Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-06-13
NORDENSKJOLD
The Latest Arctic DlscOyery-.The Nortt.
east Passage at Last.
Philadelphia Times

thst IhsShkt aL Last.
Philadelphia Times.
Prof. Nordenskjold has written his
name at the top of that long list Of
brave explorers who have for centuries
sought TO solve the mysteries of the
Arctic Seas. He has at last accom-
plished the great feat which his prede-
cessors have essayed in vain, and his
name will go down to history as that of
the first man in the worlds history who
has made the passage by way Of the
Arctic from the Atlantic ocean to the
Pacific.
The gallant Swede who has thus
secured for himself an undying fame,
has for some years devoted himself to
Arctic explorations, aided both by
private iberality and government
patronage. Unlike most voyagers in
these ATTITUDES, he did not turn his al
tention to the northwest but sought to
round the continent by skirting its
northern coast in an easterly direction.
After several preliminary ventures
along the northern border of the Russian
empire, Prof. Nordenskjold embarked
at Gottenburg, O southwestern seaport of
Sweden, on the 9TH Of last July, upon
his most ambitious enterprise, which it
is Just announced by the cable has
been crowned with entire success. His
vessel, the Vegs, was originally a steam
whaler and had been expressly pre-
pared for the hazardous voyage. Three
weeks later she had joined, mt Tromsos,
a companion ship, which was to escort
her on the first part of the journey,
and the two vessels left the Nor
wegian coast on the 25th of july.
On the first of August the ex-
petition passed through the Yugor
Strait, south of Nova Zembla, and by
the 9th Of the month had sailed through
the Kara Sea and reached the mouth
of the Yenissei river, in northwestern
Siberia, where they stopped for three
days. Proceeding on the 9th of August,
they doubled the North Cape ofAsia on
the 10Th, and on the eth reached the
mouth Of the river Lena, midway along
the Siberian coast. where the Vega
parted the company with her escort
which proceeded up the river. This
was the last definite news from the eX
petition, and as the professor had con-
fdently expected to get through the
Behring's Straits during the early au-
tumn, the passage Of fall, winter and
almost the entire spring without any
authentic intelligence from him had
awakened the grayest apprehensions
that Nordenskiold was destined to be-
come second John Franklin in the UNI
happy issue of his enterprise. Proper
all NJ t,N
fresh expeditions in search Of him when
the welcome news is received that the
Vegs arrived in Behring's Straits early
in the present month. The professor
intends to complete the most wonder
ful voyage on record by sailing down
the Pacific, through the China sen and
Indian Ocean, and thus return to Swe-
den by way of the Suez canal, the Med
iterranean and the Atlantic.
The scientific world will await with
impotence full reports of the explorers
experiences during the nine months
that he has been lost sight of. The
commercial world, too, will feel de-
gree Of interest in this practical rcall-
2ation of that shorter route to the east
OF which navigators have dreamed for
centuries, though few people are san
guine enough still to hope that the
northeast passage, now for the first time
accomplished by IN exploring vessel
with much difficulty, can ever be made
a feasible highway for commerce.
But, whatever the practical results of
his voyage, the voyager has ut last
made his own fame secure, and the
name of Nordenskjold will go down to
postorty NJ one Of the most successful
explorers of modern times.