OHYAT: Return to Civilisation

[tealin]

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO TODAY, more than two years since many of the men had seen any people but their fellow explorers, any human habitation but the scattering of huts around McMurdo Sound, and any trees or grass or green growing things at all, the Terra Nova arrived off the coast of New Zealand.

Owing to press contracts and the necessity of preventing leakage of news the Terra Nova had to remain at sea for twenty-four hours after a cable had been sent to England. Also it was of the first importance that the relatives should be informed of the facts before the newspapers published them.

And so at 2:30 a.m. on February 10 we crept like a phantom ship into the little harbour of Oamaru on the east coast of New Zealand. With what mixed feelings we smelt the old familiar woods and grassy slopes, and saw the shadowy outlines of human homes. With untiring persistence the little lighthouse blinked out the message, "What ship's that?" "What ship's that?" They were obviously puzzled and disturbed at getting no answer. A boat was lowered and Pennell and Atkinson were rowed ashore and landed. The seamen had strict orders to answer no questions. After a little the boat returned, and Crean announced: "We was chased, sorr, but they got nothing out of us."

We put out to sea.

— Apsley Cherry-Garrard, The Worst Journey in the World

Photo of the coast south of Oamaru originally from Go See Do and used with the kind permission of the photographer.