ARCTIC TRAGEDY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1813, 28 July 1913, Page 4

ARCTIC TRAGEDY.

FATE OF SEVEN EXPLORERS. A VANISHED HERO. MARCH ON ALL FOURS IN THE DARK. A harrowing story is told by the survivors of tire luckless Schrocder-Straiiz Arctic expedition, who readied Norway from tlio Arctic hst month. Their ship tlio Herzog Ernest, being frozen up at 'IVwiorenburp- Bay, Spitzbergen, was abandoned on September 23, but tbo Norwegian members of tlio expedition returnod to luer. Tlio German members, idio pushed on for l'olelijeni, on Mossel Bay, found travelling difficult, ond broke up into two parties. Drs. Dettmere and Mresers determined to mnko for Advent Bay. Nothing: more line been heard of them, and they must bo dead, 'l'he others decided to return to the ship, but Captain Ritscher lntor formed another party, consisting of Dr. Kuedigcr and Herrai Rave, Eborhardt, Stcnorson, and Rotvold, and they docidod' to mako for Advent Bay. After a five days' march Dr. Ruediger, who was suffering from frost-bite, had to bo left with Herr Rave at a hut while tlio others pushed ahead to obtain. medical aid.

For seven weeks Ruediger and Rave waited with neither aid nor news. Their food supply dwindled till th«y had only one metal daily of mildewed oats and salt meat. Their last shirt was used in making bandages. At last they abandoned all liopo of .relief and were forced to mako a last effort to reach tho ship. Rnodiger's foot was frozen and crumbling bit by bit; his fingers wore frostbitten ana caused him agony. Yet Rave mad© for him a wonderful mechanical boot with fragments of leather, cloth from a jacket, nnd wood of a ski, so that Ruediffer could just totter along. A Cake of Scrapings. For food Rave made a cako of Bornpings from some barrels of rotten, (lour and decayed meat. Their only protection from the cold was a sleeping bag. They travelled four hours at a. time, and then rested. Gradually their food was consumed. Tlhcv ut-ro in darkness, starving and crippled, but their only chanco ivos to march and reach Polejhem or die. By their grim determination they gained that place on November 27, ana there found some mouldy biscuits. Of these Rava made soup. They rested three days, and toco vered somo degree of strength to accomplish the last stretch and reach the ship. In the final da9h, Rave dragged Ruediger along, and they succeeded ill gaining the vessel on December 1. Meanwhile Captain Ritscher and his party marched for eight daiys, and arriving at an old trappers' hut stayed thorn 'five dnvs making sledges. _ They then struck inland, but wore driven back by furious blizzards, and compelled to wait till they had the light of the moon. Such terrible" weather prevailed that they were still further delayed for another month. They started once more and gained the head of Westfjord. Here Eborhardt was so exhausted that he declared he would rather return to the ship than oontinuo the journey. • After a consultation Stenersen and Rotvold deoided to return with Eberhardt.

"Like Polar Bears." Ritscher and one dog struggled 011 in biting weather, living in the open, with 1110 shelter. Their rations were a handful of barley daily for a week, ofter which they had 110 food. They gained Thordesen none tho less, and tried to make for the Observatory, but could not reach it from weakness. Exhausted and starving, Ritscher and the dog leapt upon a sheet of young ico floating in tho water, when 'Ritscher fell through it twioe and had his right hand and both feet frozen. Yet in this condition, with desperate determination, he crossed the new ice and reached the Arctic Coal Company's houses at Advent Bay, delirious and famished. Tho company officials say that they saw two objects, which they took for Polar bears approaching. They were Ritscher and his dog, white with frost and snow. Tho last stages of tho journey were accomplished on hands audi knees; Tho oompany's doctor examined Ritscher and amputated the tots of his right foot, the big toe of his left foot, and tho little fir.gcr of his right hand. Tho last act of this Arctic ■ tragedy is shrouded in mystery. On Daoeinber 19 Stenersen, Ilotvold, and Eberhardt had started back for the ship, leaving Rucdiger and Rove. The marching was difficult; the weather fearful. Eberhardt complained of pains in his head. According to Rotvold, Eberhardt raid in English, "I cannot more." fitenersen replied in English, "Eherliardt you know vou must do all you can to reach the hut on Mossel Bay. It is not far now. Wo have no sleeping bags and cannot stop hew." Eberlmrdt answered: "1 will do my best." All kept together for an hour. Then Stenersen and Rotvold reached tho top of a hill, and wlisn tlicy looked back Eberhardt was gone. They searched for a quarter of an hour, but 110 trace could bo found of him. He had vanished as if by magic, now, no one knows. This is tho enigma iu this gruesome drama. Stenersen and Rotvold waited four hours in the hopo that 110 would appear. He never came, mid ho must bo lying dead in that icy waste. Stencrseii and Rotvold reached the ship on Christmas Day. As for Lieutenant Schrocder-Stranz, llerr Sandleben, Dr. Meyer, and Herr Schmidt, they left the ship 011 August 15 to explore the north-east island of Spitzbsrgen, .and 1 nothing more has been heard of them.