The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1908-06-17
FROZEN TO DEATH
Nv THE TROPICS
Il Strange Catastrophe That o. or
took q German Expedition in
Equatorial africa

Berlin, June ia remarkable
disaster has overtaken the explor-
ing expedition of Duke Adolf
Friedrich of Mecklenburg in the
volcanic region in the extreme
northwestern corner of German
East Africa. In the crater of
Branca, one of the lower noun
tains, the party was overtaken by
terrible snowstorm and twenty
Of the natives, nearly half of the
expedition, were frozen to death,
about ninety miles south of the
Equator. The particulars of the
tragedy have come from Dar-es-
Salaam in letter written by f.
Kirschstein, tn geologist of the
expedition, and printed in the
"Deutch-O stafrikanische Zeitung.'
The report has the official indorse-
ment of Duke Adolph Friedrich,
who subscribed his name to it, and
it was written in his behalf during
his illness.
Report of the Disaster
The expedition was organized to
make a study of this largest area
of active volvanic phenomena in
Africa, and earlier reports of pro-
gress have been most favorable
The report of this terrible reverse,
which is dated March s, is as fol-
lows:
Con February 27 we completed
our work on the Karrissimbi vol
cano. We had the pleasant con-
seriousness that our great labor had
not been in vain, for Our scientific
results were rich and important.
Our headquarters while at work in
the higher altitude had been on
the edge of the Branca crater, and
we broke camp to return to the
( foot of the mountains. We i'll
tended to go to our base camp on
the south side of the mountain,
and as a detour around the crater
tc the south side would take three
hours we decided to descend into
the crater and cross it. In the era
ter is a shallow swamp. which is
easily, forded, and into this swamp
we made Our way and went rapidly
along till more than half across
to the further crater edge.
| Storm Suddenly Arises
Suddenly, almost out of clear
sky, severe hailStorm and thick
| fog set in. In few minutes the
temperature fell to the freezing
point. Then followed a heavy
snowstorm, as fierce as any | ever
saw, and / should not have thought
such storm was possible in trop-
ical Africa if we had not met with
this terrible experience.
But the carriers were simply
SIN vain | urged my men to
hasten. | knew that to be long in
that ice cold water would be the
death of us all. We could just see
the trees standing on the crater
edge where we were going and |
knew that if we could reach them
we could build fire and save our
men, who knew nothing of such
cold and snow.
paralyzed with terror. They stop
ped in their tracks, threw down
their loads and would not bulge.
All my pleadings, commands and
threats were thrown away. we
shall all die they kept screaming
in chorus.
Sa0ed by Kmdling Fire
at was terrible moment and
we were at out wits end. At last
a few of the men said they would
60 with us, and we took them and
my two Askaria caravan leaders,
and started for the trees, shouting
to the others to follow. Not a
man who was left behind came
after us. At length through the
storm and cold water we reached
the crater wall and struggled up
to the trees. Here we soon kin
died blazing fire, left the porters
who had come with us to keep it