terrific seas accompanied the outburst.

Finding that there were only eight blocks of coal left, I reduced the

weekly allowance to one. We had a good supply of tapioca, but neither

rice nor sago, and as the sealers had some of the latter two, but none

of the former, we made an exchange to the extent of twelve pounds of

tapioca for eight pounds of rice and some sago. Only fifteen pounds of

butter remained on the 20th, and I divided this equally, as it was now

one of the luxuries, and each man could use his own discretion in eating

it. As it was nearing the end of April, and no further word concerning

the movements of the 'Rachel Cohen' had been received, I wirelessed

asking to be immediately advised of the exact date of the vessel's

departure. A reply came that the ship would definitely reach us within

two months. I answered, saying we could wait two months, but certainly

no longer.

With a view to varying the menu a little, Blake and I took Mac up on the

hills on April 26 to get some rabbits and, after tramping for about six

hours, we returned with seven. In our wanderings we visited the penguin

rookeries at "The Nuggets," and one solitary bird sat in the centre

of the vast area which had so lately been a scene of much noise and

contention.

On May 1 I took an inventory of the stores and found that they would

last for two months if economically used. Of course, I placed confidence

in the statement that the 'Rachel Cohen' would reach the island within

that time.

With the coming of May wintry conditions set in, and at the end of the

first week the migrants had deserted our uninviting island. Life with us

went on much the same as usual, but the weather was rather more severe

than that during the previous year, and we were confined to the Shack a

good deal.

The sealers who were still on the island had shifted back to the Hut

at the north end so that they were very close to us and frequently came

over with their dog in the evenings to have a yarn. The majority of them

were men who had "knocked about" the world and had known many rough,

adventurous years. One of them in particular was rather fluent, and we

were often entertained from his endless repertoire of stories.

On the 23rd, finding that there were seventy-seven and a half pounds

of flour remaining, and ascertaining that the sealers could let us have

twenty-five pounds, if we ran short, I increased the allowance for bread

to twelve and a half pounds per week, and this, when made up, gave each

man two and three-quarter pounds of bread. Our supply of oatmeal was

very low, but in order to make it last we now started using a mixture of

oatmeal and sago for breakfast; of course, without any milk or sugar.

Just about this time Mac gave birth to six pups and could not help us in

obtaining food. She had done valuable service in this connexion, and the

loss in the foraging strength of the party was severely felt for several

weeks. She was particularly deadly in hunting rabbits and wekas, and

though the first-named were very scarce within a few miles of the Shack,

she always managed to unearth one or two somewhere. Hut-slippers were

made out of the rabbit skins and they were found to be a great boon, one

being able to sit down for a while without his feet "going."

June arrived and with it much rough, cold weather. A boat was expected

to come to our relief, at the very latest, by the 30th. We had a

very chilly period during the middle of the month, and it was only by

hand-feeding the "jacket" of the wireless motor that any work could be

done by the station, as the tank outside was almost frozen solid.

The tide-gauge clock broke down towards the end of the month, and

though I tried for days to get it going I was not successful. One of the

springs had rusted very badly as a result of the frequent "duckings" the

clock had experienced, and had become practically useless.

We had ascertained that the 'Rachel Cohen' was still in Hobart, so on

the 23rd I wirelessed asking when the boat was to sail. The reply came

that the 'Rachel Cohen' was leaving Hobart on Thursday, June 26.

Our supply of kerosene oil was exhausted by the end of the month,

despite the fact that the rule of "lights out at 10 P.M." had been

observed for some time. Thus we were obliged to use sea elephant oil in

slush lamps. At first we simply filled a tin with the oil and passed

a rag through a cork floating on the top, but a little ingenuity soon

resulted in the production of a lamp with three burners and a handle.

This was made by Sandell out of an old tea-pot and one, two or three

burners could be lit as occasion demanded. During meal times the whole

three burners were used, but, as the oil smoked and smelt somewhat, we

generally blew out two as soon as the meal was finished. This was the

"general" lamp, but each man had, as well, one of his own invention.

Mine was scornfully referred to as the "house-boat," since it consisted

of a jam tin, which held the oil, standing in a herring tin which caught

the overflow.

At the end of June, Blake and I surveyed all the penguin rookeries round

about "The Nuggets" and, allowing a bird to the square foot, found that

there must have been about half a million birds in the area. The sealers

kill birds from these rookeries to the number of about one hundred and

thirty thousand yearly, so that it would seem reasonable to suppose

that, despite this fact, there must be an annual increase of about one

hundred thousand birds.

The end of the month arrived and, on making inquiries, we found that

there was no news of the 'Rachel Cohen' having left Hobart. We had

enough flour to last a fortnight, and could not get any from the sealers

as they possessed only three weeks' supply themselves. However, on July

8, Bauer came across and offered to let us have some wheatmeal biscuits

as they had a couple of hundredweights, so I readily accepted twenty

pounds of them. We now had soup twice a day, and managed to make it

fairly thick by adding sago and a few lentils. Cornflour and hot water

flavoured with cocoa made a makeshift blanc-mange, and this, with sago

and tapioca, constituted our efforts towards dessert.

On the 12th I received a message stating that the 'Rachel Cohen' had

sailed on July 7; news which was joyfully received. We expected her to

appear in ten or twelve days.

On the 18th we used the last ounce of flour in a small batch of bread,

having fully expected the ship to arrive before we had finished it.

Next day Bauer lent us ten pounds of oatmeal and showed us how to make

oatmeal cakes. We tried some and they were a complete success, though

they consisted largely of tapioca, and, according to the respective

amounts used, should rather have been called tapioca cakes.

When the 22nd arrived and no ship showed up, I went across to see what

the sealers thought of the matter, and found that they all were of

opinion that she had been blown away to the eastward of the island, and

might take a considerable time to "make" back.

On this date we came to the end of our meats, which I had been dealing

out in a very sparing manner, just to provide a change from sea elephant

and weka. We had now to subsist upon what we managed to catch. There

were still thirty-five tins of soup, of which only two tins a day

were used, so that there was sufficient for a few weeks. But we found

ourselves running short of some commodity each day, and after the 23rd

reckoned to be without bread and biscuit.

At this juncture many heavy blows were experienced, and on the 24th a

fifty-mile gale accompanied by a tremendous sea beat down on us, giving

the 'Rachel Cohen' a very poor chance of "making" the island. Our last

tin of fruit was eaten; twelve tins having lasted us since March 31, and

I also shared the remaining ten biscuits amongst the men on the 24th. We

were short of bread, flour, biscuits, meats, fish, jam, sugar and milk,

but had twenty tins of French beans, thirty tins of cornflour, some

tapioca, and thirty tins of soup, as well as tea, coffee and cocoa in

abundance. We had not been able to catch any fish for some days as the

weather had been too rough, and, further, they appeared to leave the

coasts during the very cold weather.

Sea elephants were very scarce, and we invariably had to walk some

distance in order to get one; each man taking it in turn to go out with

a companion and carry home enough meat for our requirements. We were

now eating sea elephant meat three times a day (all the penguins having

migrated) and our appetites were very keen. The routine work was carried

on, though a great deal of time was occupied in getting food.

Bauer very generously offered to share his biscuits with us, but

we fellows, while appreciating the spirit which prompted the offer,

unanimously declined to accept them. We now concluded that something

had happened to the ship, as at the end of July she had been twenty-four

days out.

On August 3 we had a sixty-three-mile gale and between 1 and 2 A.M. the

velocity of the wind frequently exceeded fifty miles per hour. Needless

to say there was a mountainous sea running, and the Rachel Cohen, if she

had been anywhere in the vicinity, would have had a perilous time.

A message came to me on August 6 from the Secretary of the Expedition,

saying that the 'Rachel Cohen' had returned to New Zealand badly

damaged, and that he was endeavouring to send us relief as soon as

possible. I replied, telling him that our food-supply was done, but that

otherwise we were all right and no uneasiness need be felt, though we

wished to be relieved as soon as possible.

Splendid news came along on the 9th to the effect that the New Zealand

Government's steamer 'Tutanekai' would tranship our stores from the

'Rachel Cohen' on the 15th and sail direct for the island.

Sawyer now became ill and desired me to make arrangements for his

return. I accordingly wired to the Secretary, who replied asking if we

could manage without an operator. After consulting Sandell, I answered

that Sandell and I together could manage to run the wireless station.

Everybody now looked forward eagerly to the arrival of the 'Tutanekai',

but things went on as before. We found ourselves with nothing but sea

elephant meat and sago, with a pound-tin of French beans once a week and

two ounces of oatmeal every morning.

