Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-04-22
Arctic Discoveriss--Failurs Of the Swedish
Expedition.


Expedition.
At the last meeting of the Royal Geo.
graphical Society in London, paper of
the Swedish North Polar Expedition of
1868 was read by Captain A. E. Norden-
skiold. This was the fourth scientific
expedition sent out by Sweden to the
Arctic regions since 1858, all fruitful 10
results to geology and other branches of
science. 1t was commanded by Captain
Nordenskiold and Captain FIR. W. Won
Otter, of the Swedish navy, and the
means for it in the first place were OBJ
tained by private subscription at Gotten
burg, the Government afterward taking
it up and fitting out for the purpose the
steamship Sofia, strongly built ofSwedish
iron, and originally intended for the
navigation of the Baltic in winter. The
Swedish Academy of Sciences appointed
numerous party of scientific men to
accompany the expedition, and it started
from Gottenburg on the 7th Of July.
After a thorough exploration of
Beeren Island, on the way, Ice-fjord, in
Spitzbergeu, was reached on the 3lst of
July. Already at South Cape ice was
met with, and it increased as they sp-
preached the Thousand Islands. The in
tention was to pass to the eastward of
! Spitzbcrgen, but the ice rendered this
impracticable. The geology of Ice-Jord
was carefully explored during the stay
here, and the important discovery made
of post tertiary strata containing plant
fragments and shells, now found living
much further south in Norway. 1t was
estimated that 1000 or 5000 head of wal
rus were annually slaughtered in Spitz-
bergen by Norwegian walrus hunters,
showing that there must be large tract
of meadow land free from ice to sustain
80 large number of these animals, un-
less they travel over from Nova Zembla.
On the 18th of August, the Sofa
reached Kings Bay, and on the 18Th
proceeded on her course further north
ward. Having replenished her coal and
landed FIVE of the scientific members at
KHobbe Bay,t prosecute their researches
on land. the vessel proceeded out to sea
for the purpose of taking deep sea SQUAD
ings with the Bulldog apparatus, and of
ascertaining the practicability of push
ing between the ice toward the North
Pole. First, they eLdeavored to pene-
trate to Greenland along the eightieth
parallel of latitude, but impenetrable
masses of ice tending northeast and
southwest rendered this impossible.
Turning thea to north and northeast they
reached eighty-one degrees sixteen miu
utes north latitude. Here the ocean was
sometimes covered with a thin coating of
ice, and the old ice northward was quite
impossible, the temperature sinking to
twenty one degrees Fahrenheit On the
29.h of August the Sofia entered Liebde
Bay, in northern Spitzbergen.
The deep sea soundings revealed the
interesting fact that Spiizbergen was
connected with Scandinavia by q sub
marine bank, having q maximum depth
of 300 fathoms. North and west of
Spiizbergen the sea deepens to 1000 |
fathoms and more. At the greatest
depths animal life was found. At 2600 |
fathoms .foraminyera we're brought up.
Leibde Bay was now, for the first time,
explored, both in its topography and |
geology, its climate was mild and calm |
while out at sea high winds and snow
storms prevailed. After a vain attempt |
to reach Giles Land, the Sofa, on the
10Th of September, made final endeavor
to penetrate the ice to the north~ard,
succeeded at length in reaching 80 42\,
the highest point probably yet reached
bv a vessel Scoresby's furthest lin
lSO6) being sl9 30>; and Perry's in
1921, sl' G.; but Parry, in sledges on
the ice, reached 820 45\.
The ice 10 the nortkward of this was
broken, but so closely packed that not
even q boat could pass forward, and
further westward ION the meridian of
Greenwich the limit of this impenetra-
BILE ice came down to 790. At night the
vessel lay to beside the larger sheets of
ice, but the temperature having sunk to
Ice Fahrenheit, the risk was run of find
ing themselves blocked up in the morn
ing. After returning to Spizbergen,
leaving letters announcing their inten-
tions, they made another last push for
the North on the 6rst of October; but
when in latitude Sl0 all further endeavors
were put a stop to by collision with an
ice block, which opened a large leak in
the vessels side. With great difficulty
they regained the land, the water stand
ing two feet over the cabin floor. The
intention Of wintering here was then
abandoned, aud the Sofia returned TO
Norway.