BACK FROM ARCTIC SNOWS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 8 April 1926, Page 7

BACK FROM ARCTIC SNOWS.

Captain Wilkins Safe. BIG FIGHT,AGAINST COLD AND FATIGUE. By Cable —Press Association —Copyright. Sydney " Sun ” Service. (Received April 8, 12.20 a.m.) VANCOUVER, April 6. Captain Wilkins returned today to Fairbanks, thus completing the round trip to Barrow. A wireless from Fairbanks states that tension was relieved when tlie Goverhment received a message that a strange aeroplane had been sighted over Circle City, 150 miles northwest of Fairbanks. A few minutes later a message came that the machines had descended on Yukon River, ope posite the town. Captain Wilkins and Lieutenant Eielson had to be assisted from the machine, as they Were numb with cold and fatigue. They had beeii eight, hours in the air, coming since early morning from Barrow against head winds and lighting squally weather all the way. Captain Wilkins said they made a successful trip and had landed their supplies, but on the protracted return trip they ran out of gasolene oil. That was why they descended at Circle City. CONCERN IN NEW YORK. HOPES FOR PARTY’S SAFETY. By Cable —Press Association —Copyright: Sydney “ Sun * * Service. (Received April 7, 7 p.m.) 4,NEW YORK, April <3. Concern .over the missing leader overshadowed the original object of Captain-Wilkins’s expedition. , The “Alaskan” is equipped .with two rifles, snowshoes, emergency rations, including a large package of dried salmon sufficient for many days, so that if they descended personally uninjured they would stand a good chance, and could live some weeks off the country. ' Indian trappers around Wiseman report that the .winter snow is rapidly molting, and the Colville river is open earlier this spring "than 'for many years. Flying conditions continue excellent. ’

HAS MACHINE CRASHED? EXCELLENT FLYING WEATHER. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. VANCUUVER, 'April 6. Although excellent flying weather continues, there is still no sign of Captain Wilkins. Authorities at Fairbanks are not so much alarmed at ins silence, as the wireless .might have met with mishap, as by tlie failure to appear, as ho planned a speedy return from Barroiv. It iB feared Captain Wilkins started either the tour or to return over tlie ice seaward and crashed. [.Captain Wilkins, an Australian, who next year was to have sailed from New Zealand for the Antarctic, left Fairbanks, Alaska, oil Wednesday last for Point Barrow, 500 miles distant, over a range of mountains. The ’plane arrived safely, having flown at a speed of 100 miles an hour, and was to have returned next day to Fairbanks. Since Friday, when Wilkins radioed that liehad reached Point Barrow. He had with him Lieutenant Carl Eilsen, The ’plane, which was called “Alaskan,” was tlie smallest of the throe ‘With the expedition. Captain Wilkins was aboard ns navigator, and had with him 3000 pounds-of provisions with which to establish a. base at Point Barrow. Dog teams were resorted to for the carrying of the provisions after the failure of the snow-motors. Tlie distance they had to travel was 500 miles between Kotzebue, the railhead, and Point Barrow. Just over a week ago it was announced that the advance party had arrived at Point Barrow after a “fast overland journey of twenty-three days,” during which the party encountered two blizzards and a temperature 4G degrees below freezing point,

The party which'-left Fairbanks by a dog sledge for Cape Burrow also struck trouble after crossing the Endacott Alountains, and wirelessed that they w*e short of food for the dogs, and unless relief wa.s sent soon they, must shoot some of the animals. The leader of the party, Air Alaleolm Smith, set out for help, and provisions, and has not since been heal'd of.

Malcolm Smith, who as mentioned ijii the cable messages n.s leader of the part short of provisions, is a. veteran Alaslc an explorer and dog team explorer. He was to command the overland transport team of the AVilkins’ Polar Expedition. He is 07 yeans of age, and is one of tho old school of Alaskan explorers. From one extreme of the north' country to tho other he is known favourably. He came out from tlm Old Country, as an employee of the Hudson’s Buy Company in tho days when all of Upper Canada was that company’s estate. He was in Alaska in the Klond.vke gold rush days, and has been at Hie van of every gold rush since. Jle has. captured whales 120 miles off Point Bin-row, has .followed coal veins hundreds of miles across the Arctic tundras, has driven dog teams 70 miles in a day, and lias explored widely in Upper Siberia- Settlements boar his Christian and surnames. It i.s «aid that when he returns from.one of his trips into unexplored territory, the Government maps of Upper Alaska are re-drr»vn. Smith was to carry some, foodstuffs, hut in the main it was expected that the overland personnel- would follow the plan of the aeroplane personnel and live by hunting. ' Moose,_ caribou, mountain 'goats, and ptarmigan are plentiful along the route. Smith has already driven doo; ten ms between Ncnnna and Barrow isevernl times. He intended to keep the trams* port train on the river ice nearly all the time until lie readies the coast. But for tho last week lie and his companions, would enmn and travel on the ice of the Arctic Sea.