MYSTERIOUS CRASH

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 18, 5 February 1937, Page 11

MYSTERIOUS CRASH

Own Correspondent.)

Noise That Frightened a Polar Explorer ''LIKE A TUBE TRAIN"

(By Air Mail —

fiONDON, Jan. 3. For five months Mr Augustine Oourtauld, the explorer, lived alone on a ' Groenland ice-cap, suffering untold hardships, facing unltnown dangera victim of terrifying experience*. That was in 1931. Mr Courtauld oroke his silence and told of his exjurenences foif the fiist time in a lecture to children at the Eoyal Empire Society. jLfe told them of a strange phonomenon 1 Ihat had never been eatisfactorily oxplained. "One day, whilo 1 was at the ice statiou, I heard a noise," he said, • ' like a tube train coming down a tunnel and getting nearor and nearer, until it ended in a great crash ovcriiead. "I was frightened and could not tliink of anything that woiild account for it. The flrst time I went outside I lound that notning had happened. That inade it all the more mysterious. "It was not just a case of nerves, Pecause othor* people have noticed it. Scientists explain it as a settlemcnt of the snow on a big scale. It was mosf terrifying." Mr Courtauld had to stay at the station alone as the expedition could not get sufflciont provisi'ons for two to the station because of had weather. As lio had frost- bitten .toes lie could not remain outside for long, and graduttlly the entrance of tho houso was snowed uhder, hut as part of his rations were buried outside he had to find them. After he had done this there came a terrihle blizzard, and the drivon snow came in through the trapdoor like highpressure steam. By morning it was impossihlc. to get out. He had to sit inside- and do nothing.