GERMAN EXPLORER

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 591, 24 July 1933, Page 7

GERMAN EXPLORER

EPIC SEARCH BY ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICEMAN. ISOLATED FOR YEARS. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police at Bache Peninsula, 700 miles from the North Pole, have succeeded, afiter a two-year search, in finding traces of the missdng German Arctic explorer, Dr. Krueger, and his two companions, who have not been heard from since they were landed in 1929 at Robertson Bay, Greenland, by Captain Geo. P. MacKenzie, former gold commissioner for the Yukon. But the news affords no clue to their present whereabouts, says the Vaneouver correspondent of the Herald, as it consists merely of identification of Krueger's records left at Commander Peary's cairn in the following year. The officer in charge of the Bache post, Corporal Stallworthy, in his message borne to the Danish Government's wireless station at Godhaven by a noted Eskimo voyag,eur, Nockanpeeungwah, and delayed from' there, via Louishurg, Nova Scotia, to Ottawa, gives the first news of his own whereahouts and that of his patrol since they were landed wt Bache Peninsula in the summer of 1930 by the ' Canadian Government steamer Beothie on her annual visit to th'e Arctic posts. The patrol had not been heard from, as on two subsequent trips tbe j Beothie was unable to make- Bache i Peninsula. Corporal Stallworthy rej ports that his food resources were igiiving out, though they had been rejplenished from an official cache at

Fran Harbour, and that his wireless tubes had run down, cutting him and his companies off completely from news of the outside world. Dr. Krueger planned, with the aid of a Greenland trader, Bjare, and an Eskimo guide, Akaioa, to link up the geology of Greenland wtih that of Ellesmere Island. To assist his expedition. Captain MacKenzie left a cache of supfdies at Rutherford Point. Dr. Krueger's message and the signafure of his companions, noting their visit to Peary's cairn, and the date, in 1930, are the only record of hs movements since Captain MacKenzie parted from him. The explorer indicated that he had decided not to go further north on the Polar ice, and would proceed to Meighen Island. Corporal Stallworthy achieved the longest patrol in the history of the force in his search for Dr. Krueger. He traversed Axel Heiberg and Cornwall Island, Baumann Fiord and the east coast of Ellesmere Island. He lost 29 dogs. His stores and provisions were running low when he decided to send a message to Godhaven. The Eskimo voyageur reached his destination in four months — a .memorable achievement. Slender Chances of Discovery. General MacBrien, Commissioner of Police, has instructed Corporal Stallworthy to eyacuate Bache Peninsula owing to its inaccessibility and to establish a post at Craig Harbour, with his companions, Constables Hamilton and Munro. Their position at Bache was already causing, anxiety. Another attempt was to be made during the summer to effect contact with' them. Inspeetor Joy, who held many patrol records in the Farthest North territory, has died since .estahlishing Corporal 'Stallworthy at Bache. Death has also overtaken Captain Falk, veteran Arctic navigator, who piloted the Beothie through the treacherous Kane Basiin dce on her only trip to this most northerly hahitat of the white man, within eleven degrees of the Pole. The fate of Dr. Krueger and his two companions will remain a mystery of the White Silence until steps are taken to equip another search expedition, which is no mean task owing. to the annual overlay of ice and snow in the temtory he was traversing. His chances of being found are slender, as Corporal Stallworthy reported unusually bad ice conditions and la:ck of game.