We heard that the Tutanekai did not leave as expected on the 15th,

but sailed on the afternoon of the 17th, and was coming straight to

Macquarie Island. She was equipped with a wireless telegraphy outfit,

which enabled us on the 18th to get in touch with her; the operator on

board stating that they would reach us early on the morning of the 20th.

On the evening of the 19th we gave Sawyer a send-off dinner; surely the

poorest thing of its kind, as far as eatables were concerned, that has

ever been tendered to any one. The fare consisted of sea elephant's

tongue "straight," after which a bottle of claret was cracked and we

drank heartily to his future prosperity.

At 7.30 A.M. on the 20th the 'Tutanekai' was observed coming up the east

coast, and as we had "elephanted" at 6 A.M. we were ready to face the

day. I went across to the sealers' hut and accompanied Bauer in the

launch to the ship, which lay at anchor about a mile from the shore.

We scrambled on board, where I met Captain Bollons. He received me most

courteously, and, after discussing several matters, suggested landing

the stores straight away. I got into the launch to return to the shore,

but the wind had freshened and was soon blowing a fresh gale. Still,

Bauer thought we should have no difficulty and we pushed off from the

ship. The engine of the launch failed after we had gone a few yards, the

boat was blown rapidly down the coast, and we were eventually thrown out

into the surf at "The Nuggets." The Captain, who witnessed our plight,

sent his launch in pursuit of us, but its engines also failed. It now

became necessary for the crew of the whale-boat to go to the assistance

of the launch. However, they could do nothing against the wind, and, in

the end, the ship herself got up anchor, gave the two boats a line

and towed them back to the former anchorage. The work of unloading now

commenced, though a fairly heavy surf was running. But the whaleboat of

the 'Tutanekai' was so dexterously handled by the boatswain that most of

our stores were landed during the day.

Sawyer went on board the 'Tutanekai' in the afternoon, thus severing his

connexion with the Expedition, after having been with us on the island

since December 1911. On the following morning, some sheep, coal and

flour were landed, and, with a whistled good-bye, the 'Tutanekai'

started north on her visit to other islands.

Our short period of stress was over and we all felt glad. From that time

onwards we ate no more elephant meat "straight." A sheep was killed just

as the 'Tutanekai' left, and we had roast mutton, scones, butter, jam,

fruit and rice for tea. It was a rare treat.

All the stores were now brought up from the landing-place, and as I had

put up several extra shelves some weeks previously, plenty of room was

found for all the perishable commodities inside the Shack.

The beginning of September found me fairly busy. In addition to the

meteorological work, the results of which were always kept reduced and

entered up, I had to work on Wireless Hill during the evening and make

auroral observations on any night during which there was a display,

attending to the stores and taking the week of cooking as it came along.

Blake and Hamilton went down the island for several days on September

3, since they had some special observations to make in the vicinity of

Sandy Bay.

The sea elephant season was now in progress, and many rookeries were

well formed by the middle of the month. The skuas had returned, and on

the 19th the advance-guard of the Royal penguins arrived. The gentoos

had established themselves in their old "claims," and since the 12th we

had been using their eggs for cooking.

Early in September time-signals were received from Melbourne, and these

were transmitted through to Adelie Land. This practice was kept up

throughout the month and in many cases the signals were acknowledged.

Blake and Hamilton returned to the Shack on the 24th, but left again on

the 30th, as they had some more photographic work to do in the vicinity

of Green Valley and Sandy Bay.

Blake made a special trip to Sandy Bay on October 30 to bring back some

geological specimens and other things he had left there, but on

reaching the spot found that the old hut had been burned to the ground,

apparently only a few hours before, since it was still smouldering. Many

articles were destroyed, among which were two sleeping-bags, a sextant,

gun, blankets, photographic plates, bird specimens and articles of

clothing. It was presumed that rats had originated the fire from wax

matches which had been left lying on a small shelf.

On November 9 we heard that the 'Aurora' would leave Hobart on the 19th

for Antarctica, picking us up on the way and landing three men on the

island to continue the wireless and meteorological work.

We sighted the 'Rachel Cohen' bearing down on the island on November 18,

and at 5.15 P.M. she came to an anchorage in North-East Bay. She brought

down the remainder of our coal and some salt for Hamilton for the

preservation of specimens.

On the next night it was learned that the 'Aurora' had left Hobart on

her way South, expecting to reach us about the 28th, as some sounding

and dredging were being done en route.

Everybody now became very busy making preparations for departure. Time

passed very quickly, and November 28 dawned fine and bright. The 'Rachel

Cohen', which had been lying in the bay loading oil, had her full

complement on board by 10 A.M., and shortly afterwards we trooped across

to say good-bye to Bauer and the other sealers, who were all returning

to Hobart. It was something of a coincidence that they took their

departure on the very day our ship was to arrive. Their many acts of

kindness towards us will ever be recalled by the members of the party,

and we look upon our harmonious neighbourly association together with

feelings of great pleasure.

A keen look-out was then kept for signs of our own ship, but it was not

until 8 P.M. that Blake, who was up on the hill side, called out, "Here

she comes," and we climbed up to take in the goodly sight. Just visible,

away in the north-west, there was a line of thin smoke, and in about

half an hour the 'Aurora' dropped anchor in Hasselborough Bay.

CHAPTER XXVIII THE HOMEWARD CRUISE

We bring no store of ingots,

Of spice or precious stones;

But what we have we gathered

With sweat and aching bones.

KIPLING.

As we sat in the wardroom of the 'Aurora' exchanging the news of months

long gone by, we heard from Captain Davis the story of his fair-weather

trip from Hobart. The ship had left Australian waters on November 19,

and, from the outset, the weather was quite ideal. Nothing of note

occurred on the run to Macquarie Island, where a party of three men were

landed and Ainsworth and his loyal comrades picked up. The former

party, sent by the Australian Government, were to maintain wireless

communication with Hobart and to send meteorological reports to the

Commonwealth Weather Bureau. A week was spent at the island and all the

collections were embarked, while Correll was enabled to secure some

good colour photographs and Hurley to make valuable additions to his

cinematograph film.

The 'Aurora' had passed through the "fifties" without meeting the usual

gales, sighting the first ice in latitude 63 degrees 33' S., longitude

150 degrees 29' E. She stopped to take a sounding every twenty-four

hours, adding to the large number already accumulated during her cruises

over the vast basin of the Southern Ocean.

All spoke of the clear and beautiful days amid the floating ice and of

the wonderful coloured sunsets; especially the photographers. The

pack was so loosely disposed, that the ship made a straight course for

Commonwealth Bay, steaming up to Cape Denison on the morning of December

14 to find us all eager to renew our claim on the big world up North.

There was a twenty-five-knot wind and a small sea when we pulled off in

the whale-boat to the ship, but, as if conspiring to give us for once a

gala-day, the wind fell off, the bay became blue and placid and the sun

beat down in full thawing strength on the boundless ice and snow. The

Adelians, if that may be used as a distinctive title, sat on the warm

deck and read letters and papers in voracious haste, with snatches of

the latest intelligence from the Macquarie Islanders and the ship's

officers. No one could erase that day from the tablets of his memory.

Late in the afternoon the motor-launch went ashore, and the first of the

cargo was sent off. The weather remained serene and calm, and for the

next six days, with the exception of a "sixty-miler" for a few hours and

a land breeze overnight, there was nothing to disturb the embarkation of

our bulky impedimenta which almost filled the outer Hut. Other work

went on apace. The skua gulls, snow and Wilson petrels were laying their

eggs, and Hamilton went ashore to secure specimens and to add to our

already considerable collection of bird skins. Hunter had a fish-trap

lowered from the forecastle, used a hand dredge from the ship, and did

tow-netting occasionally from the launch in its journeys to and from the

land. Hurley and Correll had bright sunshine to ensure good photographic

results. Bage and Hodgeman looked after the transport of stores from the

Hut, and Gillies, Bickerton and Madigan ran the motor-launch. McLean,

who was now in possession of an incubator and culture tubes, grew

bacteria from various sources--seals and birds, soils, ice and snow.

Ainsworth, Blake and Sandell, making their first acquaintance with

Adelie Land, were most often to be seen quarrying ice on the glacier or

pulling loaded sledges down to the harbour.

[TEXT ILLUSTRATION]

Mackellar Islets

On the 18th a party of us went off to the Mackellar Islets in the

motor-launch, taking a tent and provisions, intending to spend two days

there surveying and making scientific observations.

