The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1913-10-04
SAVED LIVES BY
EATING PET DOG
Hardshlps of Danish Arctic
Expedition Many.
WITHOUT FOOD FOR DAYS.

Explorers Suffer Asonies In Trip Over
Greenland's Frozen Seas Ponies
Trained TO c%annibalism - Captain
Koch, the Leader, Lay All Winter In
Hut With Broken Leg.
The story just told in Copenhagen by
Captain Koch. the Danish explorer, OF
the crossing OF Greenland I'm company
with three hardy companions shows
that the dangers and h%ardships TO be
encountered on the great inland ice
field have not decreased since Rear
Admiral Robert s. Peary and DR..
Fridtjof hansen made their journeys
ove a portion OF the same deserted
wastes.
The Danish leader and his three com
panions-Dr. Wagner, a German; Lar
sen, a sailor, and Slgurdson. a native
OF Iceland-were reduced during their
journey 10 eating n pet dog. the only
animal left.
After landing from their ship on July
"a. 1912. the first mlshap encountered
by the expedition was the loss OF n
number OF ponies. shortly afterward
their m%otorboat disappeared through
the thin ice. and the explorers were
obliged 10 wait until nearly the end OF
September before the Ice was SUN.
ciently thick TO carry their sledges and
horses. When they were ready to
start DIR. Wagner fell. with the result
that one of his ribs was broken.
The expedition reached a place about
ten miles TO the east OF Queen Louise
Land on oct. 10 and went into winter
quarters there.
Ponies Become Cannibals.
The shortness OF fodder necessitated
the slaughter OF all the ponies with the
exception OF 1--WE, which were gradual
ly trained to cannibalism by being fed
on the flesh OF their brothers.
During a sledging trip Captain Koch
fell forty feet into a c%revasse, breaking
his right leg, which accident kept him
helpless In the hut throughout the win
ter I'm a temperature generally 80 de-
grees below zero.
On April 20 this year the four men
broke camp and with five sleighs, each
drawn by a pony. started on their T50
mile march to the west coast.
During the first forty days violent
billiards ragged practically without ces-
sation. The ponies became snowblind
and so exhausted that the men were
obliged TO XIII three OF them. Later
the suns rays tormented the travellers.
The skin was burned from their faces.
which soon had the appearance Of raw
beef. while the temperature at night
was 80 below zero.
Snowshoes were fitted TO the feet OF
the two remaining ponies and proved
OF wonderful assistance to them in the
loose snow. But for the ponies the
expedition would have been In a worse
plight.
Unfortunately for the explorers. II
was found necessary TO kill another
pony on July II. this year. because
the fodder had given out. Next day
the Inst pony vas killed. much TO the
distress OF the members OF the expe-
dltion, as n Few miles farther on splen-
did pasturage was found.
Rations Give Out.
The rations OF Captain Koch and his
companions had been meanwhile grad
ually reduced and ON July 13 their pro-
visions were finished.
A bowling blizzard came on top OF
this misfortune. and for thirty-nye
hours the four men were compelled 70
take shelter under a projecting rock,
where they remained without a NOR
sci OF food.
On July Is they tried 10 push on 10
the coast. which was now visible, but
they were so exhausted with hunger.
cold and wet that they were scarcely
able 10 move. Their only chance for
life was to Kill the pet dog which had
tramped with them for about 500 miles.
This was done. and It's flesh was cook
ed and eaten. The meal was hardly
finished when the explorers sighted a
sailing boat IN a ford TO the east OF
Proeven. on the west coast OF Green
land.
BY means OF shots and signals the
explorers succeeded I'm attracting the
attention OF those on board the vessel,
and Pastor Chemnltz. who was on the
ship. soon. with the assistance OF the
crew. had the famlshed and WORKOUT
--AN-Z-- a EE WN%t|H W%TE WIZ E#MXEN