[English] LIFE IN THE "QUEST." CAPT. HUSSEY'S STORIES.

LIFE IN THE "QUEST."

CAPT. HUSSEY'S STORIES.

QUERY AND THE PENGUINS.

Captain L. Hussey, assistant-surgeon of the "Quest," the tiny ship of the Shackleton Expedition to the Antarctic, who conducted the funeral of the late Sir Ernest Shackleton at South Georgia on March 5 last, arrived at Southampton in mail week in the Royal Mail steamer "Montevideo." After being greeted warmly by Mr. J. Q. Rowett, who was mainly responsible for financing the expedition, Captain Hussey said to a Daily Mail reporter:

"The "Quest" was at South Georgia when I left, refitting and conducting a survey of the island. She expected to sail for Gough and Nightingale Islands and Tristan da Cunha on April 18.

"When the "Quest" sailed from South Georgia for the ice in January I had started already to take our dead leader's body to "Montevideo" for interment in England. Therefore Commander Wild knew nothing of the decision to inter the remains at South Georgia, and his surprise was announced when I hailed him from the motor-boat of Mr. Hansen, the manager of Leith Harbour whaling station.

"After the funeral I had a strange and lonely time waiting in this desolate spot for the return of the "Quest." I lived with the whalers, our fare being whale and pork, alternately or mixed, but both resembling the other in taste, for the pigs are fed exclusively on whale offal.

"In the dark of the early morning of April 6, Hansen burst into my room. 'Wake up' he cried, 'the "Quest" is coming in!' I rushed out. There was the dear old "Quest" standing off the island. What a welcome they gave me on board, bearded and scrubby, but every man cheerful! 'Frankie' Wild was almost unrecognisable, with a great beard, and even Marr, the Boy Scout, boasted a straggling tuft of whiskers.

THE USEFUL BOY SCOUT.

"There were various minor casualties during the "Quest's" cruise in the Antarctic, the most serious being Worsley, the sailing master, who had several ribs broken by being crushed by one of the lifeboats which fell on him while it was being swung out in a heavy sea. However, he had recovered completely by the time the "Quest" made South Georgia.

"Major Garr the airman, had a bad abscess in the face, and had to go to the excellent Norwegian Hospital on the island. When I felt, it was proposed to leave him at South Georgia, as it was not considered desirable to expose him to the further hardships of the voyage.

"From the whole ship's company, I heard nothing but golden opinions of Marr, the Boy Scout of the "Quest." He seems to enjoy every minute of the expedition and only to be happy when making himself useful. 'It was awfu' fine!' was his comment, when I asked him how he enjoyed his first experience of the Antarctic.

QUERY AND QUESTIE.

"Sir Ernest's Alastian sheep dog Query is fit and hearty. He came off a bad second best, so they were telling me, in an encounter with a penguin in the Antarctic. The men had gone off on an icefloe for recreation Query followed and was promptly tackled by a small penguin, who dealt him a hard smack with its flipper. Query sought safety in flight and headed for the ship with the penguin in hot pursuit. Query won the race.

"The kitten Questie, presented by the Daily Mail, was quite usable to stand the bad weather encountered by the expedition. She developed rickets and was given away at St. Vincent, where I saw her the other day on my return journey looking the picture of health and bearing her exile very well."

LAST DAYS OF "THE BOSS."

The death of Sir Ernest Shackleton was absolutely painless and peaceful, said Captain Hussey, who was at the deathbed. "The Boss" was very happy in his last days on board," he declared. "As the "Quest," on the journey down from Rio approached the familiar coast of South Georgia, he told me how he revelled in every minute of the voyage that brought him nearer to his beloved South and how grateful he was to Rowett for making it possible."

There was a calm majesty, strangely impressive, about the funeral. The dead explorer was laid to rest at the foot of the frowning heights of the "Gate of the Antarctic" on a placid "autumn-like" afternoon which unexpectedly followed days of snow and tempest. Many of the humble whalers, some of whom sailed 40 miles to pay like the last honours, were moved to tears at the graveside. "Shackleton," said Captain Hussey, "is a name to conjure with in the Antarctic, and to the end of time the rough Norwegian whalers in the long, dark nights will tell of his epic boat journey from Elephant Island to South Georgia."

Captain Hussey said he thinks that the sender of a sprig of rosemary, inscribed "Rosemary for remembrance. From a Suffolk Garden," will like to know that he laid this tribute on the dead explorer's grave.

Source:

1. Page 8, "China Mail", Tuesday, 11th July, 11th Year of the Republic of China

   • 17th Day, Leap 5th Lunar Month, Yen-xu Year

   • Tuesday, 11th July, 1922 Common Era