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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (July 28, 1907)
THE SUNDAY OREGONIAX, PORTLAND, JULY 28, 1907. He Tells What He Expects to Accomplish and who holds "farthest south" record and jTf 1 ' - ' , t --&tys, w mAWfl f7y WILL NEXT MONTH LEAD ANOTHER EXPEDITION , t . , R &7 -'"" -J&rayJ.'. .H',' f- n - - IN QUESTOF'THE'J&VTHfxOZJO JlrVI f J , " " , s , J . ' U I i , ! 'T'iI vv- - t7 rv- - Mv " I r :i $ l'W' 1 r,,",""u' asSt; BY. W. B. NORTHROP. TING in the East India Docks, at London, Just now is a small vessel which Is destined to make history. Outwardly, she is an Inconspicuous, odd looking: .affair, but her story is full of romance already; and, before her ulti mate journey is ended, she may be one of the world's most famous chips. Her name at present Is Nimrod. but she will soon b rechrlstened the Endurance, and then if her owners' dreams are realized the world will hear from her. The Endurance Is at present belng fitted out for the purpose of making an Antarctic trip , under the command of Lieutenant E. H. Shackleton, who, it will be recalled, made the farthest point south, 82 degrees 17 minutes, as one of the members of the famous Discovery party. When you first look at the Nimrod -and still more when you go on board of her you are not very favorably Im pressed with her as a seagoing ship. She Ilea so low In the water and appears, not to speak profanely, such a regul&r "tub" of a boat, that one marvels that anyone would dare' to go to sea in her at all. It Is only when you meet Lieutenant Shackleton himself, and encounter her daring commander. Captain England, and her chief engineer, Mr. Dunlop, that you realize that they mean business with the Nimrod. Indomitable courage Is shown in their faces, particularly that of Lieutenant Shackleton, who has Just consented to make an esclusive statement, in which he fully discusses his novel and daring plans. The chief-ln-command of the Antarctic expedition demonstrates to you. In a Jew minutes' conversation, that he is thor oughly In earnest. Contact with Lieuten ant Shackleton for a short while gives one the impression that reaching the south pole Is a mere matter of course. He ts a broad-shouldered, tall, squarely-built young man, whose frame seems to be one of Iron; while his countenance has that British bulldog' look that seems to mean success in any arduous adventure. The writer met him recently at the of fices of the Antarctic expedition, in Re gent street, London, and he has made a ta.tement in which he fully explains why he Intends to reach the South Pole.. It all seems extremely simple, when you know how. The South 'Pole, in my opinion, is more attainable than the North, for the rea son that In the southerly direction there are more extensive tracts of unbroken land. In the northerly region you have open water and Ice of a rugged character, whereas around the South Pole there are Immense plateaux of flat land. It la for this reason that we are taking a specially-built motor car with us. Some persons seem to Imagine that we have an Idea of simply landlngnear the pole and then riding over In our motor. This Is absurd. The motor Is only an experiment, and Is not intended for riding in at all. It Is merely to haul provisions. We have especial seta of wheels adapted for cer tain Qualities of ground; the material of which the motor Is constructed has been especially hardened for. low temperatures. But we are not depending on our motor car. It will haul more provisions than wtlLdogs, or even ponies, and, as we shall only use it over ground that we have first traversed, and It will go Only 25 miles per day, or thereabouts, stopping when the ponies stop; It Is altogether a practical idea. Ponies Instead of Dogs. Another novelty of our expedition Is the use of ponies Instead of dogs. TVe have been criticised for this, but oucjdea Is, (n my opinion, a very good one. These Manchurlan ponies have been thoroughly seasoned to stand very low temperatures in their own homes before we take them out, and there is no reason to think they will not orove very efficient. Ot course, one thing may be said against p enies and in favor of dogs: Dog will eat dogs, but ponies won't eat ponies. Per haps you don't catch the drift of my meaning? In an emergency, with provis ions giving out. and dogs dying, we can feed the live dogs on the dead ones. But with ponies we cannot resort to this meas ure. From a practical point of view, however, the ponies will carry more weight, do more work and eat less food than any other animals for this purpose. ( New Base of Operations. For reaeons which it is not per missible at present to divulge. King Edward VII Land, at the eastern end of Ross great ice barrier, has been selected as the base of