| OCR Text |
Show CHIEF OF ANTARCTIC CASTAWAYS NARRATES PARTY'S EXPERIENCE Tells of Weeks and Months of Hurricanes, Blizzards Bliz-zards and Fog on Elephant Island Until Shackleton Brought Rescue Ship. Special to the Interna tional News Service. LONDON', Sept. 5. The Daily Chronicle prints the following dispatch from Sir Krnest Shackleton, dated Punta Arenas, Sunday: "Our fourth attempt to rescue our comrades left on Elephant island succeeded. suc-ceeded. All have arrived here safe and well. "The Chilean government very graciously placed at my disposal the steamer Yelcho. Under Commandant Pardo. the steamer, manned and ecpuipped at the expense of the Chilean government, left Punta Arenas on August 4. On this occasion occa-sion I set the course which would enable en-able us to approach Elephant island from the northwest, my reason being be-ing that I hoped the tee had worked toward the northeast. Fourth. Attempt Is Success. "This hope was realized on August 30. After steering in a fog through numerous stranded "bergs, I reached Wild's camp, all well, at 1 p. m. At 2 p. m. we were homeward bound. "To the Chilean government and Commandant Pardo and Lieutenant Aguiro I owe the deepest thanks for the means of rescue. With Wild lies the credit for having kept the party together in strength and safety under the most trying and difficult conditions. Praises Two of His Aides. "Of Orean and Worslcy, who have seen this thing through with me, I cannot syeak too highly. The following fol-lowing is Wild's report: "On April ?3, the day after the departure de-parture of the boat, the island was beset with dense pack ice. The party was confined to a narrow split of land. 2 no yards long and forty yards wide, surrounded by inaccessible cliffs and ice-laden seas. We were forced to abandon our Ice hole, which was made untenable by the snow. We made a dwelling cut of our two boats, supported sup-ported by rocks set up as far as practicable from the sea. "'The weather continued appalling. It was difficult work and the vitality of the whole party was lowered owing ow-ing to exposure. Blackboro, Rudson, Greenstreet and Rickinson became ill and several others were frost-bitten. Blizzard Sweeps Gear Into Sea. " 'During- May a heavy blizzard swept much valuable gear into the sea. We were in grave anxiety owing ow-ing to the danger of being swept by the heavy seas raised by the blizzard, which was blowing at a velocity of seventy miles an hour. Fortunately, owing to the low temperature, an Ice foot was formed on the seashore. Tliis protection was the means of saving sav-ing us from total destruction. " 'On several occasions an adjacent glacier "calved," throwing up heavy waves. On one occasion blocks of Ice were hurled within fifteen feet of our dwelling. Observing how the island was best, I realized the difficulty our leader must experience in effecting our relief, and as a measure of precaution pre-caution 1 drastically economized with our food, allowing only one hot meal daily. From June onward the weather was better as regards wind, hut we were under a constant pall of fog and snow. Frozen Toes Amputated. " 'In the middle of winter Black-boro'a Black-boro'a toes had to be amputated. " 'Whenever the sea opened, our ! hopes for relief were renewed. Three 1 previous attempts at relief have been synchronized with the times when the island was beset with Ice. " 'At the beginning of August we were able tu collect seaweed and limpets, which formed a valuable change in our diet, but the deep water, wa-ter, heavy seas and the ice prevented " us from fishing; " 'On August 28 a gale drove the ice pack from the island, and on August Au-gust 30. through the lifting fog, we caught sight of the Yelcho steering through the maze of stranded bergs. An hour later we wore homeward bou nd. " 'I wish to place on roeord the good morale of the entire party, especially espe-cially the energy and ability or How, ; Hussey, Hurley, Kanklin, Mcllroy, , Kerr and Rickinson.' " |
