A POLAR TRAGEDY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 12 February 1913, Page 5

A POLAR TRAGEDY.

CAPTAIN SC3ITS DISMAL FATE DIES Wm EXPOSURE IN k BUZZARD STORY OF THE EXPLDITION {United I'ress Amathn-By Electric Telegraph-Copyright.) The Terra Nova arrived t Cape Evans on 18th January of this year, and obtained the following information from the shore part there: Cantain Scott reached the South Pole on 18th J a " IQI2 He found Captain Amundsen's tent and records. On the inurneu the whole southern party perished. Captain Scott and i Wilson and Bowers died from exposure during a b """d Lieuts. Wi Their last camp was about seven miles about March 20th, I9ia. ' from the hut at Cape south ofGne Qatps died from exposure on 17th March Seaman died from con-ussbS of the brain on Jith FebruEdgar Evans ts the remainder cf the expedition is excellent ' CVISMSK WM party. »*° with the Terra Nova in the bay.

THE HISTORY OF THE EXPEDITION. The history of the expedition is as follows: Before tho Terra Nova lett tor Now Zealand last March, Surgeon At"kinson, who had been left in charge of tho western party until Captain Scott's return, despatched ' Garrard land Bemetri to Bog River with two dog teams, to assist the- .southern party, whose return to Hut 1 omt was .expected about .March J.Utn. 1912. Surgeon Atkinson would have ■.accompanied this party, but was kept hack in the medical charge of Licuo. Evans,. second in command, who, it will be remembered, nearly died ot scurvy. r , This relief party reached One Ton <lepot on March 3rd, but was compelled to return on March 10th, owing primarily to the dog food runjiing s'hort and to the persistent had weather and poor condition of tho dogs after tho strain of a hard season's work. The dog teaniis returned to Hut Point on March. 16th. The poor animals were mostly frostbitten and incapable of further work. •Garrard collapsed through an overstrained heart. His companion was "-also sick. . As it was impossible to communicate with Capo Evans, the. ship having left on March 4th and the. open sea lying between Br Atkinson and . TCeohane, tho only two :nen left sledged out to Corner Camp to render any help that might be wanted by the southern party. They fought their way out to Corner Can.p against unusually severe weather, jind realising that they could be of no assistance, they were forced to return to Hut Point after depoting one week's provisions.

A GALLANT PARTY. In April, when communication with Cape Evans was established, a gallant attempt to.relieve Lieut, ("amphell was made by l)r Atkinson am! Messrs Wright, Williamson and Keohane. Tins party readied Butter Point, when they were stopped by <open water. Their return was exciting, ami nearly ended in disaster, -owing to the «ea-ico breaking up. THE SEARCH. A search party left Cape Evans, ' .after wintering 011 October 30th last. I ' 'lt was organised by Dr Atkinson, | and 'consisted of two divisions. Dt' | Atkinson took dog teams with Gar- t rard and Demetri, and Mr Wright I was in charge of a, party which in- I eluded Messrs Nelson, Gray, Lashley, Crean, Williamson, Keohano and Hooper, with seven Indian mules. They were provisioned for throe months, expecting an extended j .search. One Ton Camp was found in order, "and well, provisioned. FINDING THE BODIES. ! Proceeding along the southern route, on November 12th Wright's party sighted Captain' Scott's tent. ' Within it were found the bodies of Captain R. F. Scott, Royal Navy, 1 Doctor E. A. Wilson; chief of the scientific staff, and Lieut. H. R. : Bowers, Royal Indian Marine. RECORDS OF DEATHS. . From their records the following ' information was gleaned. Tlie firs/ •death- was that of Seaman Edgar Evans, Petty Officer in the Royal Navy, whoso official number was 160,225. He died on February 17th, at the foot of Beardmore Glacier. His death wa-s accelerated by a. concussion of the brain sustained v> iiilo travelling over^rough ieo some time before. Captain L. E. G. Oates, of the Tn- • niskilling Dragoons, was the next to go. His feet and hands were badly frostbitten, and although ho struggled on heroically, on March 10th his com ratios knew 11 i end v.ns approaching, and lie bad borne /iis suffering for weeks without complaining. He did not give up hope to the very end. Captain Scott wrote: ' ; He was a f>rave soul; he slept through tho night,, hoping not to wake, but ho awoke in tho morning. It was blowing a blizzard. Oates said'. '1 am just going outside, and may bo some time.' Ho wont oat into the blizzard, and we have not i.seen him since." Captain Scott adds: "We knew that Captain Oates was walking to his death, but though we tried to dissu- , ado him, wo knew it was the act of a brave man and an English item"', man." On March. ICth Captain Oates was really unable to travel, but tho others could not leave him.

