The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-08-08

Tromsoe, Norway, Aug. 7-Captain
Bottolfsen, who brought to this place
the news of the loss of the Wellman
Polar expedition steamer. Ragnvald
Jarl, in an interview, further details
the adventures of the Wellman party.
He says the expedition reached Wal
den island on May II. when the pack
ice was becoming troublesome.
MI. Wellman and his party started
north on sledges May a. On May %,
the screwing of the ice commenced in
earnest. Near the steamer were ice
bergs which lowered as high as the
yardarms of the vessels masts.
While the crew were drinking their
afternoon coffee on that day, the
steamer was suddenly crushed by the
ice, as if it were a matchbox. The
water rushed in with terrific force and
in a few minutes the vessel was a COM
plete wreck.
The crew, in the meantime, had es-
capped to the shore.
The men had been occupied for sew
eral days previous in bringing provis-
ions and the aluminium boats ashore.
| They were now obliged to take shell
Il
were able to build a house from the
wreckage of the steamer.
| Through a hollow which had been
made in the side of the wrecked vessel,
the party were enabled to save guam
tity of coal and other useful articles.
| An express party was sent after Mr.
Wellman, and overlook him and his
| companions at Martens islands. Mr..
| Wellman, Dodge and others returned
to Walden island and held a council
| Captain Bottolfsen and a sailor vol
unteered to go and seek for sealing
vessels to the southwark
| Mr.. Wellman resumed his journey to
| the northward on May 81, but Bot
| tolfsen and his party were unable to
start on their trip on account Of pack
ice, and were also detained on the is
land until June 8, when Sando, Ivoson,
! Winship and Heyendahl returned from
Mr.. Wellman, owing to lack of pro-
visions, and to troubles in regard to
ice and water.
On June 27, Captain Bottolfsen and
| his party started southwark in search
! of sealers, hauling behind them a q
foot aluminium boat.
They passed four terrible weeks of
storms and heavy snow, sometimes
hauling their boat and sailing or row.
ing where there was open water. In
this way they Travelled 230 miles along
the Spitzbergen Islands. They were
compelled to throw away nearly all
their extra clothing, and much of their
equipment, as their boat was over
loaded.
Passing across Henlope strait was
particularly difficult and dangerous.
All of the party were wet to the skin
and the cold being intense their suf-
the night of July 10 and II was sim
ply terrible.
;. In hut at Messed bay they found
and repaired an old gig. On July IL
they tried to cross Wijdo bay, but
were obliged to return, owing to the
fog and ice. They made another start
on the 18th, but the ice proved toe
dense, and they were obliged to aban-
don the gig and proceed, hauling the
aluminium boat Seven Norwegian
sailors were seen east of the Morse is
land. but they failed to respond tC
the party's signals.
At Morse bay they found Nordens-
jold's hut, where a provision depot
: was maintained by a Tromsoe skipper
take their boat around Welcome
, Point.
On July 29 they were taken aboard
the steamer Malygen, Ceptain Peder
son. Heyerdahl was landed at Danes
island to join Professor Oyen, who
was well, but still declined to leave
: the island.
Captain Bottolfsen says that durins
: the journey along the coast his party
were able to shoot few polar bear.
; and some RENDERS. He says Captain
: Peterson proved splendid ice mas
/ ter Bottolfsen is high in his prais.
! of aluminium boats. He says Sandt
3 and his companions left Wellman OF
s June II. six miles east of Cape Plat.
/! on his way to Robes island. All hi
q party were well. He says it is prob
/ able the two mates, two engineers,
: stoker and cook, who were left at Wal
4 den island, will be rescued by seaIer
e as soon as the ice and weather becom
: favorable enough for them to pro
: coed eastward