ANDREE.

Hutt News, Volume 3, Issue 15, 4 September 1930, Page 2

ANDREE.

(Left Greenland July 1897 in his balloon). - - The following poem is dedicated to j Andree, the Swedish, explorer, whose body, with that of'his two eompanionsy was discovered recently in .- theAretie.wastes, and'a Hutt resident has most kindly forwarded it for 1 publication. It was written by a well known Nelson . resident who % was., evidently deeply stirred-.at' the courage of the intrepid explorer .-and" grieved _at the fate which was evidently -his. — Was he a seer, that .he should muse of a day "when men shall sail through air as. now o Tor ocean depths, with no more care "" . How will men .speak of thee in after days? • . • ' With \vond.er, admiratibn, scorn, or ' praise? : As poet, high above cold Ecason's . '.:.■■' ■'■ rule? .-■■'..■- /- : \ ' ■' >' ■ " Hero of science, charlatan, or fool? Too soon to ask; w,e first should know _. ■ thyi fate; Will it remain unknown? Will rescue come to late? Will t-hc days eonne -when men shall sail through, air-. As now,, ocr ocean depths, with no • care? f '-"'- Then may thy name be honoured, as of old Men rendered honour to that Captain bold Who first the broad Atlantic dared to cross Reckless of ridicule, and risk and loss. His knowledge less than ours,- his faith how grand! And now—no man may hope to find new land! Or Avill time'show mail's destiny to be Though free to roam at will o''op'land ■ and sea, Never to navigate tii'e realms of ait, N"or more than he hath dared, in future daue. "■ "" Then, Andree, may they name be lost , to fame, Or, if remembered, only held in shame. Yet t'was heroic!' Life was on the cast SBt on the hope that, spite of failure past Of men who toiled in vain oJcr lun' and sea^ Thy flight through air a grand success should be, ' . j And t-hou.should'st stand, or hover o'er,, j the Pole, I First of-all men to reach that witching j goal. Nor was thy mood mere vaunt; For thou Bad'st cared . ;To stbre thy craft with instruments > pi^pared - : ' To seize new fae^. of Nature gladly- yields v To men, so armed, who search untrocl- ~ den fields. Why may not Science sKqw her hqroes rash, - V-. Men with a Nelson's; pluck',: a Coeh : rane's dash? .■ " x■ ; .And yet .-had Cochrane fall'n.in his first "fight His n,ame would now be lost, forgotten quite. j Or, if remenubered,. then—noherti he! Simply a -fighting madman he would be. So, And ne'e, if upon the roll of Fame, High place shall e'er be given to thy 1 name, Thqii! must return and" do yet greater things!.' , Fame from success, and not from failure springs. • - Ah, how we long to know—when deeply 1 stirred

By talc of such ioxploit, so • deeply dared — What is the end? And if indeed ■grim Death. Did cause to7vanis-3x quite^ like yap 'rous breath ' : : .. -. -! In frosty morn., those glorious hopes of thine, . ■ - Till cveil Hope •'herself'could makie no sign, V\ : . ■" . >Vhat were thy dying1 thoughts! Howlittle then v ' Could signify-to thee the praise of mon! '■. .■■"'. "Have I jldnc right". Thar Ls the ■• 'question then! _.. '.";."■.. Or was, indeed, the very power to t-hink First frozen, so that life could only sink Unconsciously into the lap of Death, ISTor thought revive, except writh ' Heaven's first" breath.?;' Let us not judge. Is he not in God's sight? "Shall not the Lord of all the c-arbh do right?"