DRAMA OF ARCTIC WASTES

Hokitika Guardian, 3 November 1930, Page 7

DRAMA OF ARCTIC WASTES

FRANKLIN EXPEDITION.

— new light on old mystery. (By FRED TW EMLOWj Correspondent oi’ the “New York Times.’’) OTTAWA, September 24.

For more than three-quarters of a A century the fate of Sir John Franklin.

one of-the most famous figures in exploration history, has been shrouded in mystery—lost in the deep silence of frozen Arctic wastes. Now,

through tho heroism of a Canadian pilot and an English explorer, part of the mystery is solved. In consequence history books the world over will be changed, and more graphic details will be added to the story of the man who searched for the Nortrh-west passage

and a quick way from England to China. Broadcloth and ropes, pitifully piled on graves, .were discovered and brought back to the capital of Canada. Major L. T. Burwash, British explorer, whose exploits have won him fame time and time again, piloted by Walter Gilbert, one of, Canada’s most daring aviators, conducted this fortyfirst expedition to search for traces of

Sir John Franklin and his little band of men. They were, successful for the same reason that Commander Byrd ■was successful in v dressing the South I’nie—because of the' triumph of aircraft over land, sea and ice. The “New York Times” and other United States newspapers ' rank . the--; British expedition with that of Byrd—rather remarkable prtiise for an American publication t ; (> shower.

TWO LOST SHIPS

Every New Zealander or Australian who recalls his schooldays will remember the vivid story of the tragedy which overwhelmed Franklin and bis men about the middle of the nineteenth century. Sir John had been the hero of two Arctic expeditions, r.nd when, in 1845, lie set out with a couple of ships in search of the North-west passage, not only the people of England but people in all civilised countries awaited with interest hi? return from, the perilous quest. The two ships, Erebus and Terror, were provisioned for two years and no anxiety was felt when at the end of that time nc news had come back. But Sir John Ross, another explorer, who had spent four years in the north of Canada, aroused the public when he gave it as his. opinion, that Franklin and his men

were frozen in the ice. All England

was concerned, and it is safe to say {that never in the history of explora tion. has such an effort been put forth \ as that which was summoned by the nqws of Franklin’s peril. TEN YEARS’ SILENCE.

No fewer than forty expeditions put forth from various ports and in the to get news thousands of men were engaged and hundreds of thousands of pounds spent. The British Government offered a reward of £IO,OOO

It was ten years before the first word

came hack, and it was brought by Dr. John Rao of the Hudson’s Bay Company. Ho returned to civilisation with a story of having met a hand of Eskimos some of whom wore in possession of knives and forks, evidently tropin s which they had seemed fiom the Franklin expedition. This was considered enough to entitle Dr. Rao to the regard and it was paid to him. But Lady Franklin was not satisfied. She thought that there was still a chancj that her husband was living, and ween

the British Government, having paid the reward, refused to take any further steps she offered £‘20,000 out of her own private fortune to a Kind to solid out another exp dition. The' Fox was the name of the sliip which was finally chartered and it nosed into the Melville Bay ice dming the middle of 1857 and spent the winter drifting in the pack. DANGEROUS POLAR DASH.

After moving 1000 miles in 242 days it came to the edge of the ice. Sail was then hoisted and for another six months the vessel cruised in open water. With the coming of the second winter the Fox was locked in Port Kennedy. The plan was to awn it for spring ;and S tlien set forth in sleds, hut Captain, M’Clintock, the commander, did lidt wait for warm weather, and with light sled in the middle of winter, he essayed one of the mist danger. <us polar dashes in history. Travelling in a temperature of 40 degrees below zero he covered S6O miles in twenty-six days and completed the discovery of ' North America’s Arctic coast line. ’On May 25, 1858, he found a skeleton and realised that without a doubt he had come to a spot where one of the last scenes in the Franklin drama had taken place. He satisfied himself that below the snow lay the bodies of over 100 men. Some horrible suggestions of cannibalism were made, and that is all the world has known about .the Frank 1 in expedition for eighty-three years. , A THRILLING FIGHT.

Now Major Burwash and Pilot Gilbert have added another chapter to the story. Theirs is the dramatic addition of a thrilling fight across frozen Arctic wastes, and the discovery of another camp of the ill-fated expedition, where doubtless the last survivors, pitifully weakened by hunger and terrific cold, laid down to die with icy stones as cairns. Tho name of the last man to die will never he known —it may have been Sir John, or one of his party Only a few bleached bones told the tale—-and henceforth they will rest in Westminister Abbey,, mute testimony to the bravery of British men and the costly discovery of Canada. In a Pokkef aeroplane, similar to IvingsfordSmith’s Southern Cross, the explorer and his pilot flow along the Arctic coast, mapping the route as they went. Over Refilled seas they flew to the North Magnetic Pole, mapped it and made for Victory point. Here it was suspected that the last stronghold of Sir John Franklin might be found.

BURIED IN ORDERLY ROWS.

After the aeroplane had dropped down on to a giant ice-floe, Major

Burwash set out on foot to search Ho came on a pile of hones, stones and a few pieces of rope and broadcloth. He had come to the last restingplace of the man who is as famous as Drake and Cook. Bitter winds cut across the snow-covered ground and made work difficult. Records were found, but the ravages of fierce storms had largely obliterated them. Major | Burwash carted them to the aeroplane ' and brought them here to Ottawa, 1 alter a long flight over the northwest territories. Details of the tragedy will he reconstructed from the relies. The graves of the men, Major Bunvas.li said, were in orderly rows, and lie took it to mean that the men dropped off one by one and were buried by their remaining comrades. Now school history will need to he altered to show that Sir John Franklin reached King William Land, and sailed his little ships throygh the north west passage, so long the goal of Englis hexplorers. The final chapter of a great mystery is turned, “finis” is written, and the whole world knows what happened to that intrep d hand of eighty-three years ago.