The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1881-12-16
ANOTHER MISSING ARCTIC EXPEDITION


Another Arctic expedition is now
reported missing, namely, that of Leigh
Smith, IAN English gentleman who has
for a long time been devoted to Artic
exploration. Mr.. Smith has been in
the habit for many years past of visit
ing Franz Josef Land in his private
steam yacht, setting out with the open
ing of the summer season and return
ing at it's close. These Arctic excur-
sions have been taken by Mr.. Smith
mostly for recreation and the love of
adventure. He has on various occa-
sions, however, expressed the opinion
that Franz Josef Land offers the best
inducements as a base of supplies and
operations for any attempt made to
reach the North Pole This view is
based largely on the accessibility of
this Arctic territory which, up to the
present year, Mr.. Smith had no diff
Guilty in reaching or leaving with his
steam yacht.
Franz Josef Land lies TO the North
Of Nova Zembla, in longitude co.
East and between S00 and $50 North
latitude It is reached by way of the
North German Ocean and Barents
Sea. BY many it is supposed to be a
part of Polar Continent, of which
Greenland is the most southern extrem-
ity. Mr. Smith shared in this belief
Hitherto his summers have been spent
upon it, not in exploration, but in
hunting its game, such as polar bear,
walrpsses, reindeer, and like a mighty
Nimrod, he has returned from each
visit laden with the trophies of the
chase. This year the winter has set
in, and Mr. Smith has not returned.
1t is said he was only provisioned un-
til August. IF such is the case, the
strait he is in may be readily imagined.
His friends in England have, conse-
quently, become alarmed concerning
his condition. The Royal Geographi-
cal Society of Great Britain has been
advised of the situation. The Geo
graphical Society has in turn memorial
lied the Admiralty to fit out relief
expedition and dispatch it in search of
Mr. Smith and his crew. It is under
stood that such a relief expedition will
be duly sent.
It may turn out that Leigh Smith
has departed somewhat from his ordin-
airy routine in his visit to Franz Josef
Land this summer. It may be that
the spirit of exploration seized him and
that he attempted to unravel the mys-
terry of the North Pole, and when ready
to retrace his steps, found his craft be-
leagured by ice and himself and COM
rades prisoners for the winter For
tunately their acquaintance with the
Arctic and It's fauna will enable them
to materially reduce their privations.
Should they, however, attempt to get
out OF the Arctic during the winter
the journey viii be greatly facilitated
by the great current which flows stead
lily southwark into the North German
Ocean. Capt, Parry's boat expedition
was carried south 50 rapidly by this
south-bound current, with which the
ice ON which he was travelling foated
bodily, that he only made ten miles
due north in five days, and at the end
of two months, after travelling 66S
miles, the. party found they were actu-
ally only l72 miles from where they
started, and the expedition was aban-
doned. This current was unfavorable
to Parry, who wanted to stem it to
the Pole, but it will greatly help Leigh
Smith and his party in their efforts to
get out of the icy North, if they at
tempt its. +. Bulletin.