ANDREE EXPEDITION

Hokitika Guardian, 8 November 1930, Page 2

ANDREE EXPEDITION

PROBABLE CAUSE OF DISASTER

LONDON, September 18-

The narrative of the Andree Expedition grows in poignancy and dramatic interest with eacli successive page that is unfolded. It was cruelly hard lines that the lives of all three adventurers should be lost after they had overcome so many difficulties, and had arrived in safety at a spot which was virtually within reach of civilisation.

When they landed on White Island they were to all appearances more favourably situated than Nansen and Johansen were two years earlier on the day they reach Franz Josef Land. Tliiey were, not without supplies, and they, had a boat of sorts. Yet Nansen and liis companion were able to survive a whole winter in their place of refuge, and continue their journey the following summer until they fell in with the Jackson Expedition, while Andree, Strindberg, and Fraenkel perished miserably in a few weeks. The full explanation of the catastrophe will presumably be revealed when the diaries available are published in detail. But the main caso of the disaster seems to have been a violent storm which overwhelmed the party before they had been able to make proper preparations for the winter.

As the history of the Scott Expedition in the Antarctic shows, no amount ol courage, endurance, and enterprise is of any avail against the furies which Nf Lure has it in her power to unloose within the Polar circles.