The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-08-23
F|ALA TELLS
OF HIS
EXPERIENCE

Hull, England. Aug. 23.-Anthony Fiala
OF Brooklyn. n, y, leader OF the Zeigler
Polar expedition. the members OF which
were rescued by the relief ship Terra
Nova under command OF William 5.
Champ. stcretary OF the laS William Iei-
gler. arrived here yesterday on his way to
the United States. Ho came ahead Of the
Terra Nova, which Is expected today. Mr..
Fiela said:
This has been another In the long list
Of failures to reach the pole unless tho
three determined attempts made TO reach
"A high latitude should be considered MS
not having proved altogether futile; but
although the great question OF the pole
remains unsolved, We have brought back
data which should prove OF scientific
value and have explored and surveyed the
archipelago from Crown Prince Rudolph
land 10 Cape Flora. discovering four new
channels and three large islands.
Failing 10 md an opening I'm the Ice In
longitude SS degrees 81 minutes east, lat
itude 70 degrees 81 minutes north, We de-
termined 10 force a way through at the
18th parallel
Here we were imprisoned for four
days. finally getting through with the use
OF guncotton. AT the end Of August, 1903.
We reached Tepli;z Bay. the most north
ern harbor OF Franz Josefand where
base and camp were established.
AMERICA WAS CRUSHED.
THE America had q narrow escape on
oct. %. 1909. when she broke adrift. final
". however. being brought lack 10 her
anchorage. where she was crushed just
about a month later.
"A shelter was built ON shore and the
members of the expedition were kept
busy during tn winter preparing for the
spring sledge journey and in scientific
work. which was retarded by severe
storms.
THE first sledge party left March Z,
1904. hut was compelled to return owing
20 iniuri1s received BY several OF the
men after reaching Cape F1idRely. A Soc
ond aftonpt. made on March %. likewise
resulted I'm failure tho sledges beiuE
sma shed when but short distance from
land, leaving n small party at the base.
/ returned to Cape Flora the trip occu-
py ing i6 DAYS.
"R lief failing TO arrive I'm September
1904. T. accompa MED by William J, Peters
(of the United States geological survey
aud a small sledge party. started back to
the base which was reached Nov. %
1904 after most ssVentful and danger
Gus trip. rough ice having 10 he crossed
In dense darkness and the men and
dogs falling into holes and crevicos and
running against walls OF ice. Crossing
Hooker island. two OF the men fen into
q crevice for distance Of So feet. and
were wedged between walls OF ice. Their
rescue was attended with the greatest
dlHculty. one h-ing So injured that he
had 20 be lashed 10 q sledge,
HIGH TEMPERATURE DELAYED.
with the exception or Norwegian
fireman. who had died We found all tn"
preparations were again begun for anoth-
er sledge trim 20 the northward
The weather delayed the party until
March lG 1905 ON this day tho party
left the base. which was named Cape
AbruZZi. for the ice pack to ;h" north.
Crossing glacier east OF Cape Rath. We
forced way 20 the northvard. but our
progress was slow. the ice being rough
and the men having first 10 cut away and
then to assist the teams over the rough
road
High temperature and fogs also helped
60 delay our progress. For two days and
three nights We were I'm q 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
10 the party at Cape Flora with my pov.
erty I'm dogs. 7 decided 70 return.
THE conditions on the southwark trip
were worse than on tho northward one.
bat fortunate drop i'm the temperature
allowed us 10 cross network of open
lanes and We reached Cape Abruzzi April
l.
Mr.. Porter. third In command or the
expedition. was sent south 10 explore the
while the rest OF the party
worked at the moving of the stores south
ward to Camp Zeigler making provision
in case We should be compelled 10 spend
a third winter In the Arctic. Meantime the
scientific work continued without inter-
rIptiOn
"On July 9o news came OF the arrival Of
the relief expedition and We made trip
OF over ~ miles on rotten ice to join the
Terra Nova.
"Mr. Fiala has not yet decided on the
date of his departure for the United
States