The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-02-14
WHO is RESPONSIBLE
FOR POLAR TRAGEDY?

it obvious that their need Of assistance
was intense.
Feeling has been aroused among the
survivors Of the expedition by these
failures. The relations between Com
mander Evans. now the leader of the
expedition. and Surgeon Atkinson arc
very strained. Asked to-day for a
statement regarding the rescue party.
Commander Evans said:
There is DR.. Atkinson. He is the
man who knows If he makes n state
ment shall have something to saw
after him.
Surgeon Atkinson did not reply to a
formal inquiry as to the conduct of ,be
search expedition
No Traces of Disease.
That The explorers suffered from
scurFy is definitely denied by members
OF the search party. The bodies we're
examined carefully. and no disease was
found Death was due 10 exnos,Irc and
exhaustion.
Asked why the body were not taken
10 the coast by the rescue partv. Com
mander Evans said:
me point was considered hut Sur-
seoh Atkinson and his comDaninns
asreeu that it VISA better To leave the
,Siiai',s where the travellers had given
'heir ives III their great mission. II
would not have been difficult To carr,
me bodies To the coast over the mar
p"rFler surface. The snow coirn
erected over them will probably be
discoVerablc for many years"
captain oatcs's death on March II
was sought deliberately .-.IIis feet and
nahds were split. blackened and bleed
ing ana he was unable to continue the,
march. ON the morning Of March II
III, ne asked his companions to proceed
They refused To leave him.
The party sat silent for Il time i'm q
tent, snow falling outside. Then Cap
tam oates staggered painfully to his
rect and said: II am just going out
SIDE. may be some time" Scott pro-
tested, but Oates silcnced him with a
gesture. He said he hoped conditions
through the opening. He must have
walked away till he fell
me three survivors sat silent for half
an hour and then packed ana moved
northward again. The tragedy Of the
scott expedition began on it's arrival
ut The pole on January IA. 1912. Sea-
man Evans. physically the strongest
lnenoer OF the party, became insane
under the strain of the heavy march.
intense cold and privations lie was
occa sionally violent and was restrained
with difficulty lie could not he per
suLucu 10 march northward or help
pull tile sledge. Evans's condition
was an awful handicap to his corlpan-
ions. Travel was slow, the season was
advancing, and the stores that other
wise would have been sufficient were
running short.
No bitterness or Complaint
SCOTS diary, which contains no Tit
tcrncss or complaint. shows that he
realized he was counting death by not
deserving Evans. but he and his COM
panions agreed TO stake everything on
the attempt 10 saNo their comrade
The edge OF the plateau was reached
dangerously late. and whom the descent
OF ;he Bcardmorc Glacier began tho
strength OF the party and their stores
We're failing. The Ice was cruelty
rough. and the sledge WAS pulled and
carried over humnocks and crevasses,
Captain Oates working hcroically with
frostb,tten feet and hands
The sledge, carrying Evans. was
overturned on an Ice slope near the
foot OF tho glaciar. The insane man
suffered n concussion OF the brain. He
was taken forward further, but when
he was not carried he Jagged behind
On February II he died leaving Scott,
Wilson, Oates and Bowers weak and
shaken and a month late.
The rest OF the tragedy IL told In
SCOTS message. His reference 10 the
unaccountable shortage OF the fuel In
the depots has not been explained,