operations, in place of the headquarters of the "Dis covery" expedition at the other end of the barrier. In many respects the change will be welcomed by geogra phers: McMurdo Strait, where the "Disoovery" wintered, was the center of extensive explorations, lasting for a couple of years, and-we will have round King Edward .VII Land, which rYT i:mdvjiance THAT WILL. CARRY MOST MOVEL. EXPEDITION OM RECORD. TJSS VflP TMS J?7COJ3Z OF 0. OOO SSyLLS JTO rt;j? Cf?7ni T. .WyT .V 7 5PZ.ENDfl BOA TFO& ICE USO&fC. ASSI? ttPECAI.Z.Y JTATTEO POLAR EXPLOJ?ATOU -Opyi-i?xt FVtoio Ay W.B.ArtArop. VlwWiyal-TiiiTftTit m DECK HOUSE AND CREW OF THE 'ENDURANCE: JPffOTO TAKEN ONBOARD TfE FAMOUS SHIP THATIVU. SOONJTA?rON ONE OF1 77E YOST NOVEL AND L1ARNG TRIPS TO TfE ySotrt POCJt. Copyright Fhoio by WB-Norlhrojo iJ0l ON THE SOUTH POLE SHIP has merely been sighted as a strip of mountainous coast, practically a vir gin field for exploration. The experience of the various voy ages that were made through the pack ice In connection with the "'Discov ery' expedition went to show that the later the start the more favorable conditions, as the pack Ice is dis persed by the end of January, and ac cordingly we do not propose to sail from New Zealand till the end of the first week In the new year. The united expedition at that time will probably number 28 members, In cluding a landing party of 12. King Edward VII Land it is hoped to reach by the 1st of February, ' and after landing our exploring party the En durance will return to New Zealand, and during the next eight or nine months devote as much time as pos sible to the continuation of her mag netic survey along the great trade routes between New Zealand and Aus tralia and from Australia across the Indian Ocean. A special compass platform will be erected at a height of between 30 and 40 feet from the deck, and all Iron fit tings in its neighborhood will be re placed by brass fittings. Regular mag netic observations will be taken, and every BOO miles the ship Is to be "swung" for deviation and variation. Ship Cannot Be Crushed. About the boat herself, she may not appear outwardly to be very attractive; but she.has a' magnificent hull. Where a big Atlantic liner would be crushed In the ice like an eggshell, the Endurance, with her solid English oak hull, will re sist all pressure. This has in fact been proved time and again. She was one of the best of the seal fishing boats, and her ice record is splendid. The Endurance, despite her world weary appearance, has a magnificent record. She was built at St. Johns, New. foundland, and It is said that her record as a sealing ship includes the capture of 350.000 seals. She has made fortunes many times over for her owners who operated her previous to her purchase by the South Pole explorers. The Endurance was only recently caught In some big ice fields, but came through unscathed. The return of the Endurance for our party has been fixed for about the end of January. 1909: Against any possible failure of the ship -to keep the appoint ment the landing party will be doubly us foot supplies for two full years, but we will be provided with a first-class life boat, equipped with a motor-engine and capable of carrying provisions to last a party of 12 for two and a half months. The Food Problem. As for our food supply, we have studied this question down to the final analysis. Our foods are prepared with the utmost care. The tins they are packed in are of triple thickness and are doubly painted. Every particle of food packed is of the FROM THIS CROWS NEST' HAVE SEEN SIGHTED MORE SEALS THAN FROl? ANY OTHER POINT IN THEiVORLD. ITIS EROir THIS LOOK OUT 7&AT EXPLORERS HOPS TO SIGHT THE LAND NEAREST THE Jouth Pole Copyriphi Pholo 2y W.BMbrtheoja. best. As I suffered terribly from scurvy on my first Antarctic trip, I know thai value of this careful attention to the foodV supply. We are going practically without1 vegetables, as they do not keep, carrying only the best of meats and other eatables. 1 With the exploring party will be landed on King Edward VII Land the sections of a carefully planned living hut, 12 Siberian ponies, a team of 12 picked dogs from the far; Northwest of Canada, and the spe-' cially constructed motor-car which will form such a novel feature of the expedi-' tlon. Work will at once be started In accord-! ance with a definite programme. While the hut IS being erected and the Winter quarters otherwise put in order, the clos-! Ing days of the Antarctic Summer will b: utilized for establishing a line of depots as far. It Is hoped, as 150 geographical miles to the south. The part of King Edward VII Land, at which It Is hoped to effect a landing, is In about 77 degrees 30 minutes south lati titude, or 760 geographical miles from the pole. During the Winter the ' scientlfio