ARCTIC EXPLORATION

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 13 September 1930, Page 7

ARCTIC EXPLORATION

FLIGHT TO MAGNETIC POLE

FRANKLIN’S CAMP LOCATED.

GRAVES IN ORDERLY ARRANGE MENT.

(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph

Copyright.) Received 2.30 p.m. to-day. VANCOUVER, Sept. 12

A Fort Murray (Alberta) message says that, back from his daring flight to the northern shore of King William Land, W r . E. Gilbert, who piloted Major Burwash, the Canadian explorer, on their expedition, unfolded details of the finding of Franklin’s party. The evidence showed that some of the men succumbed to/ scurvy, while others starved.

Numerous graves in orderly arrangement were found, indicating that the men dropped off one by one and wore buried by their comrades. Bones and skeletons were found in rocky cairns that had been looted by Eskimos or disturbed by Arctic gales. The official documents showed that as the party flew over the North Magnetic Pole, the compass needle dipped violently, proving the Pole’s location.

A message on "Wednesday stated: Major L. T. Burwash, the Canadian explorer, and his pilot, W. E. Gilbert, are now flying back to civilisation afterreaching the north-west corner of King William Land, in the Arctic, where they located the sites of the two camps of the expedition of Sir John Franklin 83 years ago, in 'which more than 100 men perished. The North Magnetic Pole was reached and an area mapped by aerial photography. The fliers also mapped 1000 miles of the Canadian Arctic coastline and surveyed territory hitherto uncharted.