Summary

Lantern slide of explorers on Macquarie Island, setting up their tent which weighed only 10 pounds [4.5 kg].

One of 328 images in various formats including artworks, photographs, glass negatives and lantern slides.

Description of Content

Four BANZARE explorers from the SY Discovery are pitching their tents on Macquarie Island. The Discovery can be seen in the background. These tents weighed 10 lbs and were made for Sir Douglas Mawson in Sydney by S Walder Limited, during September, 1929. The material used was balloon or parachute silk and the tents had the capacity to be completely airtight. The tents were of the pointed at the top, supported by five bamboo poles which were drawn together. Running around the full circumference at the bottom of each tent is a flap and when the tent is erected this flap lies flat on the ground or in the snow. Then say in the case of snow more can be piled on the flap holding it down excluding the cold winds. This photo was taken by Eric Douglas on the British Australian New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition (BANZARE), Voyage 2 in 1930-1931. Eric Douglas said ' Preparing for a short stay at this Island'. From Eric Douglas' log of 2nd December, 1930 ' Twelve of us landed and the launch and dingy were taken back to the ship by the Second Engineer and a seaman. The tops of the adjacent hills were obscured by mist and the wind was blowing fresh from the west. The ship was anchored in north east bay and was fairly well sheltered. We immediately erected four tents and put our camping gear inside to keep it dry'. Photograph taken during the British Australian New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedition (BANZARE), Voyage 2.

Physical Description

Standard format lantern slide, consisting of two glass sheets each 3.25 x 3.25 ins (83 x 83mm), one pane bearing a positive transparent image and the other pane protecting the image. Sealed with paper binding strips around the four edges of the lantern slide and internally framed with a black cut-out window mask.

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