The herald., 1894-08-17
ABANDONED THE TRIP.
FAILURE OF THE WELLMAN
ARCTIC EXPEDITION.
All Hands Returned to Tromsoc, Nor
wsy-Perilous Adventures of the
Explorers-Wsilman Will
Try 1t Again.

TRoMsoE. Norway, Aug. 16.-[Copy-
righted. 1894, by the Associated Press. [
Walter Wellmsn, with the crew of the
steamer Ragnavald.Jarl, arrived here
yesterday by the ship Berntone, Captain
Johnson, from North Spitzbergen. Ali
the members of the party are we'll.
Discussing the failure of his expedi-
ton to reach the pole, Mr.. Wellman
said to representative of the Associated
Press:
Sowing to the loss of the Rsgnavald-
Jarl and to the consequent breaking up
OF my line OF retreat, | was compelled to
modify my plans for the summers work
and make sure to be able to return to
the ooast of Spitzbergen earlier than l
intended, though the expedition reache d
within few miles OF the eighteenth
parallel on May 18th, IL days from
Tromsoe.
1.-THE season had then changed to the
other extreme. North Of the Seven
islands, situated at the extreme mort h
of Spitzbergen. as far az we could see
were masses of heavy, unbroken ice,
which appeared absolutely impassabe.
"The expedition then turned its face
east along the northeast land, and then
the northwest gales broke up the ice
which had promised to afford some easy
travelling. The whole northeast land
was explored.
"The scientific men of the party were
making interesting observations in geol-
ogy and natural history. Frof. Oven
French of the coast and geodetic survey,
Washington, accurately surveyed o
large part of the coast.
Amongst the points added to the
map by virtue Of the discoveries made
during this survey are Capes Gresham,
Whitney, Armour and Scott and Walsh
island.
"On July 1st, with the seven men and
an aluminium boat, started on my way
over the ice pack, but was compelled,
after several days OF frightful struggling
with the ice, to give up the attempt.
"July 4th | started to return to Wal
den island. crossing Dove bay. We
were all compelled for hours to wade
through the water waist high. The
screwing of the pack ice threatened to
destroy the boats and sleighs, but
though they were subjected to the
hardest usages, the aluminium came
through uninjured. Had it not been
for the protection offered by water
tlRut CdnCps PioSiOpo WOuio haFo Occu
impossible in the pack ice, where men
and sleighs were half the time in water
and half the time on ice.
"Crossng Dove bay, Alma, the mete.
orologist OF the party, broke bone OF
his right leg and had to be carried in
the boats to Walden island, which was
reached July 22d. We waited fort
night for open water, and August 4th
decided to push through the ice. The
attempt, which was a most dangerous
one, was successful, end four boats
reached Low island on August 9th,
where We sighted the Benton. We
sailed from Low island ON August 9TH
and reached Danes island on August
Sth. There we took on Prof. Oyen, the
geologist, and Hydanl, the runner and
sportsman from the University OF Chris
tiana, and the stores which they were
guarding for us. Though we were un-
able TO get as far north as we hoped to
get in 1884 ON account OF the loss OF
our steamer and the bad nature OF the
season. | am determieed TO try the
Spitzenbergen route again in 1896"