THE ANTARCTIC.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8364, 26 February 1913, Page 7

THE ANTARCTIC.

ANOTHER TRAGEDY TWO MEMBERS OF MAWSON EXPEDITION LOST. WIRELESS MESSAGE FROM LEADER. By Telegraph—Press Association—Cpprrigh* (Received February 25, 8 p.m.) SYDNEY, February 25. The Australasian Antarctic Expedition, under Doctor Douglas Mawson, which left Hobart on December 2nd, 1911, in the Aurora, stopped at Macquarie Island, on the way south, and erected a wireless station, a party being left in charge thereof. Very heavy weather was experienced By the Aurora, and it was not until January 19th, 1912, that a landing was effected in Commonwealth Bay at the western extremity of Adelie Land. WHIELESS MESSAGES. Yesterday wireless communication was established between the expedition’s Adelie Land base and Macquarie Island, and Professor David received a wireless message intimating that two members of Dr Mawson’s party, namely, Lieutenant Ninnis and Doctor Mertz, are dead. No details were given as to how the explorers met with their death. Last night Professor David received a second wireless message from Macquarie Island stating that the Adelie Land wireless plant was again working, and adding that Dr Mawson and several of his men had missed the Aurora owing to an unfortunate circumstance. Tho operator was then trying to receive a long message from Dr Mawson, but the conditions were very bad, and the message at this point became broken. “NINNIS AND MERTZ DEAD.” This afternoon Professor David received the following additional wireless message: “Ninnis and Mertz are both dead. All the others are well. Dr Mawson and six others will probably winter in Adelie Land. Very successful sledging has been accomplished.” CONTRADICTORY REPORTS. Professor David says that it is difficult to reconcile the messages just received with earlier wireless reports which stated that the Adelie Land wireless station had been dismantled, and that Dr Mawson and all hands had left on the Aurora for Mr Prank Wild’s base. 1 Mr Wild; in charge of the second portion of Dr Mawson’s expedition, consisting of about eight men, wintered at Termination Glacier, some 1200 miles west of Dr Mawson’s headquarters at Adelie Land. FATAL ACCIDENT POSSIBLE. “FINE, FEARLESS BRITISH OFFICER.” Professor David thinks that possibly a fatal accident happened during tho progress of embarkation, as, for instance, the springing up of a blizzard, but he states that it would be idle to speculate as to what has really happened. Professor David described Lieutenant Ninnis as a fine, fearless British military officer, of much the same type as the heroic Captain Oates, who so heroically sacrificed his life with tho Scott expedition. DOCTOR MERTZ. Professor David stated that Doctor Mertz was a medical man as well as a scientist of high attainments. Both men, added Professor David, were of fine physique, and were looked upon as very valuable members of .the expedition. NO FURTHER DETAILS. (Received February 25, 0.20 a.m.) SYDNEY, February 25. No further details regarding the Mawson expedition have been received.