These islets, over thirty in number, are clustered mainly in a group

about two miles off shore. The group is encircled by rocky "outposts,"

and there are several "links" to the southern mainland. Under a

brilliant sun, across the pale blue water, heaving in a slow northerly

swell, the motor-launch threaded her way between the granite knobs,

capped with solid spray. The waves had undermined the white canopies

so that they stood immobile, perched on the dark, kelp-fringed rocks,

casting their pallid reflections in the turquoise sea. Steaming into a

natural harbour, bordered by a low ice-foot on which scores of Weddell

seals lay in listless slumber, we landed on the largest islet--a

succession of salt-encrusted ridges covered by straggling penguin

rookeries. The place just teemed with the sporadic life of an Antarctic

summer.

It was calculated that the Adelie penguins exceeded one hundred and

fifty thousand in number over an area of approximately one hundred

acres. Near the landing-place there were at least sixty seals and snow

petrels; skua gulls and Wilson petrels soon betrayed their nests to the

biologists.

The islets are flat, and afford evidence that at one time the

continental ice-cap has ridden over them. The rock is a hard grey

gneiss. A rough plane-table map of the group was made by Hodgeman and

myself.

Our scheme of local exploration was now continued to the west. For two

years we had looked curiously at a patch of rocks protruding beneath

the ice-cap eight miles away, within Commonwealth Bay. It had been

inaccessible to sledging parties, and so we reserved Cape Hunter, as it

was ultimately called, for the coming of the Ship.

The anchor was raised on the forenoon of the 22nd, and by midday the

'Aurora' steamed at half-speed along the ramparts of the glacier,

stopping about four miles from the Cape, after sounding in four hundred

and twenty-four fathoms. Through field-glasses much had already been

seen; enough to arouse an intense interest.

One could not but respond to the idea that here was a new world,

flawless and unblemished, into which no human being had ever pried. Here

were open secrets to be read for the first time. It was not with the

cold eye of science alone that we gazed at these rocks--a tiny spur of

the great unseen continent; but it was with an indefinable wonder.

In perfect weather a small party set off in the launch towards a large

grounded berg which appeared to lie under the ice-cliffs. Approaching it

closely, after covering two miles, we could see that it was still more

than a mile to the rocks.

Penguins soon began to splash around; Wilson petrels came glancing

overhead and we could descry great flocks of Antarctic petrels wheeling

over cliff and sea. Reefs buried in frothing surge showed their

glistening mantles, and the boat swerved to avoid floating streamers of

brash-ice.

The rocky cliffs, about eighty feet in height at the highest point,

were formed of vertically lying slate rocks--a very uniform series of

phyllite and sericite-schist. At their base lay great clinging blocks

of ice deeply excavated by the restless swell. One island was separated

from the parent mass by a channel cut sheer to the deep blue water.

Behind the main rocks and indenting the ice-cliff was a curving bay into

which we steered, finding at its head a beautiful cove fringed with a

heavy undermined ice-foot and swarming with Adelie penguins. Overhanging

the water was a cavern hollowed out of a bridge of ice thrown from the

glacier to the western limit of the rock outcrop.

Hurley had before him a picture in perfect proportion. The steel-blue

water, paled by an icy reflection, a margin of brown rocks on which the

penguins leapt through the splashing surf, a curving canopy of ice-foot

and, filling the background, the cavern with pendent icicles along its

cornice.

The swell was so great that an anchor had to be thrown from the stern to

keep the launch off shore, and two men remained on board to see that no

damage was done.

At last we were free to roam and explore. Over the first ridge of rocks

we walked suddenly into the home of the Antarctic petrels! There had

always been much speculation as to where these birds nested. Jones'

party at our western base had the previous summer at Haswell Island

happened upon the first rookery of Antarctic petrels ever discovered.

Here was another spot in the great wilderness peopled by their

thousands. Every available nook and crevice was occupied along a wide

slope which shelved away until it met the vertical cliffs falling to the

ocean. One could sit down among the soft, mild birds who were fearless

at the approach of man. They rested in pairs close to their eggs laid on

the bare rock or among fragments of slate loosely arranged to resemble a

rest. Many eggs were collected, and the birds, losing confidence in us,

rose into the air in flocks, gaining in feathered volume as they circled

in fear above this domain of rock and snow which had been theirs for

generations.

In adjoining rookeries the Adelie penguins, with their fat, downy

cheeks, were very plentiful and fiercer than usual. Skuas, snow and

Wilson petrels were all in their accustomed haunts. Down on the low

ice-foot at the mouth of a rocky ravine, a few seals had effected

a landing. Algae, mosses and lichens made quite a display in moist

localities.

Before leaving for the ship, we "boiled the billy" on a platform of

slate near the cove where the launch was anchored and had a small

picnic, entertained by the penguins playing about in the surf or scaling

the ice-foot to join the birds which were laboriously climbing to the

rookeries on the ridge. The afternoon was so peaceful and the calm

hot weather such a novelty to us that we pushed off reluctantly to the

'Aurora' after an eventful day.

Those on board had had a busy time dredging, and their results were just

as successful as ours. A haul was made in two hundred and fifty fathoms

of ascidians, sponges, crinoids, holothurians, fish and other forms of

life in such quantity that Hunter and Hamilton were occupied in sorting

the specimens until five o'clock next morning. Meanwhile the 'Aurora'

had returned to her old anchorage close to Cape Denison.

The sky banked up from the south with nimbus, and early on the 23rd a

strong breeze ruffled the water. There were a few things to be brought

off from the shore, while Ainsworth, Sandell and Correll were still

at the Hut, so that, as the weather conditions pointed to a coming

blizzard, I decided to "cut the painter" with the land.

An hour later the motor-launch, with Madigan and Bickerton, sped away

for the last load through falling snow and a rising sea. Hodgeman had

battened down the windows of the Hut, the chimney was stuffed with

bagging, the veranda-entrance closed with boards, and, inside, an

invitation was left for future visitors to occupy and make themselves

at home. After the remainder of the dogs and some miscellaneous gear had

been shipped, the launch put off and came alongside in a squally wind

through thick showers of snow. Willing hands soon unloaded the boat

and slung it in the davits. Every one was at last safe on board, and in

future all our operations were to be conducted from the ship.

During the night the wind rose and the barometer fell, while the air was

filled with drifting snow. On the 24th--Christmas Eve--the velocity of

the wind gradually increased to the seventies until at noon it blew with

the strength of a hurricane. Chief Officer Blair, stationed with a few

men under the fo'c'sle-head, kept an anxious eye on the anchor chain and

windlass.

About lunch time the anchor was found to be dragging and we commenced to

drift before the hurricane. All view of the land and lurking dangers in

the form of reefs and islets were cut off by driving snow.

The wind twanged the rigging to a burring drone that rose to a shriek in

the shuddering gusts. The crests of the waves were cut off and sprayed

in fine spindrift. With full steam on we felt our way out, we hoped to

the open sea; meanwhile the chain cable and damaged anchor were slowly

being hauled in. The ship's chances looked very small indeed, but, owing

to the good seamanship of Captain Davis and a certain amount of luck,

disaster was averted. Soon we were in a bounding sea. Each time we were

lifted on a huge roller the motor-launch, swinging in the davits, would

rise and then descend with a crash on the water, to be violently bumped

against the bulwarks. Everything possible was done to save the launch,

but our efforts proved fruitless. As it was being converted into a

battering ram against the ship itself it had to be cut away, and was

soon swept astern and we saw no more of it.

Most unexpectedly there came a lull in the wind, so that it was almost

calm, though the ship still laboured in the seas. A clearance in the

atmosphere was also noticeable for Cape Hunter became discernible to the

west, towards which we were rapidly drifting. This sight of the coast

was a great satisfaction to us, for we then knew our approximate

position ** and the direction of the wind, which had veered

considerably.

** It should be borne in mind that compasses are unreliable in the

vicinity of the magnetic pole.

The lull lasted scarcely five minutes when the wind came back from a

somewhat different quarter, north of east, as violent as ever. The

"eye" of the storm had passed over us, and the gale continued steady for

several days. That night the struggle with the elements was kept up by

officers and crew, assisted by members of the shore party who took the

lee-wheel or stood by in case of emergency.

"December 25. Christmas Day on the high seas off Adelie Land, everything

wet and fairly miserable; incipient mal de mer, wind 55-60; snowing!

When Davis came down to breakfast and wished us a Merry Christmas, with

a smile at the irony of it, the ward-room was swaying about in a most

bewildering fashion."