CAUGHT TN A BLIZZARD. After bis call ant death, Captain Soott, with Lioiits, Wilson and Bowers. pushed northward, when the abnormally bad weather would let them but they were forced to camp on March 21st in latihide 7!) degrees 40 mins south, .longitude 169 f.leg. 2-1 min. east II miles south of the big wlepofc at One Ton Camp. This thov never reached, owing to a blizzard

which is known from the records to have lasted nine days) overtaking them, and tho food and fuel givingcut. | MESSAGE TO THE PUBLIC. j In Captain Scott's dairy, Br Atkinson found tho following ir.essnge \ to the public: "Tho causes-of this disaster are not duo to faulty organisation, but to miislortune in all .tho risks which had to be undertaken (1) The less of the pony transport in March, 1911, obliged mo to start later than I had intended, and obliged tho limits of stuff transported to. be narrowed; (2) The weather throughout the outward journey, and especially the long gale in 83 drg. south, stopped us. Tho soft snow hi tho lower reaches of the glacier again reduced our, pace. We fought these untoward events with a will, and conquered; but it ate into our provision reserves.. Every detail of food supplies, clothing and depots made on the interior of the ice sheet, rtnd on that long stretch of 700 wiles to tho Pole and 'back, worked out to perfection.

i A STRONG MAN FAILS. The advance partv would have returned to the glacier in fine form, and with a surplus of food ; but for the astonishing failure of the man whom we, had least expected to Fail —Seaman Edgar Evans. He wis thought the strongest man of the party. The Beardmore Glacier is not I difficult in fine weather but on our return wo did not tret a single completely fine day. This, with a sick companion, enormously increased Our I anxieties. T have said elsewhere we | got into frightfully rough ice. and Edgar Evans received concussion of the brain. Ho died a natural death, j but left us a shaken partv. with the season undwlv advanced. But all the facts above enumerated were as nothing to the .surprise which awaited us on the Barrier. T maintain that oip- arrangement:-, for returning were I nnite adequate, and that "o one in the world would have expected the temperatures and surfaces which wo ' encountered at this tim Q of the year ■ on the summit in latitude R5 deg. to 1 Rfi deg. We had .minus 20 !'> minus BO on ,the Barrier. In latitude 81 deg. 10,000 feet lower, we had minus 30 in the day and minus 47 at night, pretty regularly, with a continuous head wind during our day marches, j It is clear that these circumstances come on very suddenly,.and oar wreck is certainly due to this sudden advent of severe weather which does not '-com to have any satisfactory, cause. TERRIBLE MISFORTUNE. j i T do not think human beings ever came through such a 'month have come through.and we should I have got through in spite of the weri- , ther but for the sickening < f a socI ond companion (Captain Oates) and j a shortage of fuel in our denots for I which I cannot account: and imally but for the storm which has fallen on , us within 11 miles of thus depot at which we hoped to secure the final supplies. Surely misfortune could ' scarcely have exceeded this last blow. We arrived within 11 miles of our old One Ton Camp, with fuel for one hot meal and food for two days. „ t A PATHETIC END. I i, For, '*ur days we have been unable to leav the tent. The gale is blowing about us. 'We are weak. Writing is difficult. But, for my own sake, T do not regret this journey, , which has shown that Englishmen can endure hardships. Kelp one another. and moot death with as great a fortitude a« ever in the past. Wo took risks. Wo knew we took them. I Things have come our against us, •' and then we have no cause for complaint; but bow to the- will of Piovidence, determined still to do our best to the last. But, if we have been willing to give our lives to this enterprise, ' which i,s for the honour of , our country, I appeal to our countrymen to see that those who depend on us are properly cared for. Had we lived, I should have bad a tale to . tell of the hardihood, endurance and i courage of my companions, which ' would have stirred the heart of every Englishman. These rough notes, and our dead bodies, must tell the

