DESERTED IN THE ICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15390, 27 August 1913, Page 6

DESERTED IN THE ICE.

MISSIONARY'S ORDEAL. ~:' :vv/H:c--^:^ .--.■:.'■:■-■■•' .•'■•:."• .',■:"-•:-- ': .:'' ; ., ; V'■:'■.-:'■;•-:-.'.".'' : '-.:-: ; : : '; ''' • '■■ ■'■'":.'''''l'^ijCp^' SAVED FROM LONELY DEATHS!!! SEEKS HEALTH IN AUSTRALIA There passed through Auckland by the steamer Makura yesterday the Rev.;:. Percy Broughton, a Baffin Land mig-||| sionarv, who underwent experiences in Arctic that have made him a - physicals wreck. ■' : '■.He ; -was ■ \ brie <•■ of .' ■ : the 16 . heroic ; i? priests who have ; established a, mission station in Baffin ; Land, a f barren insular H tract of; land adjoining Greenland, in the I [Arctic region, and while miles from |civilisation is said to-have been, left by a '' band of Esquimaux to <fte. , Msj The missionary was far too ill to describe'his awful experiences to a HebAXß||| representative yesterday, but ifche story was - ; related by a passenger who had heard the facts prior to leaving Vancouver. The j mission of which Mr. Broughton was a 11 member devotes itself to preaching the r. Gospel to the-Esquimaux, and each in- || dividual missionary may spend years with- I'' out seeing a white man. It appears that Mr. ; Broughton set out for an Esquimaux '. settlement, and spent some time among the . - people. Then he left the settlement to go further inland with a small party of. : w natives, but after proceeding some distance ell•■• ill. * Then the treachery with which!. the people of tha Arctic regions are credited showed itself, for the misisionary's party deserted him and-left;hHkw to i freeze to death on a snowfield. His plijght was terrible,; for the dreaded frostbits, the fear of all those who penetrate ; : the Arctic regions, soon began to do its deadly work. First it attacked the hiapyil right foot, and lie was compelled tbll| amputate all but two toes. It seemed that nothing. could save him, when a party of upon him lying at death's 'M door. Practically lifeless, they brought the frostbitten missionary back to civilization, ;,. and eventually be was taken to Toronto \ to be operated upon. There he under- If went 12 operations. Naturally the strain «i| on his nervous system was appalling, and (il he was, delirious for weeks. ! To remain in the country which had such painful asso- | ciations for him, the doctors said was im- *..; possible, and he was told that his fast \ % chance was to leave for Australia. Aaiord. if ingly he left Vancouver by the MakHra, and passed through Auckland yesterday "oh.-;::: his way to Sydney. ."Mr. Broughton )ii»]is 29 years of age, and is engaged to anAus- '•;,■' tralian girl, who is waiting for him at )..p Sydney. ■ •?ss&