ARCTIC TRAGEDY

Hokitika Guardian, 25 August 1932, Page 6

ARCTIC TRAGEDY

DEATH OF WATKINS. (United ( Press Association—By • Electric Teiegraph—Copyright.) (Received this day at 1.5 p.tn.) LONDON, August 24. A message from Amgmagsaelik states Watkins went out alone 'on 20 August seal hunting. Rymiill and Chapman • later found a Kayak in the middle of the. lake filled with water and a paddle drifting nearby. A search revealed Watkins trousers and a kayak belt on a small icefloe, close to a large active glacier, -mile from the' nearest land.’ Theresas no trace of Watkins. It is presunwd "the kcfiyak overturned while he was hunting' dr .upset by , an ice fall from:. fchik glacier, ’Watkinis was unable to right the kayak, swam clear, reached an icefloe, undressed and tried to swim ashore in “the. freezing water and was drowned. /Watkins, in an article written at Lake Fjord on August 9, outlining his .plans, said he was establishing a base at the lake this year, owing to the absence of blizzards .and hoped to demon-, strata it was usable for flying, practically daily. In the meantime the first step was to build a house from stones and earth, eskimo style. , “We shall hunt every day in kayaks, seeking sharks for dog food, and seals and bears for food. All meat will be .dried and smoked for the winter, the skins will he used for clothing, and blubber used for cooking and heat. It should take a month to gather food, after which we will prepare for journeys to the ice-cap interior.. The nearest Eskimos are 60 miles away. The body was not recovered. It is recalled that Watkins in a former expedition was very interested in the use of kayaks and became proficent in the management of these hunting canoes.