The evening times., 1899-02-11
EXPLORER GREEDY ON
'PHE FATE OF ANDREB
How the Bodies Can Be Easily
Identified.
Prediction That the Balloon Would
Fall Where 1t Did.
Records of the Remarkable
Polar Sky Voyage.

The news that the bodies of Herr. An
dree, the Arctic explorer, and his compan-
ions have been found ON Taimur Peninsula
has created quite a stir in scientific circles
in Washington. The fate of Andree has
long been a source of controversy among
those familiar with the details of his bal
loon ascension and voyage toward the
North Pole, and they have often expressed
the hope that if dead, the bodies of the
explorer and his two companions would be
found in order that it might be determined
whether or not Andree was right in saying
that he could reach the Pole by sailing
north from Dane Island, in the SpitZbergen
group, which is directly north of the west
ern extremity of Russia in the Arctic
Ocean. The bodies supposed to be those
of Andree and his companions were found
on the Taimur Peninsula a stretch of land
several thousand miles to the south and
about five hundred miles to the east of the
place where the ascension was made.
The finding of the bodies, If they are
identified, would so to prove that Andree
did not reach the Pole, although the bal
loon may have gone far to the north and
been forced back by contrary winds. The
scientists who were not in sympathy with
the Andree theory have always stated that
the explorer could not reach the Pole by
this route, or any other route in a balloon.
They contended that the only way to ever
reach the northern end of the globe was
overland.
When last seen Andree expressed the ut
most confidence in his undertaking, but
it is thought that he did not have much
hope of returning alive. He was certain
of one thing, and that was that the result
of the attempt to reach the Pole through
the medium of the polar winds by himself
and companions would be of great value.
The instruments which they took with
them were especially prepared and were
constructed in such a way as to make them
as indestructible as possible. These in
struments, if found, will be of immense
value as well as the papers which the ex-
plorer intended to prepare and which will
in all probability be found near the bodies.
Gen. A. w Greedy, famous for his North
Pole expedition, from which he and few
surviving companions were rescued by Ad-
mIal Schley, then a naval lieutenant, was
induced to talk of Andree's fate today.
General Greely is now Chief Signal Officer,
L. S. A, at the War Department. He said:
''Of course, ! cannot say whether or not
the bodies found were those of Andree and
his companions, as the Identification is
rather uncertain. We do not really know
any bodies were found, and have only the
word of the native of the Taimur Fenin-
sula to buoy up our hopes. ] believe, how
ever, that if the explorer did come down
that is about where he would land. Short
II before his departure from London l had
talk with Andree. in which l told him
! that he would descend there If he came
| down anywhere | know nothing about
| the matter, and only state it as my belief
! that this is about where he would land.
Il do not believe he ever reached the
| Pole. but of course we cannot tell. The
! finding of his body in the place where II
| is reported to have been found strengthen:
! this belief, as does the finding of the pig
con which was found short time after the
! Inflated party made its ascension. T'hi:
! goes to prove that the explorer did not
make much progress north
DO you believe it will ever be known
| whether or not the bodies found are thos'
| Of Andree and his companions and If yol
! do. how can they be positively identiiied?'
There will be the cordage and instru
ments that only Andree could have pos
| sessed" said General Greedy. "hll thes
things will positively identify the bodies
! The telegram states that the bodies wer
found near hut made OF cloth and cord
| age evidently from a balloon. They don
have balloons lying around loose III tha
| part of the world, you know"
The pigeon to which General G:eeiy re
ferred was reported to have been toun
| by the captain of a Swedish vessel an
simply stated that all were well aid tn
position of the balloon at the time q. th
sending of the message. The explorer too
with him a number of carrier pigeons, bu
it has never been actually proven that an
of these were found except the one men
tened Another message was receive
some time ago. being found packed yer
! securely in watertight materials whic
prevented damage from water. In this
was stated that three messages had bee
sent and all were well on board Thi
message was dated July Is, two days af-e
the departure of the balloon from Dan
Island