Towards evening, after the 'Aurora' had battled for hours slowly to the

east, the sea went down somewhat and some drifting ice was sighted. We

continued under full steam, pushing forward to gain the shelter of the

Mertz glacier-tongue. It was now discovered that the fluke of the anchor

had broken off short, so great had been the strain imposed upon it

during the height of the hurricane.

On Boxing Day the ship was in calmer water heading in a more southerly

direction so as to come up with the land. Fog, fine snow and an

overcast sky made a gloomy combination, but during the afternoon the fog

lightened sufficiently for us to perceive the mainland--a ghostly cliff

shrouded in diaphanous blink. By 10 P.M. the Mertz glacier was visible

on the port bow, and to starboard there was an enormous tilted berg

which appeared to be magnified in the dim light.

Allowing a day for the weather to become clearer and more settled,

we got out the trawl on the 28th and did a dredging in three hundred

fathoms close to the glacier-tongue. Besides rocks and mud there were

abundant crinoids, holothurians, corals, crustaceans and "shells."

In addition, several pieces of fossilized wood and coaly matter were

discovered scattered through the "catch."

Bage, under Davis's direction, took temperatures and collected water

samples at fifty, seventy-five, one hundred, two hundred and three

hundred fathoms, using the Lucas sounding-machine on the fo'c'sle. The

temperature gradient from the surface downwards appeared to give some

indication of the depth of ice submerged in the glacier-tongue alongside

which we were lying.

On the 29th a cold south-easter blew off the ice-cliffs and the sun was

trying to pierce a gauzy alto-stratus. The 'Aurora' steamed north-east,

it being our intention to round the northern limit of the Mertz Glacier.

Gradually a distant line of pack, which had been visible for some time,

closed in and the ship ran into a cul-de-sac. Gray, who was up in the

crow's-nest, reported that the ice was very heavy, so we put about.

Proceeding southward once more, we glided along within a stone's throw

of the great wall of ice whose chiselled headlands stood in profile

for miles. There was leisure to observe various features of this great

formation, and to make some valuable photographic records when the low

south-western sun emerged into a wide rift. Hunter trailed the tow-net

for surface plankton while the ship was going at half-speed.

At ten o'clock the ship had come up with the land, and her course was

turned sharply to the north-west towards a flotilla of bergs lying to

the east of the Way Archipelago, which we intended to visit.

On December 30, 1913, the 'Aurora' lay within a cordon of floating ice

about one mile distant from the nearest islet of a group scattered along

the coast off Cape Gray.

Immediately after breakfast a party of eight men set off in the launch

to investigate Stillwell Island. The weather was gloriously sunny and

every one was eager at the prospect of fresh discoveries. Cape Hunter

had been the home of the Antarctic petrels, and on this occasion we

were singularly fortunate in finding a resort of the Southern Fulmar

or silver-grey petrels. During the previous summer, two of the eastern

sledging parties had for the first time observed the breeding habits of

these birds among isolated rocks outcropping on the edge of the coast.

But here there was a stronghold of hundreds of petrels, sitting with

their eggs in niches among the boulders or ensconced in bowers excavated

beneath the snow which lay deep over some parts of the island.

The rock was a gneiss which varied in character from that which had been

examined at Cape Denison and in other localities. All the scientific

treasures were exhausted by midday, and the whale-boat was well laden

when we rowed back to the ship.

Throughout a warm summer afternoon the 'Aurora' threaded her way between

majestic bergs and steamed west across the wide span of Commonwealth

Bay, some fifteen miles off the land. At eleven o'clock the sky was

perfectly clear and the sun hung like a luminous ball over the southern

plateau. The rocks near the Hut were just visible. Close to the

"Pianoforte Berg" and the Mackellar Islets tall jets of fine spray were

seen to shoot upward from schools of finner whales. All around us and

for miles shoreward, the ocean was calm and blue; but close to the

mainland there was a dark curving line of ruffled water, while through

glasses one could see trails of serpentine drift flowing down the slopes

of the glacier. Doubtless, it was blowing at the Hut; and the thought

was enough to make us thankful that we were on our good ship leaving

Adelie Land for ever.

On the morning of December 31, 1913, Cape Alden was abeam, and a strong

wind swept down from the highlands. Bordering the coast there was a

linear group of islets and outcropping rocks at which we had hoped to

touch. The wind continued to blow so hard that the idea was abandoned

and our course was directed towards the north-west to clear a submerged

reef which had been discovered in January 1912.

The wind and sea arose during the night, causing the ship to roll in a

reckless fashion. Yet the celebration of New Year's Eve was not marred,

and lusty choruses came up from the ward-room till long after midnight.

Next morning at breakfast our ranks had noticeably thinned through the

liveliness of the ship, but it is wonderful how large an assembly we

mustered for the New Year's dinner, and how cheerfully the toast was

drunk to "The best year we have ever had!"

On January 2, 1914, fast ice and the mainland were sighted. The course

was changed to the south-west so as to bring the ship within a girdle

of loose ice disposed in big solid chunks and small pinnacled floes.

A sounding realized two hundred fathoms some ten miles off the coast,

which stretched like a lofty bank of yellow sand along the southern

horizon. On previous occasions we had not been able to see so much of

the coastline in this longitude owing to the compactness of the ice, and

so we were able to definitely chart a longer tract at the western limit

of Adelie Land.

The ice became so thick and heavy as the 'Aurora' pressed southward that

she was forced at last to put about and steer for more open water. On

the way, a sounding was made in two hundred and fifty fathoms, but a

dredging was unsuccessful owing to the fact that insufficient cable was

paid out in going from two hundred and fifty fathoms to deeper water.

Our north-westerly course ran among a great number of very long tabular

bergs, which suggested the possibility of a neighbouring glacier-tongue

as their origin.

At ten o'clock on the evening of the 2nd, a mountain of ice with a high

encircling bastion passed to starboard. It rose to a peak, flanked by

fragments toppling in snowy ruin. The pyramidal summit was tinged the

palest lilac in the waning light; the mighty pallid walls were streaked

and blotched with deep azure; the green swell sucked and thundered in

the wave-worn caverns. Chaste snow-birds swam through the pure air, and

the whole scene was sacred.

A tropical day in the pack-ice! Sunday January 4 was clear and perfectly

still, and the sun shone powerfully. On the previous day we had entered

a wide field of ice which had become so close and heavy that the ship

took till late in the evening to reach its northern fringe.

From January 5 onwards for two weeks we steamed steadily towards the

west, repeatedly changing course to double great sheets of pack which

streamed away to the north, pushing through them in other places where

the welcome "water-sky showed strong" ahead, making "southing" for days

following the trend of the ice, then grappling with it in the hope of

winning through to the land and at last returning to the western track

along the margin of brash which breaks the first swell of the Southern

Ocean.

The weather was mostly overcast with random showers of light snow and

mild variable winds on all but two days, when there was a "blow" of

forty miles per hour and a considerable sea in which the ship seemed

more active than usual.

Many soundings were taken, and their value lay in broadly [...] Of

course, too, we were supplementing the ship's previous work in these

latitudes.

[TEXT ILLUSTRATION]

Section Illustrating The Moat In The Antarctic Continental Shelf

One successful dredging in eighteen hundred fathoms brought up some

large erratics and coaly matter, besides a great variety of animal life.

It was instructive to find that the erratics were coated with a film of

manganese oxide derived from the sea-water. Several tow-nettings were

taken with large nets automatically closing at any desired depth through

the medium of a "messenger." Small crustaceans were plentiful on the

surface, but they were if anything more numerous at depths of fifty

to one hundred fathoms. Amongst the latter were some strongly

phosphorescent forms. The flying birds were "logged" daily by the

biologists. Emperor and Adelie penguins were occasionally seen, among

the floes as well as sea-leopards, crab-eater and Weddell seals.

Friday January 16 deserves mention as being a day full of incident. In

the morning a thin, cold fog hung along the pack whose edge determined

our course. Many petrels flew around, and on the brash-ice there were

dark swarms of terns--small birds with black-capped heads, dove-grey

backs and silvery-white breasts. They were very nervous of the ship,

rising in great numbers when it had approached within a few hundred

yards. One startled bird would fly up, followed by several more; then

a whole covey would disturb the rest of the flock. Hamilton managed to

shoot two of them from the fo'c'sle, and, after much manoeuvring, we

secured one with a long hand-net.

Soon after, there was a cry of "killer whales!" from the stern. Schools

of them were travelling from the west to the east along the edge of the

pack. The water was calm and leaden, and every few seconds a big

black triangular fin would project from the surface, there would be

a momentary glimpse of a dark yellow-blotched back and then all would

disappear.