studies for the pursuit of which the ex pedition will be fully equipped "will ab sorb a large share of attention. ' With the return of Spring, efforts will be made to extend the line of depots an other 100 geographical miles to the south that is, to within 600 geographical miles of the pole. As on the Discovery expedition, the party which will attempt to reach the South Pole will be limited to three mem bers, Including myself. With us we will take six of the Siberian ponies and a motor-car. It will be driven by a spirit which will work satisfactorily In low tem peratures. Great hopes are entertained of its value for traction purposes, but It is recognized that its employment Is an experiment, and the chances of the expe dition's success are far from being cen tered in any such novel means of loco motion. The use of Siberian ponies In the Ant arctic Is also in the nature of an experi ment, but the hardiness and strength they have developed on the bitterly cold plains of Eastern Siberia, where they are ac customed to live In the open all through the Winter, Justify the hope that the ex periment will be attended with good re sults. With all the minutely careful plans we have made, we are hopeful of success. London, July 10. Old Masters' Rewards Like Those of Laborers Artists In Italy in the fifteenth century were little better off than small shop keepers. This Is shown by the dowerles they usually gave their daughters, which varied from $1040 to $2080, and It Is related as an extraordinary Instance that Andrea Mantegna gave his daughter J2600 at the time of her marriage, which was about the close of the fifteenth century. Michael Angelo, Raphael and. Titian were the only painters of the fifteenth century who succeeded In attaining a po sition of ease. Michael Angelo at his death left about 14S.O0O. besides some real estate, to his nephew Leonardo. Ra phael's property was estimated to be worth $135,000, whHe Durer was worth at the time of his death only $31,650. In those days, however, pensions were frequently given to artists by sovereigns and cities. Giotto, for Instance, had a pension of $850 from the Republic of Florence, and the Emperor Maximilian gave Albert Durer one of $580. These appear to have been real gratuities, but the pension of JS020 given to Michael Angelo by Pope Paul III. that of $1350 to Velasquez by Philip TV, and those of $1930 and $2900 to the French painters, Pousstn and Mlgnard, were really ad vance payments for work to be done. Prince Chlgl accepted the arbitration of Michael Angelo as to what should be paid to Raphael for the fresco of the Sibyls at Santa Maria della Oroce. 'This head," said Michael Angelo, pointing to one of the Sibyls, "alone is worth $520." "And the others?" asked the Prince. "They are worth no less," replied the arbitrator. "See that Raphael is satis fled.'" said Prince Chlgl, "'but If he should charge for the drapery at that rate we should be ruined. .guarded. Kot only are -Kft taking out with Most profitable of ay Raphael's work was the decoration of the Vatican. He had to organize a large workshop. In trusting the large subjects to Glulio Ro mano and Pelegrino of Modena, and the stuccos and grotesques of John of Udina. For his decoration of the Sistine chapel Michael Angelo had five, assistants and was paid $55,040. For his celebrated '"Last Judgment," which took more than five years, from May, 1536, to November, 1541, Michael Angelo received only his ordinary salary as "architect In chief, sculptor and paint er of the apostolic palaces."' Raphael at the height of his renown only asked $965 for a large picture like the "Crowning of the Virgin." Aside from .her three most famous painters, Italy during the Renaissance was very parsimonious with her artists. Corregglo sold his picture of "Christ In the Garden of Olives" to settle a debt of $21. Carraccl's painting of "The Resur rection," which Is now In the Louvre gallery In Paris, was sold to some rich merchants, the Lachini, for a "soma" of grain and one of wine, worth something less than $20. Nor was it alone in Italy that rtlsts were so poorly off. In the North they fared no better. Albert Durer made por traits In pen and ink or In charcoal for a hundred oysters. For his best paid pic ture. "The Martyrdom of St. Bartholo mew." whloh some Germans In Venice ordered in 1506, he received $704, which the painter considered cheap on account of the time it took him. Durer obtained for a portrait of the King of Denmark $145 and for another $96, although the latter, according to his own estimate, was "very carefully fin lhad,and worth $120." He sold other por traits as low as $10 or $12 and his usual charge for charcoal portraits was $4.80. Besides that, he frequently gave away drawings In order to attract custom, in which he did not always