Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-06
Explorer Erichsen and Com
panions Lose Lives.
ADRIFT ON AN ICE FLOE
Exhausted Esquimau Brings in Tale
of Disaster.
SUCCUMBs AFTER HIS RECITAL
Float Out to Sea and Back to Land.
Perish on Shore, Too Worn Out
to Struggle.

COPENHAGEN, August 6.-Mylius
Erichsen. the Danish explorer, has met
his death in the far north.
According to information just received
in telegram to the committee Of the
Denmark-Greenland expedition, Erichsen
and two companions who sailed with him
from Copenhagen in June 1906, to the un-
explored regions Of the northeastern coun-
try east of Greenland perished in snow
storm. The three men were on an expe-
dition over the ice when disaster overlook
them.
Otherwise the exploring party has been
successful Large tracts of unknown land
have been mapped out and the entire
northeastern coast of Greenland has been
charted.
\ later telegram brings the information
that Erichsen and his companions were
Ice foe when overtaken by the
snowstorm. The foe drifted out to sea-
The provisions of the explorers soon be-
came exhausted.
They drifted for some days, growing
weaker and weaker. When the foe was
finally driven back to land the three men
did not have sufficient strength to make
the effort necessary to return to the sta
tion- They must have perished on the
shore.
The Esquimau who brought in the news
OF the disaster arrived at the station In q
dying condition and succumbed tmme-
diately after making his report.
Erichsen's Expedition.
Mylius Erichsen had devoted several
years to the exploration of Greenland.
His first expedition returned from that
country in November, 1904, after two
years and a half in the north.
The expedition that sailed from Copen-
hARen Ol1nnArfa6
cially by the Danish government. His
plans had been approved by many sOci-
eties and SCIENTISTS including the Ameri-
can Geographic Society.
On former occasion Mr.. ErichSen dis
tinguished himself as the chief of a party
which traversed the route across Melville
bay to the Cape York Esquimaux settle
ment, on the west coast of Greenland.
Mr.. Erichsen planned on this last trip
and this was the most adventurous pOr-
ton of his undertakingIto cross the eter-
nal ice cap of Greenland at its broadest
part by means of snowshoes. dog sledges
and an automobile.
He purposed to set out about March.
1903, accompanied by one OF his staff and
two Greenianders belonging to the crew.
Other members of the expedition, with
fully loaded sledges. were to go with him
the first third of the journey.
Place Devoid Of Life.
After leaving his companions Erichsen
and the three men he planned to take with
him were to proceed to the unknown ice
dome of the interior which rises at its
highest to 10000 feet above sea level.
This region Is completely devoid of vege-
table and animal life. Here. it is be-
lieved is to be found one OF the cold poles
Of the northern hemisphere. 1t Is doubt
full If man could live there in the coldest
season.
Under these circumstances. the leader
chose the months of March, April and
May for his venture. He hoped to COM
pass this venturesome journey in about
two and half months, coming out on the
west 1t was probably on this trip that
the explorer met his death.