| Xavier Mertz |
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| CATEGORIES ABOUT XAVIER MERTZ | |
| 1883 births | |
| mertz, xavier | |
| 1913 deaths | |
| swiss explorers | |
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Mertz was born in Basle, Switzerland . He graduated from the University Of Leipzig and University Of Berne , earning degrees in Law. He won the Ski-running championship of Switzerland and proved himself an excellent Mountaineer . ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION Mertz became a member of the 1911 - 1914 Australasian Antarctic Expedition under the leadership of Douglas Mawson and company of Belgrave Ninnis . The expedition's goal was to produce accurate, scientific maps from the Oates Coast to the Queen Mary Coast in Antarctica. At the expedition's main base in Adelie Land , Mertz cared for the Greenland Sled Dogs . On November 10 , 1912 , Mawson, Ninnis and Mertz left the main base to survey King George V Land . Crossing the Ninnis Glacier, Ninnis fell through a snow-covered Crevasse . Six dogs, most of the rations, the tent and other essential supplies fell into the deep abyss with Ninnis. Only ten days' worth of rations remained for the men, 315 miles' distance from the main base. Returning to the main base was grueling for Mawson and Mertz. They fed on the dogs, which led to Vitamin A poisoning from the dog livers. On January 1 , 1913 , Mertz developed stomach pains. Weakening, he eventually had to be hauled on sled by Mawson. On January 7 , only a hundred miles southeast of the main base, Mertz fell into Delirium and died. LANDMARKS NAMED AFTER
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