Codes of Survival -Scripts - a series of short factionalized stories based on historical events in the Subantarctic Islands written by Lloyd Godman to accompany the exhibition and installation - 1993 - © Lloyd Godman

Codes of Survival - Scripts

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THE ENGLISH ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION - 20 November 1840

The expedition is at anchor at Sarah's Bosom , and both ships, the H.M.S. Erebus and the H.M.S. Terror are sitting easy on the water, for they had arrived not a day apart in this northern bay. Part of our survey work included making magnetic observations at various points through out the world, and these islands  had been chosen because of the desirability that these readings and observations be taken in high altitudes of the south of the globe. The Auckland islands  were seen as a spot from which one series of readings may be successfully taken, hence our course to this location.

Almost as we dropped anchor, one of the mariners, with watchful eyes, spotted two painted boards erected upon poles at the beach head directly in front of us. These signs stood distinct among the green of the forest along the edge of the rocky shore and aroused our interest as to their purpose. Uncertainty surrounded the poles reason and a boat was despatched at once with an officer to examine their exact rationale, as they could have indicated any manner of information that may have compel an urgency of action. After a time, he returned with the news that these posts recorded the visit of American and French expedition to the islands not the previous year. Both expeditions had been independent, but had scientific in their nature. It appeared the "Porpoise", the ship from the United States Exploring Expedition, had left a note of communication in a corked bottle under one of the signs. Unfortunately, the cork had been insecurely fixed allowing moisture inside and the writing was now almost indecipherable with only the odd string of words comprehendible, and little was gained from the script.

On this, our second day, the observatories were landed and all hands set to work in the task of clearing the ground from the trees and under growth. Once this, with much effort, was achieved, we embarked upon making a firm foundation for the instruments to rest on. This became quite a task, for so deep was the peat bog , however, that no firm and dependable foundation could be found at all. After digging a hole to quite some depth, the only alternative was to fill it with large stones and rocks from the beach  and casks of sand which solved the problem and at last provided a satisfactory base. Later we set up the instruments with some simple preliminary observations being made by the end of the day.

28 Nov

This day saw the major experiments carried out under good conditions. Messrs Smith and McCormick, two members of the scientific staff were intrigued with the highly magnetic property of the rocks on this island group. Their excitement led to numerous experiments at various points and the findings indicated that the island was proving to be one large magnet. It made the ships compasses quite unreliable with erratic swings this way and that in some areas, and this was nowhere more acute than when we passed Shoe Island  in the harbour where the magnetic deflection was particularly noticeable.

30 Nov

During our stay, Dr Hooker  had opportunity to make as thorough collection of the varied botanical specimens as he was able to gather a collection of very interesting specimens . He has informed me that to his knowledge, much of the flora is unrecorded  and his work should form the basis of a new collection. I have the utmost confidence in him to procure an excellent collection of specimens as a legacy and reference of our scientific expedition. A diverse variety of bird life was also reported by those who when ashore, found them quite unafraid of men. They would fly right down to one with a friendly curiosity. One party that was ashore to collect fire wood, found two newly born kittens, still blind and in the interests of the gentle native birds, these were destroyed. The cunning mother, though managed to escape into the wilds of the island despite all efforts to catch her.

It was also noticed that the pigs that Captain Bristow  had liberated on the island had multiplied greatly, for although few were seen, the extent of their rootings were quite obvious. Their few, but clearly defined tracks through the thick bush cover was ample evidences of their increasing numbers.

2 Dec
Our expedition had been donated a variety of stock to be released on the island, for the future. A certain Mr Anstey of Hobart Town had provided pigs, rabbits and hens to be left on the island, while the expedition itself, also had some sheep. Accordingly, a ram and two ewes had been landed on the western side of the large harbour by the Erebus. From the Terror, a similar number were taken, with some difficulty inland some miles to the southward of our position. All these seemed to rapidly accommodate to the new surroundings and will provide a wealth to these islands in the future. A pair of goats were to be put ashore, as well, but one of the poor unfortunate creatures died the day before the vessel arrived at the islands, and there was no logic in releasing only one such beast.----Mr Anstey had also donated seeds of turnips, cabbages, mustard, cress, radish and some other varieties of vegetables. We spent some time some time on the main island clearing a suitable site for a garden in which to plant these. Dr Hooker had in addition, a number of gooseberry and currant bushes, raspberry and strawberry plants that were distributed over parts of the main island. The rabbits were kept on board the vessel to be released at a later time on Enderby island slightly to the north of our position.

4 Dec

The bush cover can be very difficult and hindering to walk through, and Dr McCormick has written a lively account of his scrambles through the broken country and dense brushwood during one of his shore excursions around Rendezvous Harbour. Poor chap, seems for most of the day he thought he was lost for good or entangled for ever. Many of the expedition members delighted in these shore excursions for pleasure but loathed any movement through the country as at times more than difficult for even the strongest men aboard. 

7 Dec

Today, we saw a sight of great magnificence, though from a thoughtless act. Some of the officers ashore, finding their progress slow, in an attempt to reach the distant western hills, set alight the dense growth, hoping to clear it away and create a path before them. Although to some extent, achieving their aim, this was a thoughtless prank and might have been provocative of much ham besides destroying so much valuable wood, for a strong breeze that was blowing at the time, caused the flames to spread wildly until it grew quite beyond any control or direction. This fire then, burnt throughout the night and although we talked of the damage it was causing, we stood and watched from the fore deck of the vessel, this magnificent display with delight as the whole island appeared to be ablaze with a glorious red. Great red tongues leapt high into the dark sky the glow reflecting across the deep waters of the bays. 

8 Dec 

Next day, we found out that the party involved in this hapless incident of torching the forest, had several days before, been researching and collecting samples above the bush line. Upon their return they had to fight through bush and scrub so thick and tangled that the precious samples they had collected along with their equipment hindered their progress back to the shore camp. So difficult was the terrain, that in sheer frustration at their lack of progress, their favoured equipment had to be discarded and left behind in favour of returning to the ship with the hard won samples. They had returned cut and scratched, with the samples but their precious equipment left behind. The chance of ever retrieving this would be an absolute impossibility, and so the next day they had decided to set off to explore a new location and set fire ahead of them to make the path easier.

In a few days, when the fire did die, there were great black scars up the side of the valley that evidenced the path of destruction the flames had cut. The long fingers of flame had now left fingers of black.