Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-28

! downright, 1929 by North American News
rent in SCANDINAVIA, Finland and Dem
mark Copyright in seandlnaNis r ana
Finland by Stockholm TidninRen; IN Den
mark by Politiken. All riShts stretN
reserved)
ABOARD STEAMSHIP QUEST, AT
Sea, Of Spitzbergen, July 28.--About
O'Clock in the morning felt weak WINDS
from the North blowing over the Arcuc
camp of the marooned members OF the
Ttalias crew. The Wind brought with
it a dense fog. like white-gTay otan-
ket. 1t seemed to envelop the Wnole
region suddenly.
It became cold in She tent which Gen.
Mobiles men had pitched on the ice.
Not only the low temperature but the
danlpneSs of the atmosphere made IL
impossible for us to keep warm. we
were constantly shiVering.
In a wireless message we had sent to
Gen. Mobile at his refuge on RySs
Island. where / had taken him. we had
informed him of the fog and OF our
anxious presentimentS regarding IT. But
the general Immediately replied that we
shouldn't be worried by the log, put
must keep up our courage.
Our mood again became brighter.
The noise of the radio sender was Ike
music to us. 1t told us we were not
altogether alone Toward morning we
were all living in the tent in sort OF
coma. In the course of the night. how
Lever. / had several times gone into the
open air. hoping that a little exercise
would make me sleepy, but II didn't 10
much good.
About 8 o'clock Trojani, although still
suffering severely from fever, began pre-
pairing breakfast. He was master cook
of the camp. Cooking took place IN the
tent in a metal kitchen which had been
dropped from q plane flown over the
camp by Maj. Maddalena.
Tells of Meal
our small tin plates" which still
remained unwaShed from our dinner OF
bear meat. were now filled carefully
with measured portions of thin, luke
warm milk. which had been boiled from
our stock of condensed milk. With this
were handed out moist. lumpy biscuits.
The rationing of the milk was done by
means of the electric bulb which. as
mentioned before. was used as drink
ing vessel As it had also been used Tor
meat broth, bread soup. pemmican soup
and chocolate, it had taken on dark,
cloudy color. 1t was not particularly
pleasant, yet it occurred to none OF US
lo clean 1t.
All day we remained in the tent.
though once in a while I did wander
across to the ice foe and the FoEker,
where Beh0unek stood with bare head
and stared into space. The injured
Ceccioni was still fast asleep. his sleep
ing big and my rife beside him.
The removal of our tent and our other
equipment was not TO begin until late
at night. Somewhat depressed. we ate
our dinner. 1t consisted of pemmican
soup. II would have tasted well II II
had been properly heated. We got IL
down more because it contained food
values than because we enjoyed II. :,
A mouthful Of chocolate from small
supply had brought in q pocket OF
Imy airman's suit caused general SEN
satior. The camps chocolate was DIM
cult TO eat. My portion had the naVor
of lemon, and was quite success.
I had melancholy thoughts OF my big
knapsack which I had left at RySs
Island. I had left 1t there so / would
J have room for two passengers on my
second trip from the Italia'S camp. IL
only had 1t now we would have been
supplied with plenty Of chocolate. APP
piles, tea. sugar, salt. brandy and
couple of enormous beef sandwiches.
What a heavenly mouthful that would
4
brandy remained IN my medicine box
enough for small drink.
Began 10 Move Camp.
About o'clock at night We resumed
the work of removing our camp TO the
ice foe where the Fokker lay. Consid-
ering the situation and the frame OF
mind in which we found ourselves, the
| work we did this night should be con-
sidered q feat. Ordinarily two days
would have been taken to accomplish it.
Heavy radio appliances. pemmican
tins, polar bear pelt, instruments, and
so on, by great effort were carried 300
meters across the ice pack. Now and
then We rested and ate little snow.
This stimulated lis for while. but
later on 1t made US still more tired and
thirsty
Trojani was far too Ill to be able to
take part In this work. Instead he
made repairs TO. the tent, which had
Ibecome rather badly worn during the
month ii had served as habitation,
When the tent was removed TO the
ice foe 1t was a question 10 i1nd good
camping ground First, the ice founda-
ton had to be safe; second, the radio
mast must not be In the way OF landing
or starting a plane ] suggested place
|
down Fokker and this plan was adopted.
With my hunting knife cut some
pieces Of waterproof canvas from my
wrecked plane OH which to erect the
tent. On top OF this we put mat and
on top Of that two silk parachutes, The
paTachutes dropped from Swedish planes
were much smaller, and az they were
red they were more suited for signal
/ flags than for tent carpeting Over all
. this were finally spread reindeer pelts
! and the polar bear skin. Then the tent
! was ready. The radio receiver and other
apparatus were placed inside the tent.
! Ceccioni was carried inside. He never
| lay down but sat day and night In his
/ corner. he was generally awake. His
broken leg he had supported with
s.icl.s from the airplane wreckage. Be-
( hounek, Tr0lani, Viglieri and | got our
. places in order, and Biagj took over
5 | Ceccinni's sleeping bag out on the wing
| Of the Fokker.
Fog stnI Thick.
|. The fog was still thick and close
around US. II felt cold and singing.
We all fell heavily asleep and even
! Eiagi who was standing watch, took a
. nap In hts sleeping bag Suddenly we
, were awakened by yeiIs from him
Polar bear! Polar beari" he shouted.
! In a great hurry. got hold o. my
boots and without stopping To lace
| them cfawled out of The tent and
snatched my rifle with which Eiagi
had already armed himself In gitua-
ton like this / preferred 10 have IL In
my own hands
/ saw Polar bear slowly trudging
away toward the pack Ice and his own
salvation. ran some dozen meters
/. after him unlll he was just at the edge
of The puck ice. Then came roar
from my rife and from weapons bred
| by Eiagi and Viglieri. My second shot
hit the bear II gave Wild roar. /
rushed forward over the remaining 80