We pushed into the pack to "ice ship," as the water-supply was running

low. Just as the 'Aurora' was leaving the open water, a school of finner

whales went by, blowing high jets of spray in sudden blasts, wallowing

for a few seconds on the surface, and diving in swirls of foam. These

finners or rorquals are enormous mammals, and on one occasion we were

followed by one for several hours. It swam along with the ship, diving

regularly underneath from one side to another, and we wondered what

would happen if it had chosen to charge the vessel or to investigate the

propeller.

Close to a big floe to which the ship was secured, two crab-eater

seals were shot and hauled aboard to be skinned and investigated by the

biologists and bacteriologist. When the scientists had finished their

work, the meat and blubber were cut up for the dogs, while the choicer

steaks were taken to the cook's galley.

After lunch every one started to "ice ship" in earnest. The sky had

cleared and the sun was warm and brilliant by the time a party had

landed on the snow-covered floe with baskets, picks and shovels. When

the baskets had been filled, they were hoisted by hand-power on to a

derrick which had been fixed to the mizen mast, swung inboard and then

shovelled into a melting tank alongside the engine-room. The melter was

a small tank through which ran a coil of steam pipes. The ice came up in

such quantity that it was not melted in time to keep up with the demand,

so a large heap was made on the deck.

Later in the afternoon it was found that holes chipped in the sea-ice to

a depth of six or eight inches filled quickly with fresh water, and soon

a gang of men had started a service with buckets and dippers between

these pools and the main hatch where the water was poured through

funnels into the ship's tanks. The bulwarks on the port side of the

main hatch had been taken down, and a long plank stretched across to

the floe. At nine o'clock work was stopped and we once more resumed our

western cruise.

It was found that as the region of Queen Mary Land approached, heavy

pack extended to the north. While skirting this obstacle, we disclosed

by soundings a steep rise in the ocean's floor from a depth of about

fifteen hundred fathoms to within seven hundred fathoms of the surface,

south of which there was deep water. It was named "Bruce Rise" in

recognition of the oceanographical work of the Scottish Expedition in

Antarctic seas.

On the 17th, in latitude 62 degrees 21' S., longitude 95 degrees 9' E.,

the course ran due south for more than seven hours. For the two ensuing

days the ship was able to steer approximately south-west through

slackening ice, until on the 19th at midday we were in latitude 64

degrees 59' S., longitude 90 degrees 8' E. At length it appeared that

land was approaching, after a westward run of more than twelve hundred

miles. Attempts to reach the charted position of Totten's Land, North's

Land, Budd Land and Knox Land had been successively abandoned when it

became evident that the pack occupied a more northerly situation than

that of the two previous years, and was in most instances thick and

impenetrable.

At 10 P.M. on the 19th, the ice fields still remaining loose and

navigable, a dark line of open water was observed ahead. From the

crow's-nest it was seen to the south stretching east and west within

the belt of pack-ice--the Davis Sea. We had broken through the pack less

than twenty-five miles north of where the 'Gauss' (German Expedition,

1902) had wintered.

All next day the 'Aurora' steamed into the eye of an easterly wind

towards a low white island, the higher positions of which had been seen

by the German Expedition of 1902, and charted as Drygalski's High Land.

Dr. Jones' party had, the year before, obtained a distant view of it

and regarded it as an island, which proved to be correct, so we named

it Drygalski Island. To the south there was the dim outline of the

mainland. Soundings varied between two hundred and three hundred

fathoms.

On January 21, Drygalski Island was close at hand, and a series of

soundings which showed from sixty to seventy fathoms of water deepening

towards the mainland proved beyond doubt that it was an island. In shape

it is like a flattened dome about nine miles in diameter and twelve

hundred feet in height, bounded by perpendicular cliffs of ice, and with

no visible evidence of outcropping rock.

The dredge was lowered in sixty fathoms, and a rich assortment of life

was captured for the biologists--Hunter and Hamilton. A course was then

made to the south amidst a sea of great bergs; the water deepening to

about four hundred fathoms.

During the evening the crevassed slopes of the mainland rose clear to

the south, and many islets were observed near the coast, frozen in a

wide expanse of bay-ice. Haswell Island, visited by Jones, Dovers and

Hoadley of the Western Party, was sighted, and the ship was able to

approach within eight miles of it; at ten o'clock coming up to flat

bay-ice, where she anchored for the night. Before we retired to bunk, a

Ross seal was discovered and shot, three-quarters of a mile away.

Next day, January 22, an unexpected find was made of five more of this

rare species of seal. Many Emperor penguins were also secured. It would

have been interesting to visit the great rookery of Emperor penguins

on Haswell Island, but, as the ship could only approach to within eight

miles of it, I did not think it advisable to allow a party to go so far.

On the night of the 22nd, the 'Aurora' was headed northeast for the

Shackleton Ice-Shelf. In the early hours of the 28rd a strong gale

sprang up and rapidly increased in violence. A pall of nimbus overspread

the sky, and blinding snow commenced to fall.

We had become used to blizzards, but on this occasion several factors

made us somewhat apprehensive. The ship was at least twenty-five miles

from shelter on an open sea, littered with bergs and fragments of ice.

The wind was very strong; the maximum velocity exceeding seventy miles

per hour, and the dense driving snow during the midnight hours of

semi-darkness reduced our chances of navigating with any certainty.

The night of the 23rd had a touch of terror. The wind was so powerful

that, with a full head of steam and steering a few points off the eye of

the wind, the ship could just hold her own. But when heavy gusts swooped

down and the propeller raced on the crest of a mountainous wave, Davis

found it impossible to keep steerage-way.

Drift and spray lash the faces of officer and helmsman, and through the

grey gloom misty bergs glide by on either hand. A long slow struggle

brings us to a passage between two huge masses of ice. There is a shock

as the vessel bumps and grinds along a great wall. The engine stops,

starts again, and stops once more. The yards on the foremast are swung

into the wind, the giant seas are broken by the stolid barriers of ice,

the engine commences to throb with its old rhythm, and the ship

slowly creeps out to meet the next peril. It comes with the onset of

a "bergy-bit" which smashes the martingale as it plunges into a deep

trough. The chain stay parts, dragging loose in the water, while a great

strain is put by the foremast on the bowsprit.

Early on the 24th the ship was put about and ran with the wind, while

all hands assembled on the fo'c'sle. The crew, under the direction of

Blair, had the ticklish job of replacing the chain stay by two heavy

blocks, the lower of which was hooked on to the lug which secured

the end of the stay, and the upper to the bowsprit. The running ropes

connecting the blocks were tightened up by winding the hauling line

round the capstan. When the boatswain and two sailors had finished the

wet and chilly task of getting the tackle into position, the rest put

their weight on to the capstan bars and the strain on the bowsprit was

relieved. The fo'c'sle, plunging and swaying in the great waves,

was encased in frozen spray, and along all the ropes and stays were

continuous cylinders of ice. The 'Aurora' then resumed her easterly

course against the blizzard.

Saturday January 24 was a day of high wind, rough seas, watery decks,

lively meals and general discomfort. At 11.30 P.M. the waves had

perceptibly decreased, and it was surmised that we were approaching

the berg, about thirty miles in length, which lay to the west of the

Shackleton Ice-Shelf.

At 6 A.M. on the 25th the sun managed to glimmer through the low rack

flying from the east, lighting up the carven face of an ice-cliff

along which the 'Aurora' was coasting. Up and down we steamed until the

afternoon of the 26th, when the wind lulled away to nothing, and the

grey, even pall of cloud rose and broke into fleecy alto-cumulus.

At the southern extremity of the long berg, fast bay-ice extended up to

the land and for twenty miles across to the shelf on which the Winter

Quarters of the Western Party had been situated. Further progress to

the south was blocked, so our course was directed to the north along the

western border of the berg.

When not engaged in sounding, dredging, or tow-netting members of the

land party found endless diversion in trimming coal. Big inroads had

been made in the supply of more than five hundred tons, and it now

became necessary to shift many tons of it from the holds aft to the

bunkers where it was accessible to the firemen. The work was good

exercise, and every one enjoyed the shift below, "trucking"and

"heaving." Another undoubted advantage, in the opinion of each worker,

was that he could at least demand a wash from Chief Engineer Gillies,

who at other times was forced to be thrifty with hot fresh water.

After supper on the 28th it was evident that we had reached a point

where the shelf-ice veered away to the eastward and a wide tract of

adhering sea-ice barred the way. The floe was exceedingly heavy and

covered with a deep layer of soft snow. Emperor and Adelie penguins,

crab-eater and Weddell seals were recognized through glasses along its

edge. As there was a light obscuring fog and dusk was approaching, the

'Aurora' "hung up" for the night.

