The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-27
Explorer Lost Two Companions
and Most Of Equipment,
but Tramped On.
FOUND FOOD IN SNOW
Then He Discovered Hut %
Miles Away-Much Cop
per and Coal There.
Geecsai Cable DespsfcA 10 THr Sun.

LONDON. Feb. e7.--Dr. Douglas Nav
son. who returned to-day from two
years expedition to the Antarctic. sends TO
the Daily Mai from Adelaide. Australia.
vivid story OF the deaths Of his COM
panions. previously reported. and his own
sufYerings.
DR.. Mawson says he and Swiss ski
runner. DR.. Mertz: an English Lieutenant
named MINIS and sixteen dogs with n
LOO pound load started on an explora-
ton trip at the end OF the year 1912.
After they had gone All miles they
were in latitude ss.5 and longitude 1915.
This was on December II on a high pla-
teau. They were In exalted spirits and
were rejoicing over the glorious weather
when DR.. Mertz. who was ahead. found
an unexpected crevasse, which he crossed.
DR.. Mawson was unaware OF the crevasse
until he was close TO II. but crossed with
the dogs and shouted a warning to Lieut.
MINIS. He continued his journey, but on
looking back subsequently was amazed
not to see MINIS. DR.. Mawson hailed
DR.. Mertz. who returned. and they scanned
the yawning crevasse, but saw nothing
but an injured dog and fragments OF the
equipment far down. They shouted for
hours. but got no answer. The dog soon
died and all was still.
'Ninnis must have gone down to In
slant DEATH" says Dr. Mawson. land with
him went the bulk Of the equipment. One
sledge remained For ten days they had
food for themselves. but nothing for the
emaciated dogs They had one tent cover,
the frame of which they improvised from
ski. and a theodolite stand. They
decided TO return. Us II was necessary
to read the burial service for Lieut.. Mn
mis-. They started. but were delayed
by bad weather. and the dogs. which
had been weakened by lack OF food and
rendered innutritious were soon all gone.
DEATH 81 Dr.. Merts.
When the two men were Zoe miles from
weather was terrible. There was thick
drifting snow every day and both men
were pierced BY the cold. Owing to their
enfeebled condition they covered only a
few miles a day and that with the great
est difficulty. DR.. Mertl gradually be-
came weak and he derived no nourish.
ment from the food which ne took. The
bad surface caused the men to have re.
peated falls
Or. Mawson put DR.. Mertz on a sledse
to drag him along. He rugged a sail ON
the sledse and this helped some, but the
progress was very slow. II was impossi-
BILE to get a good course IN consequence OF
the drifts. Dr. Mertz got steadily worse
tol
Mawson was then so exhausted that he
never expected 20 reach the hut. bu. ne
pushed on.
Mawson Alone for 10 Dsys,
The Adelaide correspondent OF the Doth,
Telegraph In his interview with DR.. Nav.
son continues the story. He says that
Dr. Mawson was reluctant TO say much
about what followed the death OF DR.,
Mertz. He quotes DR.. Mawson as saw.
ing:
For thirty days was absolutely alone
] had the most marvellous escape. wa,
reduced to the last stages OF starvation
when suddenly. while tramping in deer
snow. ! saw something black I, was a hi
Of food which had been dropped b,
searchers sent to find me- II was twent,
miles to the hut at a place where M
previous expedition had ever been"
| During his long tramp DR.. Mawsor
crossed glacier In which there wer,
many crevasses. He frequently fell ints
crevasses and was only saved by ron,
which no had tied to the sledge. II,
was 80 weak that It WAS with difficult,
that he was able to crawl out. His Skin
peeled on and his hair and nails cam.
OF, but he is now we'll.
DR.. Mawson eventually reached the hu
after most melancholy journey an,
much suffering. In telling OF the work O
the expedition D.. Mawson said:
with the exception Of the deaths of DIR
Merits and Lieut. MINIS the expeditIo,
was most fortunate They died like heroes
Nobody ever lived q Drawer life tina,
either Of them"
Scientific Results Important.
| The scientific results achieved by ID,
Mawson are evidently considerable. The,
include the mapping of newly discoyere,
lands. the finding Of extraordinary marin
fauna at q depth OF two miles, and tn
discovery Of copper deposits and a vas
coal bed
DR.. Mawson described the wind 1,
Adele Land M terrific. For the whole o
one month II was never less than sixty
three miles IAN hour while gusts reache,
q speed Of from 200 to 800 miles. Thes
would quickly level town.