The morning call., 1894-08-17
VIRTUE" OF ALUMINIUM BOATS.

RoMSoE. Norway, Aug. :16,-WaIter
Wellman, with the crew of the crushed
steamer Ragnvald-Jart, arrived here yes
terday by the fishing yacht Berntone, Cap
tain Johnsen. from North SpttzAnbergen,
All the members of the party are we'll. F.
Discussing the failure of his eXpedi ton
to reach the pole, Mr.. Wellman said to a
representative OF the Associated Press !:
Alter the loss OF the Ragnyald-J j arl and
the consequent breaking up Of my: Hneof
retreat, l was compelled to modify my
plans for the summers work and make
sure 10 be able to return to The coast of
Spitzbergen. l was compelled therefore
to come back earlier than / intended,
though the expedition reached within
few miles Of the efghty-frst parallel on:
May II, eleven days from Tromsoe: .....~ g
''The season had then changed. to the
other extreme. North of the"SeVen ISL
-ands. situated at the extreme north o t
Spitzoergen. as far as we could see, were
masses Of heavy unbroken ice, which APP;
peared absolutely mpassabte.:=' r. -.
"Fhe expedition then turned its face
east along the Northeast land. and then the
northeast gales broke up the ice which
had promised TO afford soms easy travelling.
The whole Northeast land was explored.
The scientific men of the party were max
ing interesting observations in geology and
natural history. Professor o wen French
of the Coast and Geodetic- SURVEY, Wash
ington, accurately surveyed large part of
the coasi. Among the points added to the
map by virtue of the discoveries made dur
ing this survey. are capes Gresham, Whit
ney. Armour aud=Scott aud Walsh Island.
-. ION July1 with the seven men and an
aluminium boat / started on MY way over
the pack ice, but was. compelled after sew
eral days of frightful struggling With the
ice TO give up the attempt - !
'On July 4 / started TO return to Walden
Island. crossing Dove Bay. ! We were all
compelled for hours to wade through water
waist high. The screwing of the pack Ice
threaten ed TO destroy the. boats andsleighs.
but though they were subjected to the
hardest usages the aluminium boats came
through uninjured. Habit not been for
the protection offered by water-tight cases
progress would have been impossible in
the pack ice, as men and sleighs. were. half
the time in water and half the time on
the ice. .:s.a: @: r.. =: -, =: =
Crossing Dove Bay. Alme, the meteor
ologist of the party, broke a bone Of his
right leg and had TO be carried in the boats
to Walden Island. which was reached July
p. We waited fortnight for open water,
and August 4 decided 70 push through the
ice. The attempt, which was a most dam;
gerous one, was successful. and four boats
reached Low Island on August 6, when
we sighted the Berthe. Eventually we
hired her to convey our party to Tromsoe.
We. sailed from Low Island nm AngpSt
and. reached Dares Island on August s.
There we took on Professor Oyen mot
Owen, the geologist, and Hydahl, the run.
ner and sportsman from the university Of
Christiania, and thestores which they were
guarding for u.s. Though we were unable
to get as far north as we hoped to get in
1894. wing to the loss OF our. steamer and
the bad nature of the season. / am deter
mined to try the Spitzbergen route again
in 1895" ...............z..- Il. r. + .:a :.
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