On January 29 the ship, after a preliminary trawling had been done in

three hundred and twenty fathoms, pushed into the floe and was made

fast with an ice-anchor. Emperor penguins were so plentiful in the

neighbourhood that many specimens were secured for skins.

A sea-leopard was seen chasing a crab-eater seal quite close to the bow

of the ship. The latter, after several narrow escapes, took refuge on an

ice-foot projecting from the edge of the floe.

Advantage was taken of a clearing in the weather to walk over the

sea-ice to a berg two and a half miles away, from the summit of which

it was hoped that some sign of land might be apparent. Away in the

distance, perhaps five miles further on, could be seen an immense

congregation of Emperor Penguins--evidently another rookery. No certain

land was visible.

The cruise was now continued to the north-west in order to skirt a

collection of bergs and floe, with the ultimate object of proceeding

in an easterly direction towards Termination Ice-Tongue at the northern

limit of the Shackleton Shelf-Ice.

A glance at the map which illustrates the work done by the Western Party

affords the best idea of the great ice-formation which stretches away

to the north of Queen Mary Land. It is very similar in character to the

well-known Ross Barrier over which lay part of Scott's and Amundsen's

journeys to the South Pole. Its height is remarkably uniform, ranging

from sixty to one hundred feet above the water-level. When allowance

has been made for average specific gravity, its average total thickness

should approximate to six hundred feet. From east to west the formation

was proved to be as much as two hundred miles, with one hundred and

eighty miles between its northern and southern limits.

This vast block of ice originates fundamentally from the glacial

flow over the southern hinterland. Every year an additional layer of

consolidated snow is added to its surface by the frequent blizzards.

These annual additions are clearly marked in the section exposed on the

dazzling white face near the brink of the ice-cliff. There is a limit,

however, to the increase in thickness, for the whole mass is ever moving

slowly to the north, driven by the irresistible pressure of the land-ice

behind it. Thus the northern face crumbles down into brash or floats

away as part of a berg severed from the main body of the shelf-ice.

On the morning of January 30 we had the unique experience of witnessing

this crumbling action at work--a cataclysm of snow, ice and water! The

ship was steaming along within three hundred yards of a cliff, when some

loose drifts slid off from its edge, followed by a slice of the face

extending for many hundreds of feet and weighing perhaps one million

tons. It plunged into the sea with a deep booming roar and then rose

majestically, shedding great masses of snow, to roll onwards exposing

its blue, swaying bulk shivering into lumpy masses which pushed towards

the ship in an ever-widening field of ice. It was a grand scene enacted

in the subdued limelight of an overcast day.

During the afternoon the 'Aurora' changed her north-westerly course

round to north-east, winding through a wonderful sea of bergs grounded

in about one hundred and twenty fathoms of water. At times we would pass

through narrow lanes between towering walls and emerge into a straight

wide avenue along which these mountains of ice were ranged. Several were

rather remarkable; one for its exquisite series of stratification

lines, another for its facade in stucco, and a third for its overhanging

cornice fringed with slender icicles.

On January 31 a trawling was made in one hundred and twelve fathoms.

Half a ton of life emptied on the deck gave the biologists occupation

for several days. Included in the catch were a large number of monstrous

gelatinous ascidians or "sea-squirts." Fragments of coal were once more

found; an indication that coaly strata must be very widely distributed

in the Antarctic.

The pack was dense and in massive array at the extremity of Termination

Ice-Tongue. Davis drove the ship through some of it and entered an open

lead which ran like a dark streak away to the east amid ice which grew

heavier and more marked by the stress of pressure.

Our time was now limited and it seemed to me that there was little

chance of reaching open water by forcing a passage either to the east or

north. We therefore turned on our tracks and broke south-west back into

the Davis Sea, intending to steam westward to the spot where we had so

easily entered two weeks previously.

On February 4 the pack to the north was beginning to thin out and to

look navigable. Several short-cuts were taken across projecting "capes,"

and then on February 5 the 'Aurora' entered a zone of bergs and broken

floe. No one slept well during that night as the ship bumped and ground

into the ice which crashed and grated along her stout sides. Davis was

on watch for long hours, directing in the crow's nest or down on the

bridge, and throughout the next day we pushed on northwards towards the

goal which now meant so much to us--Australia--Home!

At four o'clock the sun was glittering on the great ocean outside the

pack-ice. Many of us climbed up in the rigging to see the fair sight--a

prevision of blue skies and the calm delights of a land of eternal

summer. Our work was finished, and the good ship was rising at last to

the long swell of the southern seas.

On February 12, in latitude 55 degrees S, a strong south-wester drove

behind, and, with all sails set, the 'Aurora' made eight knots an hour.

The last iceberg was seen far away on the eastern horizon. Albatrosses

followed in our wake, accompanied by their smaller satellites--Cape

hens, priors, Lesson's and Wilson petrels.

Before leaving the ice, Sandell and Bickerton had fixed an aerial

between the fore and mizen masts, while the former installed a wireless

receiving-apparatus within the narrow limits of his cabin. There was

no space on the ship to set up the motor-engine, dynamos and other

instruments necessary for transmitting messages over a long distance.

As the nights began to darken, Sandell listened eagerly for distant

signals, until on February 16, in latitude 47 degrees S, the "calls"

of three ships in the vicinity of the Great Australian Bight were

recognized. After this date news was picked up every night, and all the

items were posted on a morning bulletin pinned up in the ward-room.

The first real touch of civilization came unexpectedly early on the

morning of February 21. A full-rigged ship on the southern horizon! It

might have been an iceberg, the sails flashed so white in the morning

sun. But onward it came with a strong south-wester, overhauled and

passed us, signalling "'Archibald Russell', fifty-four days out from

Buenos Ayres, bound for Cape Borda." It was too magical to believe.

On February 26 we gazed on distant cliffs of rock and earth--Kangaroo

Island--and the tiny cluster of dwellings round the lighthouse at

Cape Borda. Then we entered St. Vincent's Gulf on a clear, hot day,

marvelling at the sandy-blue water, the long, flat mainland with its

clumps of trees and the smoke of many steamers.

The welcome home--the voices of innumerable strangers--the hand-grips of

many friend--it chokes one--it cannot be uttered!

APPENDIX I

THE STAFF

The Ship's Officers

J. K. Davis Master of S. Y. 'Aurora' and Second-in

Command of the Expedition.

J. H. Blair First Officer during the later stages of

the Expedition.

P. Gray Second Officer.

C. P. de la Motte Third Officer.

F. J. Gillies Chief Engineer.

Macquarie Island Party

G. F. Ainsworth Leader: Meteorologist.

L. R. Blake Geologist and Cartographer.

H. Hamilton Biologist.

C. A. Sandell Wireless Operator and Mechanic.

A. J. Sawyer Wireless Operator.

Main Base Party

Dr. D. Mawson Commander of the Expedition.

Lieut. R. Bage Astronomer, Assistant Magnetician and

Recorder of Tides.

C. T. Madigan Meteorologist.

Lieut. B. E. S. Ninnis In charge of Greenland dogs.

Dr. X. Mertz In charge of Greenland dogs.

Dr. A. L. McLean Chief Medical Officer, Bacteriologist.

F. H. Bickerton In charge of air-tractor sledge.

A. J. Hodgeman Cartographer and Sketch Artist.

J. F. Hurley Official Photographer.

E. N. Webb Chief Magnetician.

P. E. Correll Mechanic and Assistant Physicist.

J. G. Hunter Biologist.

C. F. Laseron Taxidermist and Biological Collector.

F. L. Stillwell Geologist.

H. D. Murphy In charge of Expedition stores.

W. H. Hannam Wireless Operator and Mechanic.

J. H. Close Assistant Collector.

Dr. L. A. Whetter Surgeon.

Western Base Party

F. Wild Leader.

A. D. Watson Geologist.

Dr. S. E. Jones Medical Officer.

C. T. Harrisson Biologist.

M. H. Moyes Meteorologist.

A. L. Kennedy Magnetician.

C. A. Hoadley Geologist.

G. Dovers Cartographer.

In addition to these were the following gentlemen who accompanied

the Expedition for a portion of the time only or who joined later.

S. N. Jeffryes Wireless Operator, who relieved

W. H. Hannam during 1913.

E. R. Waite (Curator, Canterbury Museum, Christchurch),

Biologist, first Sub-Antarctic cruise of

'Aurora'.

