EXPLORER'S TRAGIC DEATH.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 923, 16 September 1910, Page 6

EXPLORER'S TRAGIC DEATH.

TOLD BY HIS COMRADE. ' ;; (By ' Correspondent.) -■ 1 Christchurch, September 15. . Sir. C./ H.'. Meares, who arrived'to-day in charge" of the transport department of the' Antarctio eipeditioii, : , confesses to.'.be-; iiig a .much-travelled! man. Just'before" em- ; barking on, this Polar- expedition.'he had. ' returned ironi a Tibetan, exploration; tour," which' he Vundortook';' -irith ',tho ill-fated. Lieut.' Brookes. * Tliey explored a; lot of new/ country on the .extreme frontier.: between China and Tibet. - / ,- Tlie expedition divided ,:into :tw6:. parts ,to ' explore the ;Lolo'' country, ■ Lieutenant Brookes going one way and' Mr.■ .Meares the other.. It appeared that Brookes travelled right across, the'country,jarid'.found : that the people, were .very'ifriendly ; and interested;.: On the way back he met a young chief , and 'a 1 band of men, and Brookes suggested."that they; should-come along as' an. escort.'. The chief agreed, and everything had a. lair, appearance. ;; v ■ What followed soems to, have been the. iesult' of a. fatal . misunderstanding.Brookes patted the- chief on the shoulder, and, the young man thought that either he was being' insulted or that , Brookes intended to strike'-him.". He drew- ' a long knife and'made a- murderous, attack .on. the unfortunate officer,-who in self : defenco had to shoot his "''assailant. The expeditionary 'party wefe'-i.then . overwhelmed, only two being left ■■dive. . One;of these was so badly cut aboiit that he was buried for dead with the .others,-but w.two days he recovered consciousness and; managed, to extricate .himself. : ' ; ' ' Some time afterwards Mr. Meares; penetrated in - searcli evi.'his companion,; ■ an.l his discovery, of tho ! : two survivors,.'who had been enslaved,ibrought out the whole tragic story. The ni&i/were. liberated, and tho body ■ of rthe -'Lieut. Brookes was'- rec'overiid. and removed : by, Mr.. Meares. : ■