Unswerving Courage

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22819, 28 August 1937, Page 4 (Supplement)

Unswerving Courage

By R.M.A,

TO those parents and to such educationists who still bravely insist that personal self-sacri-fico forms an indispensable part of the normal equipment of the growing boy and girl, and who continue to maintain in the face of much opposition that loyalty and unswerving courage are pricless virtues in themselves, the diary of Edgar Christian, a mere lad of eighteen, will bring a message that is charged with possibilities and. even with inspiration. It would bo difficult, if not impossible, to find in such simple, moving language as this boy uses, a more poignant record of tragic adventure ennobled by such outstanding heroism. In 1926, young Christian turned his back for over upon his English public school with the somewhnt sad remark; "Well, I have not done anything here that I shall bo remembered by." Inside of three years, ho had placed his name for all time upon the roll of fame of his school; without any traces of self-pity or complaint, he had laid his young life upon the altar of high, human endeavour and had left behind him a document which, in the words of a leading English newspaper "must bo added to thoso which the records of exploration have given to heroic literature." In the company of a relative, John Hornby, a mature and experienced Canadian explorer, the lad set out for Edmonton in Western Canada. They were joined by another Englishman, Harold Adlard, a man of twentyeight, and, together, they all throe set off into the far North-West to explore a new route from Great Slave Lake to Chesterfield Inlet on Hudson Bay. They never returned.

Poignant Record of Tragic Adventure

Ouco again, remorseless Nature exacted the full penalty from those who seek to unravel the secrets of the blizzard-swept Arctic lands, and who, in winter, battle daily with death in a grim hand-to-hand encounter.

'£ho diary, so faithfully and laboriously kept by Edgar Christian, speaks for itself far more eloquently than could the lien of anyone but the most gifted mast'er of expressive prose. Inexorable circumstance, in no way assisted by human error or neglect, imprisoned the three explorers in their remote and scantily-stocked hut right at the beginning of a winter of unusual severity. Food supplies vanished; weather conditions snatched away the normal opportunities of replenishment; starvation followed, then wasting illness, and finally death. First to go was Hornby, tho grand "old-timer" and idol of young Christian; next went Adlard; and, a mouth or so later, tho boy diarist himself. At no time during those lonely and hungry weeks docs his splendid will-power desert him; never docs he show any yielding to tho temptation io take the easier way out. There is not the slightest indication of panic. Painfully, his solitary end came: "Weaker than ever;" runs his last diary entry. "Have eaton all I can . heart pcatcring (sic). Sunshine is bright now . . . make preparations now. Got out, too weak and all in now."

It fell to the lot of some members of the over-watchful North-West Mounted Police to raiso the curtain upon this stirring • tragedy, and to bring back to civilisation the diary record of its sufferings- and its triumph. "Unflinching" is the title chosen by Christian's parents for the published version of their son's adventure and death; no truer title could havo been selected; no other word so aptly summarises the character of its youthful author. "Unflinching." The Diary of Edgar Christian. (John Murray, London.)