Professor T. T. Flynn (Hobart University), Biologist, second

Sub-Antarctic cruise of 'Aurora'.

J. van Waterschoot Marine Artist, second Antarctic cruise of

van der Gracht 'Aurora'.

Captain James Davis Whaling authority, second Antarctic cruise

of 'Aurora'.

C. C. Eitel Secretary, second Antarctic cruise of 'Aurora'.

N. C. Toucher, and later Served in the capacity of Chief Officer

F. D. Fletcher on the 'Aurora' during the earlier voyages.

[TEXT ILLUSTRATION]

Signatures of members of the land parties in Antarctica and at

Macquarie Island

[Accounts of the members of the expedition, in alphabetical order.]

G. F. AINSWORTH, thirty** years of age, single, was born in Sydney,

New South Wales. His services were loaned to the expedition by the

Commonwealth Meteorological Bureau, Melbourne. For a period of two

years he acted as leader of the Macquarie Island Party, carrying out

the duties of Meteorologist. In the summer of 1913-1914 he visited

the Antarctic during the final cruise of the 'Aurora'.

** The ages refer to the date of joining the Expedition and are but

approximate.

R. BAGE, twenty-three years of age, single, was a graduate in

Engineering of Melbourne University and a lieutenant in the Royal

Australian Engineers. A member of the Main Base Party (Adelie Land)

and leader of the Southern Sledging Party, he remained in the

Antarctic for two years. During the first year he was in charge of

chronometers, astronomical observations and tidal records, and

throughout the second year continued the magnetic work and looked

after stores.

F. H. BICKERTON, F.R.G.S., twenty-two years of age, single, was born

at Oxford, England. Had studied engineering: joined the Expedition

as Electrical Engineer and Motor Expert. A member of the Main Base

Party and leader of the Western Sledging Party, he remained in the

Antarctic for two years, during which time he was in charge of the

air-tractor sledge, and was engineer to the wireless station. For

a time, during the second year, he was in complete charge of the

wireless plant.

J. H. BLAIR, twenty-four years of age, single, was born in Scotland.

For five years he served with the Loch Line of Glasgow as apprentice

and third mate. As second mate he joined A. Currie and Company, of

Melbourne, in the Australian-Indian trade, reaching the rank of first

mate, in which capacity he acted during the final Antarctic cruise of

the 'Aurora' in the summer of 1913-14.

L. R. BLAKE, twenty-one years of age, single, was born in England,

but had lived for many years in Queensland previous to joining the

Expedition. Before accompanying the Macquarie Island Party as

Geologist and Cartographer, he obtained leave from the Geological

Survey Department, Brisbane. He visited the Antarctic during the

final cruise of the 'Aurora' in the summer of 1913-1914.

J. H. Close, F.R.G.S., forty years of age, married, was born in

Sydney, New South Wales. During the South African War he saw active

service in Rhodesia, and at the time of the Expedition's departure was

a teacher of physical culture at Sydney. A member of the Main Base

Party (Adelie Land) and of several sledging parties, he spent two

summers and one winter in the Antarctic.

P. E. CORRELL, nineteen years of age, single, was a student in

Science of the Adelaide University. He joined the Expedition

as Mechanician and Assistant Physicist. He was a member of the Main

Base Party accompanying the Eastern Coastal Party during their

sledging journey. He spent three summers and one winter in the

Antarctic, acting as colour photographer during the final cruise of

the 'Aurora'.

J. E. DAVIS, twenty-eight years of age, single, was master of the

'Aurora' and Second-in-Command of the Expedition. Born in Ireland and

educated in England, he served his apprenticeship on the Liverpool

owned sailing-ship, 'Celtic Chief', obtaining his certificate

as second mate before joining the barque 'Westland' trading between

England and New Zealand. His next post was that of second officer on

the training ship 'Port Jackson', following which he joined Sir Ernest

Shackleton's Expedition (1907-1909) as chief officer of the 'Nimrod',

acting subsequently as master. Throughout the whole period of the

Australasian Antarctic Expedition (1911-1914) Captain J. K. Davis

commanded the 'Aurora' during five cruises.

G. DOVERS, twenty-one years of age, single, of Sydney, New South Wales,

was completing his term for Licensed Surveyor in the service of the

Commonwealth Government when he joined the Expedition. He was in

the Antarctic for two summers and one winter, being stationed with the

Western Party (Queen Mary Land). A member of several sledging parties,

he acted as Cartographer to the party which reached Gaussberg.

F. J. GILLIES, thirty-five years of age, single, was born at Cardiff,

Wales. He served his apprenticeship as an engineer on the steamers of

John Shearman and Company and P. Baker and Company of Cardiff. For

six years previous to joining the Expedition he was in the Indian trade.

Throughout the five cruises of the 'Aurora' between 1911 and 1914 F. J.

Gillies was Chief Engineer.

P. GRAY, twenty-two years of age, single, was born and educated in

England. He served on the 'Worcester' as cadet captain for eighteen

months and as apprentice on the 'Archibald Russell', of Glasgow, and

in the New Zealand Shipping Company. In 1909 he entered the Peninsula

and Oriental Company and reached the rank of third officer, joining

the Australasian Antarctic Expedition as second officer of the 'Aurora'.

Throughout five cruises, from 1911 to 1914, he served in this capacity.

H. HAMILTON, twenty-six years of age, single, was born at Napier, New

Zealand. Graduate of the Otago University. Besides being employed on

the New Zealand Geological Survey, he acted as Entomological Collector

to the Dominion Museum at Wellington. A member of the Macquarie

Island Party, of which he was the Biologist for two years, H. Hamilton

visited the Antarctic during the final cruise of the 'Aurora' in the

summer of 1913-1914.

W. H. HANNAM, twenty-six years of age, single, was of Sydney, New

South Wales, and joined the Expedition in charge of the arrangements

for a wireless telegraphic system. He was in the Antarctic at the

Main Base (Adelie Land) for two summers and a winter, and was

successful in transmitting wireless messages for a short time during

1912 through Macquarie Island to Australia, assistant magnetician for

a time.

C. T. HARRISSON, forty-three years of age, married, was born in

Hobart, Tasmania. For many years previous to joining the Expedition

he had done illustrative and artistic work and had been engaged on a

survey and in botanical and other scientific observations on the west

coast of Tasmania. Stationed with the Western Base (Queen Mary Land)

he acted as Biologist and Artist, accompanying F. Wild on his main

eastern journey and several other sledging parties.

C. A. HOADLEY, twenty-four years of age, single, was a graduate in

Mining Engineering of Melbourne University. A member of F. Wild's

Western Party (Queen Mary Land), he took part in several sledging

journeys and was Geologist of the party who explored westwards to

Gaussberg.

A. J. HODGEMAN, twenty-six years of age, single, was born at

Adelaide, South Australia. For four years he was an articled

architect, and for five years a draughtsman in the Works and Buildings

Department, Adelaide. A member of the Main Base Party (Adelie Land),

he took part in several sledging journeys, and throughout two years

in the Antarctic acted in the capacity of Cartographer and Sketch

Artist, as well as that of Assistant Meteorologist.

J. G. HUNTER, twenty-three years of age, single, was a graduate in

Science of Sydney University, New South Wales. A member of the Main

Base Party (Adelie Land) he carried on the work of Biologist during

two summers and one winter; and in the same capacity accompanied

the 'Aurora' in her final summer cruise 1911-1914.

J. F. HURLEY, twenty-four years of age, single, was of Sydney, New

South Wales. He had been the recipient of many amateur and professional

awards for photographic work before joining the Expedition. At the

Main Base he obtained excellent photographic and cinematographic records

and was one of the three members of the Southern Sledging Party. He

was also present on the final cruise of the 'Aurora'.

S. N. JEFFRYES, twenty-seven years of age, single, of Towoomba,

Queensland, was a qualified operator of the Australasian Wireless

Company. During the second year (1913) he took W. H. Hannam's place

in charge of the wireless plant, wintering at the Main Base (Adelie

Land).

S. E. JONES, twenty-four years of age, single, was a graduate in

Medicine of Sydney University, New South Wales. A member and Medical

Officer of F. Wild's Western Base (Queen Mary Land), he took part in

several sledging journeys during 1912 and was leader of the party who

explored westward to Gaussberg.

A. L. KENNEDY, twenty-two years of age, single, was a student in

Science of Adelaide University, South Australia. Receiving special

tuition, he acted as Magnetician at the Western Base (Queen Mary

Land) during the year 1912. He was a member of several sledging

parties and accompanied F. Wild on his main eastern journey as

Cartographer.

