THE NIMROD.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2459, 25 March 1909, Page 5

THE NIMROD.

ft SPLENDB ACHIEVEMENT - - r. E&EBUS EXPLORED. UNION JACK HOISTED ON SOUTH MAGNETIC POLE. United Press Association—Copyright. (Received March .24, lQ.oo p.m.) LONDON, March 24. Tlie Queen, through the “Daily Mail-C’ has sent hearty congratulations to Lieutenant Shackleton on his .groat achievement.. . ‘ Lieutenant Shackleton’-s cablegram to the “Mail” states:—Adams, Brockleh«rst, David Mackay, -Marshall, and 3larson left Cape Boyd on -the fifth Blarch for the ascent of Mount Erebus, .-and climbed on the seventh with a carrying their equipment on "their backs to an altitude of -9500 feet. The thermometer was 50 degrees below freezing. After a violent blizzard lasting thirty hours they reached the old ■crater on March ninth, and found ■unique fumaroles or. smoke .holes. .The crater was filled with felspar crystals, pumice and sulphur. The summit was reached on March tenth. The active crater is half a mile in .diameter and SOO feet deep, with volumes of steam and sulphurous gas rising -2000 feet. After making collections the .party glissaded down and reached Cape Roydo on March eleventh.

Meteorological observations were taken until the end of .the expedition. (Received March 24, .11.55 pan.) 31r. Murray found -abundant microscopic life —rotifiers, -etc., .in the fresh water lakes near Cape Royds, also ringed penguins, lichens, -and mosses.

Marson made records of the aurora- displays, which were exceedingly •brilliant throughout the winter, mostly in the east, seldom in the direction of the magnetic polo, racing -cascades of luminescence darting across the heavens.

Many and full records were obtained of currents and tides. Prpfessor David considers the Antarctic bergs mostly saowbergs. Fossil radiolaria were found in glacial boulders. Much marine dredging was done in the winter, shafts being sunk in the layer ice. Biological winter’ studies were continued and the cinematograph records were obtained in connection with natural history observations. The lowest temperature recorded was /2 below freezing point. Lieutenant Shackleton further stales: Sledging "on the twelfth August Lieutenant Armytage, Professor David and I examined the great ice barrier,the surface showing S 9 degrees of frost, returning to Cape Rotds on 19th September. Adams, Joyce, Marshall, and Mar son were well. I re-started on the 22nd and placed 124 miles south of the Discovery’s winter quarters a depot for our southern journey. (Received March 25, 12.10 a.m.) A blizzard held us for a week. Jho lowest temperature was SS degrees of frost. The barrier surface was found impracticable for the motor sledge, but the Arrol-Johnston motor proved use--fit-over the sea ice in laying depots and covering the distance, aggregating 400 miles. The southern party, consisting of Adams, Marshall, Will and I with four ponies, and the supporting party, namely, Broclclehurst, Joyce, Marson, Armytage, and . Priestly, left Cape Royds in 29th October. We loft the hut at Point Third with 91 days’ provisions and were detained at AA bite Island by a blizzard for lour days. The supporting party returned on the 7th. Adams and his pony were nearly lost, -owing to the bad light, in the ice crevasses. We on the 13th reached the -depot established in September in latitude 79 degrees, 36 minutes south, longitude 16S east. We took on a pony maize and rations sions, and having reduced our rations travelled south along meridian 168, with high ridges covered with snow alternating with soft-snow. Ihe ponies often sank to their bellies. Lieutenant Shackleton in latitude 81 degrees 4 minutes shot a pony, and made a depot of oil, biscuit, and pony meat. Ihe remainder of the latter we earned to eke out our dried rations. On the 26th we reached the. Discovery’s southernmost latitude, encountered, soft snow in large undulations. Two pomes .weni snow-blind and were -shot. We made a depot in latitude 81 degrees 4o minutes south, longitude 170 east. „ Professor David reports that the Northern party consisting of Marson, Marshall and himself, started on the oth October, and by a difficult route encountered, many hardships, reached on 16th January the magnetic South J ob m latitude 72 degrees 25 minutes souto, kmgitude" 154 east, and hoisted the Union Jack. -