,tnlo; hut surely :i .irreat, rich country like ours will sec that those who ! arc dependent 011 us are properly proI vided for. —I?. Scotfe March 2-1 t li. 1912. jH()\Y THI 10 NEWS WAS RECEIVED j PROFESSOR' DA A'ID'S OPINION'. (Received Last .Night. S..">o o'clock.) SYDNEY. February 11. Intense interest has heeu mani- , tested in the news concerning Captain .Scott, and universal sorrow lias heon expressed at his tragic end. J Tlio State Government lias cabled tlio British authorities. expressing, at the disaster having evertaken the lirave men. ! As a special mark of sympathy, the Government, has ordered that Hags on puhfic he displayed, at half-

I mast throughout to-morrow. Professor David, ill an interview, [ states that the news of tho death of Captain Scott and his comrades is I only too true. Ho has received a ' cable from Mr Kinsoy, conlirming the j sad occurrenco, which is all the more ' tragic on account of the proximity of ! tho It rave party to their winter quarters. Professor .David surmises that tho party may, in tho thick, drifting snow caused ihy the continuous blizzards, have missed one of their food depots, when weak from fatigue, and long endurance of excessive cold. It must be remembered that, as compared with ■Captain- 'Amundsen's party, much as they suffered, Captain Scott's party endured far more. They had to drag their sledges over hundreds of miles, including a bitter, wind-swept plateau ten thousand feet high. This was a fearfully heavy, protracted work, and must have told on their constitutions, though they woro of the hardest. In view of the journey, one could n#t help thinking that the whole party could not have boon in tlie best of health.

ItECXm.DS AND EFFKCTS SEARCH FOR CAPTAIN OATES. (liecoived Last Night, 9.30 o'clock.) LONDON. February 11. Br Atkinson collected tho records and effects of Captain Scott and his party. Tho latter included a. sum of ,€35, and some valuable geological specimens. l)r Atkinson read a burial service over tho remains, and erected a cairn and cross over tho inner tent, in which the bodies, wcro buried. He searched for twenty >n iies southward for Captain Oatrs, .but could not find him, and erected a cairn in the vicinity. ' Tho search party then turned no, thiva."d, to tho relief of Lieut. Campbell's northern party. They found the latter sate. When thev reached Hut Point, Lieut. Campbell forced them to make back to Cape Evans. Here they burrowed through a snow-drift and constructed an ingloo where they wintered. They killed and .stored ' seals, and lived for six months on seal meat, blubber, a few biscuits, and a small quantity of cocoa. Constant gales were encountered and the party became' weakened by an attack of enteritis. They were unable to start from Cape Evans until September 80th. Tliey picked up Professor David's specimens, and went on to Depot Island. The party ,actually wintered and sledged 230 miles on one month's •stores. , They obtained excellent scientific results. The records .found with Cantain Scott included Captain Amundsen's letter to the King of Norway. The Terra. Nova fanded a party and erected a large cross at Observation Hill, overlooking the Great ice Barrier.