C. F. LASERON, twenty-five years of age, single, had gained a

Diploma in Geology at the Technical College, Sydney, New South Wales,

and for some years was Collector to the Technological Museum. At the

Main Base (Adelie Land), during 1912, he acted as Taxidermist and

general Collector, taking part, as well, in sledging journeys to the

south and east of Winter Quarters.

C. T. MADIGAN, twenty-three years of age, single, was a graduate in

Science (Mining Engineering) of Adelaide University, South Australia.

Through the courtesy of the Trustees of the Rhodes Scholarship, the

necessary leave to accompany the Expedition was granted just as he

was on the eve of continuing his studies at Oxford University. A

member of the Main Base Party (Adelie Land) he acted as Meteorologist

for two years, and during the second year (1913) was also in charge of

the Greenland dogs. An important journey in the spring and one to

the east in the summer were made under his leadership, and the Party,

left in Adelie Land in 1913, was to have been under his charge, but

for my return.

D. MAWSON, thirty years of age, single, was the Organiser and Leader

of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition and was, previous to it, a

member of Sir Ernest Shackleton's Antarctic Expedition of 1907-1909,

being one of the party under Professor David which reached the South

Magnetic Pole. A graduate in Science and Engineering of Sydney and

Adelaide Universities, he had filled for some time the post of

Lecturer in Mineralogy and Petrology at the Adelaide University.

The only survivor of a party sledging to the east from the Main Base

in the summer of 1912-1913.

A. L. McLEAN, twenty-six years of age, single, was a graduate in Arts

and Medicine of Sydney University; New South Wales. He acted as

Chief Medical Officer at the Main Base (Adelie Land) and carried out

observations in Bacteriology and Physiology during the first year.

In 1913 (the second year) he was Biologist, Ice-Carrier and Editor of

the 'Adelie Blizzard'. He took part in a sledging journey along the

eastern coast in the summer of 1912-1913.

X. MERTZ, twenty-eight years of age, single, of Basle, Switzerland,

was a graduate in Law of the Universities of Leipzig and Berne. Prior

to joining the Expedition he had gained the Ski-running Championship

of Switzerland and was an experienced mountaineer. At the Main Base

(Adelie Land) he was assisted by B. E. S. Ninnis in the care of

the Greenland dogs. On January 7, 1913, during a sledging journey,

he lost his life, one hundred miles south-east of Winter Quarters.

C. P. DE LA MOTTE, nineteen years of age, single, of Bulli, New

South Wales, had early training at sea on the barque 'Northern Chief'

of New Zealand, obtaining his certificate as second mate in March

1911. During the eight months prior to joining the Expedition he

served as fourth officer on the S.S. 'Warrimoo' of the Union Steamship

Company of New Zealand. Throughout the five cruises of the 'Aurora'

between 1911 and 1914, C. P. de la Motte was third officer with the

Ship's party.

M. H. MOYES, twenty-five years of age, single, of Koolunga, South

Australia, was a graduate in Science of Adelaide University. With the

Western Base Party (Queen Mary Land) he acted as Meteorologist and

took part in several sledging journeys in the autumn and spring of

1912. During the summer of 1912-1913, through an unavoidable

accident, he was left to carry on work alone at Winter Quarters for

a period of nine weeks.

H. D. MURPHY, thirty-two years of age, single, of Melbourne,

one-time Scholar in History of Oxford University. At the outset he

was to have been leader of a third Antarctic Base which was eventually

amalgamated with the Main Base (Adelie Land). Here he had charge of

the stores and during the early summer of 1912 was leader of the

Southern Supporting Party.

B. E. S. NINNIS, twenty-three years of age, single, was educated at

Dulwich, England, and entered His Majesty's Army, having a commission

as Lieutenant in the Royal Fusiliers prior to joining the Expedition

in London. At the Main Base (Adelie Land) he was assisted by X. Mertz

in the care of the Greenland dogs. On December 14, 1912, while on a

sledging journey, he lost his life by falling into a crevasse three

hundred miles east of Winter Quarters.

C. A. SANDELL, twenty-five years of age, single, of Surrey, England,

studied electrical engineering for some years and then came to

Australia in 1909 and entered the Commonwealth Branch of Telephony.

Having a practical knowledge of wireless telegraphy he joined the

Expedition as a Wireless Operator and Mechanic and was stationed with

the Macquarie Island Party for two years. After the departure of A.

J. Sawyer in August 1913, he was in complete charge of the wireless

station. C. A. Sandell visited the Antarctic during the final

cruise of the 'Aurora' in the summer of 1913-1914.

A. J. SAWYER, twenty-six years of age, single, was born in New

Zealand. Having had considerable experience in wireless telegraphy,

he joined the Expedition as an operator from the Australasian Wireless

Company. At the Macquarie Island Station he was chief wireless until

August 1913, when on account of illness he returned to New Zealand.

F. L. STILLWELL, twenty-three years of age, single, was a graduate

in Science of Melbourne University, Victoria. A member of the Main

Base Party (Adelie Land) he acted as Geologist. F. L. Stillwell

was leader of two sledging parties who did detail work for about sixty

miles along the coast eastward of Winter Quarters.

A. D. WATSON, twenty-four years of age, single, was a graduate in

Science of Sydney University, New South Wales. A member of the

Western Base Party (Queen Mary Land) he acted as Geologist. A. D.

Watson took part in several sledging journeys, accompanying F. Wild

in his main eastern trip during the summer of 1912-1913.

E. N. WEBB, twenty-two years of age, single, was an Associate of

Civil Engineering of Canterbury University College, and, for the

five months previous to joining the Expedition, carried out magnetic

observations under the Carnegie Institute of Washington, U.S.A. At

the Main Base (Adelie Land) E. N. Webb was Chief Magnetician,

accompanying the Southern Sledging Party.

L. A. WHETTER, twenty-nine years of age, single. He graduated at

Otago University, New Zealand, and joined the Expedition as Surgeon,

acting in that capacity at the Main Base (Adelie Land) during 1912.

He accompanied a sledging party which explored to the westward of

Winter Quarters.

F. WILD, thirty-eight years of age, single, was Leader of the Western

Base Party (Queen Mary Land). He joined the Merchant Service in

1889 and the Navy in 1900, served on an extended sledge journey

during the National Antarctic Expedition (Capt. R. F. Scott) of

1901-1904, and was one of the Southern Party of Sir Ernest

Shackleton's Expedition from 1907-1909. During the Australasian

Expedition he opened up a new tract of country--Queen Mary Land.

I desire to make special mention of the Ship's Party who faced the

rigorous conditions of Antarctica and the stormy Southern Ocean,

during five separate voyages, with a cheerfulness and devotion to duty

which will always stand to their lasting credit. In regions of heavy

pack-ice and sudden blizzard winds, Captain Davis piloted the Ship

safely through many situations of extreme danger. In a report to me

on the work of the Ship he writes an appreciative note:--

"I wish to draw particular attention to the loyal way in which the

officers and men of the 'Aurora' supported me. Messrs. Toucher,

Fletcher, Blair, Gray, de la Motte, and Gillies, in their respective

positions, carried out the duties assigned to them with ability and

cheerfulness, often under very trying conditions.

"Mr. Gillies not only looked after the engines but assisted

materially in the deep-sea work by the invention of a new form of

sounding driver which was used successfully during the various

cruises of the 'Aurora'.

"The Chief Officer was in charge of the stores and equipment of the

Expedition on board the vessel, in addition to his ordinary executive

duties. Messrs. Toucher, Fletcher and Blair served in this capacity

on different voyages.

"Mr. P. Gray, as Second and Navigating Officer, and Mr. C. P. de

la Motte, as Third Officer, acted capably and thoroughly throughout

the Expedition."

APPENDIX II

Scientific Work

It should be remarked that there is no intention of furnishing

anything more than a suggestion of the general trend of the scientific

observations of the Expedition. The brief statement made below

indicates the broad lines on which the work was conducted and in some

cases the ground which was actually covered. It may thus give the

general reader a clue to the nature of the scientific volumes which

will serve to record permanently the results amassed during a period

of more than two years.

Terrestrial Magnetism

1. Field Work.

(a) Dip determinations were made at Macquarie Island, on the eastern

and southern journeys from the Main Base (Adelie Land) and on a

short journey from the Western Base (Queen Mary Land).

(b) Declination by theodolite observations was determined at

Macquarie Island and at intervals on all sledging journeys in the

Antarctic.

(c) Rough observations of magnetic variation were made daily on the

'Aurora' during her five cruises.

2. Station Work.