East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1913-02-12

London, Feb. 12.-News of the po-
lar tragedy which cost the lives of
Captain Robert F.. Scott and four of
his brave companions CDR. E. a. Will
son, Lieutenant II. r. Bowers, Cap
tain l.. f. G. Gates and Petty Officer
E. Evans) after they had succeeded
by final dash in reaching the south
pole, only to find proofs that Roald
Amundson had forestalled them, came
in a brief message from Lieutenant
C. r. Evans of the Royal Navy, who
was second in command when the ex-
pedition started and who now signs
as commander"
The message was signalled from
the steamer Terra Nova, returning
from the antartic regions, while pass
ing Oamaru, New Zealand.
The staggering effect of the news
on the public mind is all the greater,
as 1t was believed that modern sci
ence and recent experience had COM
pletely divested polar exploration of
its former terrors. No great surprise
would have been felt had Captain
Scott failed to reach the pole, but that
he should perish in the hour of tri-
umph was the very last thing that
could be anticipated.
| Attempts to Succor.
1t also is understood that gallant
attempts were made by other MEM
bers of the expedition to succor the
Scott party but these were defeated
| hy Savara uaatbar conditions op6 Iocly
of food 1t seems practically certain
that the explorers starved to death.
DR.. Enrich Marshall, who was sur.
geon to the Shackleton expedition
suggests that the Scott party in the
terrible blizzard may have missed one
of its supply depots, which are gen.
orally marked by an upturned sledge
with a flag lashed to it.
The fact that Captain Amundser
reached his base from the pole in 3S
days, while the Scott party had beer
travelling more than two months wher
disaster overlook them, is believed t.
show that Scott must either have me
some misfortune. possibly in a ere
vase, or encountered a succession Of
billiards..
The fact that Petty Officer Evans
died from concussion of the brain as
early as February II seems to indi
cate some such accident, possibly in.
volving the loss of a portion of thu
equipment.
In Dire Straits.
Captain Gates died on March II
| which O1aar1y choU. bat tbo m -,
were in dire straits and must have
undergone terrible sufferings durint
the remaining IL days.
At a meeting of the Royal Geo
graphical society announcement wal
made of the disaster.
Captain Scott's party, said Dougla!
w. Freshfield, vice president of tn,
geographical society, in making tn,
announcement, found Captain RoalC
Amundsen's tent and records at tn,
south pole. on the return trip, abou
March 30, 1912, II miles from On,
Ten depot a blizzard overwhelmed
them. They had suffered greatly from
hunger and exposure, and the deatl
Of Scott, Bowers and Wilson virtual,
! was uuS w tioN' iity ultu SOOH III
ter the blizzard swept down on tn,
party.
The death of Evans resulted from
a fall. The other members of the ex
pedition are reported to be in gooC
health A searching party reached
the bodies and records of those wht
perished some time later.
Message From King.
A message of sympathy to the geo
graphical society from the king wal
read in which his majesty said:
II am deeply grieved to hear tn,
very bad news wou give me of the los
of Captain Scott and four of his par
ty, just when we were hoping short
ly to welcome them home on their re
turn from their great and arduou!
undertaking. / heartily sympathiz,
with the Royal Geographical societ.
in the loss to science and discover!
through the death of these gallant ex
plorers."
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