AN AMERICAN VIEW. (Received Last Night ,11.-5 o'clock.) NEW YORK, February 11. Commander Stefan sson says that no blizzard would be likely to have killed Captain Scott, and tlio probable cause of his death would be starvation, or Palling through a. crevasse.. Admiral Pearv ox pressed deep sympathy when he was informed of the fate of the expedition. SENSATION IN CHRISTCHURCH. THE HON C. C. BOWEN INTERVIEWED. (By Teleijraph.—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night. , The news of Captain Scott's fate , quickly spread throughout the icity this morning, and there was quite a stream of inquiries, seeking confirmation of tho intelligence. The news caused a profound sensation in the city, and groups in conversation in | the street spoke of the matter as they would in referring to some sad and unexpected event which tol;l of passing a hero who it was thought had returned from tho Antarctic crowned with success. Flags flew at . .half-m.'fcst from numerous buildings ' in the city to-day, and at midday the bell at the Cathedral was tolled, Tllis afternoon a slight alteration was made in tho Even-song at the ('athed- ' ral, as a memorial to those, lost. Oil Thursday afternoon a memorial .ser- | vice will be held in the Cathedral, j in order tn allow members of the Expedition and officers of the Terra ; Nova to be" present." While the news of the very early return of the Terra Nova, from tho Antarctic, over a month before her due date, caused great astonishment in Lyttelton,-and appeared to iudiI c-ato that something untoward bad ocj curred to cause the change in tho : plans, no one was prepared for tho dreadful news which filtered through to port "this morning ' that 'Captain Scott, tho gallant leader of tho' expedition, and his little band of brave supporters, had perished in a ferriblo I blizzard on lonely stretches of ice and snow, far from their base, on their ! return from the South Polo. The ( personal eftVcts and other baggagV. . an<] paraphernalia of some, of those 'who.died in the smith still lie at the. Tourist Office in Ch.ristelnnrh, v. hero .they were left when the adventurers, went south. I A rumour was current in iown this morning that the body of Captain Scott had been brought hack by tho .Terra Nova. | Mr Kinsoy. when asked whai fact | lay behind the talc, gave it a mrvt complete and emphatic denial, j Information has been received in I Lyttelt-on that tho Terra Nova will arrive off Lyttelton Heads between S and 10 o'clock to-tino'rrow morning. The Lyttelton Harbour Board's tug, with Captain Thorpe, harbourmaster, will go out to meet the ship. Lieut. Pennell and Dr AtkiiVon will go out in the tug. Tho Terra, Nova will probably reach I Lyttelton about 11 o'clock. Flags were half-mast high on all [ public and private buildings iti Lyttelton to-day. Tho merchant service also paid its tribute to the memory of Captain Scott and his party. Every '.ship in port lowering her flags to hall-mast. It is stated that Dr Atkinson, who arrived with Lieut. Pennell last .night, I has felt the loss of his* chief ai:, ; | his I companions .so deeply that he lias boon sont to Mr J. J. Kinsey's house

in Sumner to bo quiet and free from any annoyance of inquirers. it is understood that a. wireless message will be sent to Mrs R.. F. Scott, who is on her way from San Francisco, a prising her of the late ol the southern party, and- instructing her not. to land in the Dcminion. Mrs Wilson, who has been staying in the south, reached Christchureh to-day by the First express. iSir Charles TCowen, who is keenly interested in tho Antarctic exploration, and who had many opportunities of -meeting Captain Scott on the different occasions that he was in Christchurcb, wa.s seen bv a. Press reporter regarding the sad news of tho death of tho explorer and his- party. Sir Charles said that -beyond the news giving the fact that Captain Scott and his party bad perished in a blizzard he was not in .possession of any details. The news was very terrible. and he felt keen sorrow that so courageous an officer had! met with so sad a fate, and he felt the deepest sympathy for Mrs Scott- and tho relatives of the brave men who perished with their leader. "Cantain Pool's was not only a great explorer,'' .said Sir Charles, "and not only posse--scrl the courage of a great explorer, but he also possessed the necessary skill and knowledge, and was a'.so a firstclass naval man and would have made his mark in whatever circumstance® he was placed. The death of Captain Scott and his pa''ty in such tragic circumstances will rrcato a. profound sensation throughout the whole Rmpire."

FUNEKAL MARCHES. TN CHRTSTOHURCTT THEATRICS. (By Telegraph. —Press Association.) OH RrSTOHI'TRCH. Last > i j-.t. At all the theatres to-night funeral marches were played.'as a tribute to the memory of the dead explorers.,. CAPTATN SCOTT. Captain Robert Falcon Scott "has been described as a, man of keen, sentiment and enormous enthusiasm, hidden below tho surface of a very placid an<] unconcerned demeanour. Tho traditions of the naval seivirr. on the one hand and of tlie great explorers on the other inspire him* Clean shaven, with a strong and determined face,, tight firm lips, and keen but kindly light-blue eyes, ,he i« forty-two years of age. He was thirty-three when he first set out towards the South Pole in t!he wonderful but too expensive and not oversatisfactory Discovery, in which he made the great expedition which penetrated farthest south for the time being. That- was in 1901. and extended the approach to the South Pole nearlv 100 miles over the previous record, reaching a, point in south latitude 80.17, 670 miles from the Pi le. Shaokleton. in his 1908 expedition, reached latitude 58.23, and hoisted the flag of English 111 miles from tlio Pole. | 'Here are further touches* to the picturo of Scott.- "He has something of tho bulldog look not rare among naval officers . . hot the serf of man who would turn back whi!e he could go on, one would say . . but he doesn't look as if he had tho habit of quoting poetry either . . . thorough-going, level-headed, busi-ness-like, with enough imaginati'in for a leader, and most, determined in a quiet way —that is the impression Captain Scott gives."