TWO FAMOUS RESCUE PARTIES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20708, 4 May 1929, Page 11

TWO FAMOUS RESCUE PARTIES.

Written for the Otago Daily Times,

By C.M.R.

The thtilling story of the loss of the Southern Cross and the tragic death of Lieutenant Anderson and Mr Hitchcock, who went in search of the missing plane, «Jfca* of another gallant sacrifice with which exploration and civilisation abound. It brings to mind first the loss of Captain Amundsen in his search for General Nobile in the dirigible Italia, which disappeared in the frozen wastes of the North. There is a remarkable similarity between the two ventures in that they both occurred in the air, and in each case there had been a disagreement between the lost party and the searchers. In 1926 Mr Ellsworth, Amundsen's American backer, purchased from the Italians a dirigible renamed the Norge, which was designed and built by General NobilCy who sailed in her as chief pilotThe relations between the Norwegians and tho_ Italians were very strained, and after their successful flight over the Pole an open rupture occurred. It seems that General Nobile endeavoured to assume the role of commander of the expediinstead of maintaining his position as chief pilot, thus exposing himself to a snub from the. super-sensitive Amundsen. In the early summer of 1928 General Nobile set out m the Italia for the North Pole. Disaster overtook the expedition, and half the Governments of Europe were sending out ships, Ice-breakers, and aircraft to md in the search. Amundsen believed that he had been badly treated by the Italians, but nevertheless he volunteered to lead a search, party. On June 18 he left Norway in a French seaplane piloted by Captain Guilbaud, with a crew of four. In a few hours wireless signals ceased, and it was only the discovery of one of the floats that indicated the manner of his death, “ sweeping out ou his last voyage like a dead sea-king of old in Kis funeral ship.” .Another explorer, whose fate is not known, but can only bo surmised,, was Colonel Fawcett; who, in 1925, with his son and another man, made an expedition into the wild, untamed Brazilian forests. A relief party organised and controlled by Commander Dyott, of the Royal Geographical Society, started from Cuyaba in May of last year. The com-, mander received a certain amount of censure for his elaborate preparations and the size of his convoy; at one stage his pack train consisted of 70 bullocks and 12 mules; but as he himself said, it was all necessary to the undertaking. With the aid of Indian scouts he managed to strike Colonel Fawcett’s trail, and at one village he learnt that the chief, with two ' men and two women, had helped to carry Cuyaha in May of last year. The commander Dyott could not learn the-fate of the explorers. He spent the night in the chiefs hut, where he noticed some European clothes, a tin trunk, and parts of instruments. When questioned as to how he came by these, the chief replied that a neighbouring tribe had given them to him. . The party, which now Included this chief, Alloikue, followed Colonel Fawcett’s trail until they met another tribe, from whom they elicited the information that the explorer had been killed by hostile Indians. On the return joftrney Commander Dyott endeavoured to get further information from the chief, who, however, would say nothing unless he were given presents. The commander told him that he would give a rifle to the_ man who would show him where the white men, were killed. Alloikue agreed to lead Dyott and two half-caste carriers, to the spot, but one of the latter came to the c«*nmander with the tale that he had overheard the chief saying that he would kill Dyott as he did Fawcett and so get. all the equipment of the party. As a “ bluff,” Dyott then told the chief that he had decided to take his whole party qfjth him and found next morning that Alloikue had suddenly disappeared. Hundreds of wild Indians surrounded the party, all demanding presents and threatening to taken them by force. The situation was desperate, and the equipment was disappearing before their eyes, when Dyott promised an axe and a knife to every warrior next day. The Indians went to their respective camps, and with feverish haste the party silently loaded their canoes in the dead of night im ! fled for their lives. Although no definite proof of the death of Colonel Fawcett’s party was obtain the circumstantial evidence seems ov. . whelming. We are reluctantly compel', to admit their deaths. They belong V. that great band of intrepid explore who have given their Jives in the camof science, and the world is indebted to Commander Dyott, who, at great per sonal risk, endeavoured to solve the mystery surrounding their disappear, ance. Such examples as these show clearly the bond of brotherhood that exists between explorers >of all nations. The rescuers consider not the risks they run, It is sufficient that some of their numbers are in great danger and the cost is not reckoned. They are all heroes.