The Portland daily press., 1894-10-01
WELLMAN WILL TRY AGAIN.
The Loss of the Ragnvald Jarl a Serious
Blow to His Polar Expedition-He
Intends to Go Northward This Spring.

Walter Wellman returned here yester-
DAY from his unsuccessful attempt to
reach the North Pole. With him were
Prof. O. B. French. of the United States
Coast Survey; DR.. Thomas B. Mobun,
medical officer of the expedition and
Charles L. Dodge, the expeditions pho
tographer. MIR. Wellman is undismayed
by his misfortunes and failures in the
frozen North, and says that he will
make another attempt to reach the Pole
by the Norway route next year. He
said that his expedition reached as far
north as the S1sS parallel of latitude.
This was attained after the accident that
happened to his exploration steamer, and
made it necessary for him to be careful
how far north he advanced, SO after
reaching the s1st parallel he started
back for his base of supplies
MIR. Wellman spoke of the utility of the
aluminium boats used IN the expedition,
and SO laid that for lightness and dura-
bility they proved exceedingly valuable.
In attempting to push northward his
open boat the explorer found the open
water filed with ice which was like a
thick mush, not firm enough to hold the
weight of man, and too thick to allow
a boat TO pass through it.
Some criticism has been made" said
Mr.. Wellman, to the effect that the fail
ure of our expedition is due to the mex
perience of its mem bers, but the worst
luck we had was in a department where
the men in charge were OF the greatest
experience. Captain Bottolfsen, of our
steamer, the Ragnvald Jarl, was one Of
the most experienced ice pilots in Nor
way. Every one supposed that when the
ship was anchored at Walden's Island
she was perfectly safe. A tongue of
shore ice thirty feet in thickness reached
out like breakwater and protected her.
But huge masses of ice came floating
down on her, hemmed her in, and de-
stroyed her. We were twenty miles away
when this accident happened. Our trip
has not been entirely frutiless. We ex-
plored parts of the coasts of the northern
islands which have never been explored
before, and Professor French made
charts of shore lines heretofore only
vaguely indicated. On my next journey
shall follow the same general plans /
did before.
The members of my present party are
all exceedingly anxious to accompany
ME on another expedition. I shall take
along with me Norwegian sailors, as
firmly believe they are the best men in
the world for Arctic explorations, provid-
ed they are picked and experienced
men," Mr.. Wellman said that bis party
was hampered by the severest storms in
the northeast and northwest, which
piled the ice up in great confusion. The
expedition left the steamer at Walden
Island on May %, and travelled east by
north over the ice on sledges, using boats
wherever the ice failed them. The party
continued north slowly until the early
part of August, when they were COM
pelle to fight their way thorugh the drift
fell in with the Norwegian sloop Brat
ure. and she brought them back to
Tromsoe, where they arrived on August
13. They travelled to London by way of
Belgium, and visited Paris and Berlin
to talk with authorities on Arctic ex-
plorations there as to the practicable
of the suggestions which had been made
to Mr.. Wellman regarding the use of bal
looms in n~connection with Arctic expIora-
tioIis. 1t is not probable, however, that
the balloon system will be tri d at pres
ent.
Mr.. Wellman intends to start from
New York next spring on his next expe-
dition. He thinks that the coming year.
in all proba bility, will be good one for
Arctic work. A hard summer in north
ern regions, he says, is generally succeed
ed by a milder one. Mr.. Wellnlan was
on from Washington to greet him.
evening started for Washington. Y.
TrI huna