The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-08-03
WELLMAN'S SHIP LOST.
The Ragnvald Jarl Broken to
Pieces by the Ice.
THE EXPLORERS PARTY SAFE.

Nr. weliman, Having Established De-
pot at Walden Island, Proceeds North
eastward on siedges-rhc Members of
tho Party in Good Health and Spirits.
TRoMsoE, Norway, Aug. 3.-News of
the Wellman Arctic expedition has been
received. 1t was brought by the whaler
Malagen, Captain Petersen, which ar
rived at Tromsoe yesterday. with news
despatched from the expedition, and also
from Captain Bottolfsen and three sailors
of the steamer Ragnvald Jarl, which
carried the Weilman party to the Arctic,
but which has since been wrecked
Captain Bottolfsen furnishes the fol-
lowing narrative Of the experiences es of the
expedition:
After several battles with young and
winter ice tho Ragnvald Jarl arrived, on
May 12, at Table Island one of the Seven
Islands group. The ice, however, COM
PEELED return to Walden Island, where
Mr.. Wellman left the ship, on May "a,
with thirteen men, forty dogs and 1lO
days provisions. The party having estab-
lished depot. they proceeded eastward
on aledgcs n distance of sixty miles,
thence northeast, hoping to reach the
land that Is believed to exist in tina. direc-
tion. Up to the day of the departure Of
the sledge party the expedition had had
good weather, the worst being only 20
degs below zero.
The members Of the party were in good
health when they left the ship. They in.
tended to run over the same route by
which they advanced, reaching northern
SpitZbergen on Sept. 10 and the headquar-
ters at Danes Island on Oct. /.
On May 2S, after Wellman and his com.
laft ba ~ bxo1
up by the ice and totally lost. The crew
had time to transfer the greater portion
of their provisions, scientific instruments,
dogs and aluminium boats to the ice before
the boat was destroyed.
A message was Mt once sent to Mr.. Well
man, informing him of the catastrophe,
md 1t reached him at Martens Island.
Mr.. Wellman, Charles c. Dodge and two
others then returned to Walden Island.
/ With material taken from the wreck OF
the ship they built n good house to ac-
commodate the crew, and rs precaution
I'm case the expedition were compelled to
winter at Walden. Wellman left again
to join the sledge party on May 81. lie
writes on the sa me date:
81 have decided to proceed as previously
| planned, except that intend to return to
Walden Island not later than Sept. and
W Dc hb i'atuo lslttuu ny ocpt. III.
| The latest news received from Wellman
was dated June II, when Mr.. Winship, a
member of the party, with one man, left
the expedition at a spot six miles east OF
| Cape Plate, where the explorers had met
| with impossible ice and were waiting for
open water. All were well and in good
spirits. On the return of Winship to
Walden Island Captain Bottolfsen and
three of the crew of the Ragnvald Jarl
started on journey southwark in alumi.
mum boats, seeking sealers. They met
| the Malagen. and Captain Petersen con-
sented to carry them to Tromsoe. Here
| Captain Bottolfsen chartered new ves-
| sci and will return us soon Us possible to
Danes Island,
In the meantime the Welland party had
gone north over the ice. Captain Peder.
sen expects that Wellman will reach
| Gillei Island.
Hyerdahl, u Ski runner and sportsman
| from the University of Christiania, and a
member OF the Weilman party, has been
sent to Danes Island to join Professor
Oyen.