Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1905-08-26
BACK FR0i .aCIICI
Explorer Fiala Tells Of At
tempt to Reach the Pole.
sew ISLANDS AND CAPES FOUND
Thrilling Tale of Adventures and
Hafrbreadfh Escapes In the lee
Packs of the Frozen Sens.
Lost His Dogs.

Hafrbreadfh Escapes In the lee
Packs of the Frozen Seas.
Lost His Dogs.
| HULL, England, Aug 23.--Anthony
| Biala Of Brooklyn, leader Of the Zieg
Ter polar expedition, the members Of
which were rescued by the relief ship
Terra Nova, slder the command Of
William s. Champ, secretary Of the
late William Ziegler, arrived here Oh
his way to the United States. Mr.
| Fiala said:
"This has been another in the long
! list of failures to reach the pole unless
the three determined attempts made tc
reach high latitude should be consid-
cred as not having proved altogether
futile; but, although the great question
of the pole remains unsolyed, we have
brought back data which should prove
of scientific value and have explored
and surveyed the archipelago from
Crown Prince Rudolph Land to Cape
Flora, discovering four new channels
and three large islands.
Failing to ind an opening to the ice
in longitude 80 degrees, ~ minutes
east, latitude 20 degrees, 81 minutes
north, we determined to force way
through at the forty eighth parallel
Here we were imprisoned for four
days, finally getting through with the
use of gun cotton.
"At the end of August, 1908, we
reached Teplitz bay the most northern
harbor of FranZ-Josef Land, where
base and camp were established The
America had narrow escape on Oct
%. 1903. when she broke adrift, finally,
however. being brought back to her
anchorage, where she was crushed just
about month later.
"a shelter was built on shore, and
the members of the expedition were
kept busy during the winter preparing
for the spring sledge journey and in
scientific work, which was retarded by
severe storms.
The first sledge party left March I,
1904, but was compelled to return ow-
ing to injuries received by several Of
the men after reaching Cape Flgely
A second attempt made ON March %
likewise resulted in failure, the sledges
being smashed when but short dis
lance from land. Leaving small par
ty at the base, l returned to Cape
Flora, the trip occupying sixteen days.
"Relief failing to arrive in Septem-
Der, 1904. 1, accompanied by William
J. Peters of the United States geolog-
ieal survey and a small sledge party,
started back to the base, which was
reached Nov %, 1904 after a most
eventful and dangerous trip, rough ice
having to be crossed in dense darkness
and the men and dogs falling into i
holes and crevices and running against |
walls of ice.
Crossing Hooker island two of the
men fell into cravice for a distance |
of sixty-five feet and We're wedged |
between walls of ice. Their rescue |
was attended with the greatest difficult |
ty, one being so injured that he had !
to be dashed to a sled.
with the exception of a Norwegian |
fireman, who had died, we found all |
the party at the base in good health |
and preparations were again begun for |
another sledge trip to the northward
''The weather delayed the party un
til March 16, 1905 On this day the |
party left the base, which we renamed |
Cape Abruzz, for the ice pack to the |
north. Crossing a glacier east of Cape
Rath we forced a way to the north.
ward, but our progress was slow, the !
ice being rough and the men having
to first cut way and then to assist /
the teams over the rough road.
High temperature and fogs also |
helped to delay our progress. For two |
days and three nights we were in a
temperature of "a degrees above zero,
when it should have been below zero,
and the ice was constantly cracking |
under the tents.
Under these conditions and with
the pressing need for the sending of
supplies to the party at Cape Flora,
together with my poverty in dogs, / |
decided to return. The conditions on
the southwark trip were worse than
| on the northward one, but a fortunate
drop in the temperature allowed us to
cross a network of open lanes, and we
reached Cape Abruzzi April /. Mr..
Porter, third i'm command of the ex-
petition, was sent south to explore
the archipelago, Vile the rest of the
party worked at the moving of stores
south to Camp Ziegler, making pro-
vision in case we should be compelled
to spend a hard winter in the arctic.
In the meantime the scientific work
continued without interruption.
ION July 80 news came Of the ar
| rival of the relief expedition, and we
made a trip Of over twenty miles on
rotten ice to join the Terra Nova"
Alr Fiala has not yet decided on the
date of his departure for tie United
States.