PROFESSOR DAVID'S VIEW

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 36, 12 February 1913, Page 7

PROFESSOR DAVID'S VIEW

COMPARISON WITH AMUNDSEN. (BY TELEGRAPH:— PRESS ASSOCIATION.) SYDNEY, llth February. The receipt of the news of {he tragic fate of Captain Scott and his companions has aroused intense interest end universal sorrow. The State Government ha* cabled to the Britieh authorities, expressing the grief of New South Wales at the disaster which has overtaken brave men, and, cc a-epecial mark of sympathy, ordered tho flags on the public building* to be flown at half-mast throughout to-morrow. Professor Davidj who accompanied the Shackleton Expedition, in an interview, eaid the news of the death of Captain Scott and hie comrades waA only too true. He received a cable tneeage from Mr. Kihsey, of Christchurch, confirming the sad occurrence, which was all tho more tragic on account of the proximity of the bray.c party to their winter quaiters. Professor David surmises that the party, in the thick, drifting enow, caused by the continuous blizzards, may have missed one of their food denote when weak from fatigue and the long endurance of exceeeive cold. It miwfc be remembered that, as compared with Amundsen's party, the party, much aa they suffered, had endured far mom in* teneoly, for they had had to drag their sledges over hundreds of miles, including the bitter, windswept plateau ten thousand feet high. Thie was fearfully heavy and protracted work, and must have told on the constitutions of the men. though they were of the hardiest. In view of the comparatively blow progress on the return journey, one could not help thinking that the whole party could not have been in the best of health.