ARCTIC TRAGEDIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23233, 30 December 1938, Page 9

ARCTIC TRAGEDIES

TEEEIFIC BLIZZARD FOUR INDIANS DEAD BRITISH EXPLORER DROWNED ORDEAL OF A TRAPPER By Telegraph—Piess Association—Copyright OTTAWA, Dec. 28 Out of the Arctic wastes a Government radio station to-day transmitted reports of a terrific blizzard. A British explorer and ornithologist, Mr. R. J. Bray, was drowned from an ice-crushed boat in Fox Channel. Mr. Patrick Baird, his companion on the British Museum's Expedition, was rescued by an Eskimo. Mr. Bray had already achieved fame by his London collection of rare Arctic birds. A trappor, Ben Matthews, and four Indians, including two women, ran short of food and left Weensusk for the Hudson Bay post, 75 miles distaut. They were trapped by the blizzard. Matthews went ahead and secured supplies and returned, but found the other four frozen to death, almost within sight of the post. Another trapper, I). Turner, a former member of the Canadian Mounted Police, slipped on ice and stunned himself. "When he recovered bis mitts had blown away and bis hands were frozen. Semi-delirious from pain, be dug himself into a snowdrift and remained buried for three days. When the storm subsided Turner grimly battled 18 miles to his companion's cabin. He was taken over tho trail to Churchill Hospital. Ho will lose both his hands by amputation and perhaps both his feet.