St. Paul daily globe., 1894-08-17
WELLMAN PERSEVERES
HE WILL HEAD ANOTHER EX.
PEDITION NEXT SEASON.
Some Interesting Scientific and
Geographical Observations
Made.

TRoMsoE, Norway, Aug. 16.-Walter
Wellman, with the crew of the crushed
steamer Ragnvald Jarl, arrived here
yesterday on the fishing yacht Beren-
tine, Capt. Johnson, from North SpitZ-
bergen. All members of the party are
well. Discussing the failure of his
expedition to reach the pole, Mr.. Well
man said to representative of the
Associated Press:
After the loss of the Ragnvald Jarl
and the conseQ uent breaking up of my
line of retreat, | was compelled to
modify my plans for the summers work,
and make sure of being able to return to
the coast of SpitZbergen earlier than in
tended, though the expedition reached
within few miles of the eighty-tirst
parallel on May 81, eleven days from
Tromsoe. The season had changed to
the other extreme north of the Seven
island, situated at the extreme north of
Spitzbergen. As far MS we could see
were masses Of heavy, unbroken ice,
which appeared absolutely impossible.
The expedition then turned its face
east along the northeast land. and
though the northeast gales broke up the
ice, which had promised to afford
smooth and easy travelling, the whole
northeast land was explored.
The scientific men of the party made
many interesting surveys in geology
and natural history. Capt. Owen b.
French. of the coast and geodetic sur
vey, Washington, accurately surveyed
large part of the coast. Among the
points added to the map by vir.ue of the
discoveries made during this survey are
CapeS Gresham, Whitney, Armour and
Scott and Walsh island
On July l, with the seven men and
aluminium boat, l started to force my
way over the pack ice, but was COM
PEELED after several days of frightful
struggle in the Ice to give up the at
tempt.
On July 4 started to return to Wal
den island, crossing Dove bay. We
were all compelled for hours to wade
through water waist high. The screw
ing of the pack Ice threatened to destroy
the boats and sledges: but, though they
were subjected to the hardest usages,
the aluminium boats came through un-
injured. Had it not been for the pro-
lection afforded to the stores by the
watertight cases progress would have
been impossible in pack ice, where men
and Sleages were half the time In the
water and half the time in the ice.
Crossing Dove bay Alme, meteoroIo-
gist for the party, broke bone of the
right leg. and had to be carried in the
boat. Walden island was reached on
July %. We waited fortnight in vain
for open water, and on Aug. decided
to push through the ice. The attempt,
which was most dangerous one, was
wholly successful, and our six boats
reached Low island on Aug. 6. where
we sighted the Bernetine. Eventually
we hired her to convey our party to
iromsoe. We sailed from Low island
Oh Aug. z, and reached Danes island
OH Aug. &. There we took off Prof.
Oyen, the geologist, and Hierdahl, the
ski runLer and sportsman from the
University of Christiana, and the stores
which they were guarding for us.
Though we were unable to get as iar
north as we hoped in 1894, on account
of the loss of our steamer and the bad
nature of the season. am determined
to try the Spitzbergen route again In
1895.