BARQUE LOST

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 303, 18 September 1936, Page 9

BARQUE LOST

Charcot’s French Polar Expedition ONLY ONE SURVIVOR Vessel Wrecked in Fierce Iceland Storm By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Cupyrlgnt. (Received September 17, 5.5 p.m.) Copenhagen, September 16. Dr. J. B. Charcot, leader of a French Polar expedition aboard the wooden barque Pourquoi Pas? (449 tops), and all except one member of the crew, were drowned when the vessel sank In a storm off the Iceland coast, on which 30 bodies were washed up. Dr. Charcot sailed for Angmagsalik, Greenland, this summer to bring back to France Robert Gessai and Michel Perez, who, with Paulemile Victor, intended to cross Greenland by sleigh and carry out scientific investigations. 1 Victor remained In Greenland, and it is understood that Gessai and Perez were aboard the Pourquoi Pas? The Pourquoi Pas? sailed from Reykjavik, Iceland, on the night of September 15- She immediately encountered a fierce storm and was wrecked while apparently striving to return. Rescue vessels found only her masts above the water. Aboard were Dr. Charcot, seven French scientists and a crew of 26, all French. The only survivor, Eugene Gonedec, saved his life by clinging to a piece of wreckage on which he was washed ashore, unconscious, four miles from the wreck and after nearly five hours In icy water. Gonedec stated: “The vessel ran aground at 5 a.m. and immediately sprang a leak. The engines stopped soon afterward and the boiler burst. Terrific seas broke over the decks, preventing the launching of lifeboats. I managed to swim ashore because I seized a piece of wreckage. Others were either washed overboard or trapped.” Dr. Charcot was known as the French Shackleton.

“This is my last polar voyage,” said Dr. Charcot on the eve of his sailing. A later Paris message states that it is now established that Perez had not joined the Pourquoi Pas? Instead he boarded a faster steamer for Copenhagen,

Dr. Jean Baptiste Etienne Charcot, the famous French explorer, was born in 1867. He commanded the French Antarctic expeditions of 1903-5 and 1908-10. The latter expedition sailed in August, 1908. from Havre in the Pourquoi Pas? which was at the time one of the best-fitted-out and most up-to-date vessels that had ever set forth on such a quest. The expedition, which was conducted, on a most scientific basis, resulted in valuable information being secured. A new coastline in 70 degrees south latitude was mapped, as also were Graham Land, Adelaide Island, Alexander Land, and Deception Island. Much work was done with regard to the sea, such as taking soundings, surface and deep-sea temperatures, jeepsea dredging, and fishing. The expedition returned to Rouen in June, 1910. Dr. Charcot was the discoverer on his first expedition of the Antarctic island of Charcot Land, at first thought to be part of the mainland but discovered to be an island in 1929. Dr. Charcot published accounts of his explorations, “Le Francais au Pole Sud,” in 1905, and “Le Pourquoi Pas dans I’Antarctic,” in 1910. In addition to his exploration work Dr. Charcot, the son of a famous French phyeican, was himself a physician of some note and held important posts, besides publishing a number of medical works.