The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1894-08-09
CRUSHED IN THE ICE
Definite NEWS OF WELLMAN'S
POLAR EXPEDITION.

Definite NEWS OF WELLMAN'S
POLAR EXPEDITION.
The Ragnvold Jarl Was Crushed May
a4-Boats and Provisions Were, How
ever, Safely Removed and the Party IL
Pushing On Northward.
TRoMsoE, Norway, Aug. 3.-News Of
the Wellman polar expedition has been
received. It was brought by the sealer
Malygen, Captain Petersen, which has
arrived at Tromsoe with news dispatches
from the expedition, and also with
Captain Bottolofsen and three sailors of
the steamer Ragnvald Jarl, which car
ried the Wellman party to the Arctic,
but which has since been wrecked.
Captain Bottolofsen furnishes the follow
ing narrative of the experiences of the
expedition:
After several battles with the ice,
young and winter ice, the Ragnvald Jarl
arrived on May IL at Table island, one
of the Seven islands group. The ice,
however, compelled return to Walden
island, where Mr.. Wellman left the ship
on May "a with 10 men, 40 dogs and no
days provisions. After the party had
established depot they proceeded east
ward a distance of 60 miles, thence
northeast, hoping to reach the land that
is believed to exist in that direction. Up
to the day of the departure of the sledge
party the expedition had had good
weather, the worst being only 20 deg.
below zero.
Were in Good Health
The members of the party were in
good health when they left the ship.
They intended to return over the same
route by which they advanced, reaching
Northern Spitzenbergen on Sept. 10 and
headquarters at Danes island on
Oct. 1. On May 20, four days
after Mr.. Wellman and his COM
panions left, the Ragnvald Jarl was
broken by the ice and totally lost. The
men in charge of her managed to save
some of the stores. A message was sent
to Wellman, informing him Of the ca
tastrophe, and it reached him at Mar
tens island. Mr.. Wellman, Charles c..
Dodge and two others then returned to
the Walden island. With material
taken from the wreck Of the ship they
built good house to accommodate the
crew and as precaution in case the ex-
petition were compelled to winter at
Walden.
Decided to Proceed.
Wellman left again to join the sledge
party on May 81. He writes on the
same date:
Il have decided to proceed as pre-
viously planned, except that intend to
return to Walden island not later than
Sept. and to be at Danes island by
Sept. 15."
The latest news received from Mr..
Wellman was of June II date, when Mr..
Winship, member of the party, with
one man, left the expedition at a spot
six miles east of Cape Platen,
where the explorers had met
with impossible ice and were waiting
for open water. All were well. On the
return Of Winship to Walden island
Captain Bottolofsen and three Of the
crew of the Ragnvald Jarl started on a
journey southwark in aluminium boats,
seeking sealers. They met the Malygen,
and Captain Petersen consented to carry
them to Tromsoe. Here Captain Bottol-
Olsen will charter new vessel and will
return as soon as possible to Danes
island.
In the meantime the Wellman party
has gone north over the ice. Captain
Petersen expects that Wellman will
reach Gillei island. Hyerdahl, ski
runner and sportsman from the Univer-
sity of Christiana, and a member Of the
Wellman party, has been sent to Danes
island to join Professor Oyen.