succeed. Thus he tells of giving to the sister of Charles V two drawings which he valued at $144 and for which he received noth ing In return. He appears to have relied chiefly upon his engravings for a comfort able living, selling sets at $34 to $40. and copies of the prints of "The Passion" for $4.80. He owned a house worth about $2900 and his Income from his savings alone was soma $1350 a year. After the death of Durer there was, as very often happens with artists, a rise In the price of his works, so much so, in fact, that a factory of false Durers was established and the copies were dated back a year In order to make It appear they were originals. In the public library at Nuremburg there Is preserved the pri vate memorandum book of a dealer named Imhoff, mentioning frauds of this kind. Pictures intended for churches were sold cheap even as late as the ISth cen tury, the usual price being between $20 and $40 for the work of ordinary artists, while one by a master could be had for $60. One of the biggest prices paid up to the time of Louis XIII was $2700. given to Rubens for his "Acteon" by Philip IV of Spain, about 1622. This, however, was very exceptional, for Ruben's position was unique, no other artist having had such an international clientele. He left the largest fortune made by any painter up to his time. After his death his collection of pictures was sold for $131,240. But even In this case it is asserted that Rubens owed his comparative wealth, rather to the num ber of his pictures than to the high prices he received. Rubens painted for all sorts of prices, from $S for small portraits up to $900 for his big canvases. His famous "Descent from the Cross" at Antwerp was sold by him for $Si4. With the lapse of time the price of his pictures has been steadily rising. His "Lovies of the Centaurs.' "which was estimated by the artist him self at about $900. in 1802 sold for $1320, but was only obtained for the Rosebery collection in 1882 at the cost of $10,132. Van Dyck also had great facility of production, but his works were less prized than Rubens. His "Charles I." now In the Louvre, brought him $480 and his "Jesus on the Cross," in the cathedral of Malines, $-"08. Rembrandt died -poor. In spite of the fact that at one time he earned a good deal. The highest price he received for a picture was $1400 for his "Night Watch." Velasquez, who worked chiefly for the Spanish sovereigns and government, re ceived very poor pay for his paintings, the average being about $125. He managed to. eke out a living by his salary as offi cer of the court, first as usher of the chamber at $40 a month, with free cloth ing and lodging, and later as an officer of the wardrobe, at $1350 a year. But even these small salaries were not regularly paid. In nearly all the cases cited the prices paid for what are now acknowledged to be masterpieces prove that money is a deceptive, test of permanent art values. Time is the real arbiter. Scrip. also noticed that the young man had left his wine untouched. "'Don't you drink wine, Mr. Clay ton?" the charming daughter of the host asked, lifting her own glass, and smiling across at the young 'man. "No, I never do," he replied, blush ing. "Oh, but I am sure you will thl time Just one glass with me?" she Insisted. "No, thank you," was the resolute reply, and the minister looked upon him with growing Admiration. The young lady very nearly achieved a pout. "You won't, then?" she asked. "No," was the firm reply, though V blush of embarrassment deepened on his cheek. "I never drink wine." he added, "but If er you have got a lit tle old Bourbon, I reckon I could stand three or four fingers." He Looked Xot on the Wine. Harper'e Weekly. A Boston minister says that not Ions; ago lje was dining with a friend. An other guest present was a young man from Kentucky, and the minister was jnuch pleased by the youth's somewhat diffident yet self-possessed manner. He Hymn of the Average. McLandburfth Wilson. It -wearies to aim tor distinction Or wag an unusual strife: I'd just be an averags mortar And live Just an averase Ufa. I'd fail with the average losses, -Cucceed with the average gain, Rejoice in the average sunshine, And rati at the average rain. I'd love with the average fervor, And hate with the average strength. Complain with the average grumbling. And live to the average length. Theologies mix and confuse us; When done with this world of the proud I'd Just be an average angel And float on an average cloud. The Game. 'Charlotte Becker. Aye, life Is a difficult game. lad. A game of hazard and chance, With luck never running the same, lad. When Fortune leads one a dance. But one mustn't play from the wrong hand Nor tales of hard' dealing tell; Since pluck isn't playing the strong hand. It's playing the poor hand well.