CHAPTER XVII 
THE LAST RELIEF 
When I readied New Zealand at tlie beginning of December 
1916 I found that the arrangements for the rehef were complete. 
The New Zealand Government had taken the task in hand 
earlier in the year, before I had got into touch with the outside 
world. The British and Australian Governments were giving 
financial assistance. The Aurora had been repaired and refitted 
at Port Chalmers during the year at considerable cost, and had 
been provisioned and coaled for the voyage to McMurdo Sound. 
My old friend Captain John K. Davis, who was a member of 
my first Antarctic Expedition in 1907-1909, and who subse- 
quently commanded Dr. Mawson's ship in the Australian Ant- 
arctic Expedition, had been placed in command of the Aurora 
by the Governments, and he had engaged officers, engineers, 
and crew. Captain Davis came to Wellington to see me on 
my arrival there, and T heard his account of the position. I 
had interviews also with the Minister for Marine, the late Dr. 
Robert McNab, a kindly and sympathetic Scotsman who took 
a deep personal interest in the Expedition. Stenhouse also was 
in Wellington, and I may say again here that his account of 
his voyage and drift in the Aurora filled me with admiration 
for his pluck, seamanship, and resourcefulness. 
After discussing the situation fully with Dr. McNab, I agreed 
that the arrangements already made for the Rehef Expedition 
should stand. Time was important and there were difficulties 
about making any change of plans or control at the last moment. 
After Captain Davis had been at work for some months the 
Government agreed to hand the Aurora over to me free of 
liability on her return to New Zealand. It was decided, there- 
fore, that Captain Davis should take the ship down to McMurdo 
Sound, and that I should go Avith him to take charge of any 
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