English (United Kingdom)

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/featured_content/oa?rat=en

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/highlighted_journal/

Global: Zendy Plus annual

Presents the access of premium content as premium feature

Premium Content

Presents the keyphrase highlighting as premium feature

Keyphrase Highlighting

Presents the summarisation as premium feature

Summarisation

Insights

Presents the pdf analysis as premium feature

PDF Analysis

Presents the zaia usage as premium feature

ZAIA

Global: Zendy Tools annual

Global: Zendy Free Plan

Global: Zendy Tools monthly

Global: Zendy Plus monthly

The story of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition (AAE) 1911–1914 has often been told in many publications which also refer to the drama of the Far-Eastern Sledging Journey from which Mawson trudged back to base, arriving in a desperate condition after both his companions, Xavier Mertz and Belgrave Ninnis, had died. Sir Douglas Mawson’s career is well documented but we know less about his team of men and their work. What do we know of Mertz? The literature repeatedly notes that he was Swiss, held a doctorate in law, was a ski champion, looked after the expedition’s dogs and died, mysteriously, on that Far-Eastern Sledging Journey. Details of his death have stimulated much discussion. But what of his life? Born in Basel in1882, he was six months younger than Mawson. With Ninnis he sailed from London on the AAE’s S.Y. Aurora and spent November 1911 in Hobart as the team made final preparations for their Antarctic expedition. This paper focuses on that month of new experiences for the Swiss member of Mawson’s team, his impressions of Hobart, the city’s response to Antarctic explorers, what has changed and what remains as it was then.

Mertz in Hobart: impressions of one of Mawson’s men while preparing for Antarctic adventure