Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-17

ance and they at ours, so white, clean and
newly shaven, so neatly attired, were they
In comparison with our tanned, dirty and
bedraggled selves. As the officers Of the
expedition clambered over the rocks ara
approached the house. built Of timbers from
the Inflated ship-the Hotel White Bear. the
men had named it-a salute was fired from
the mountain in our honor.
At Hotel White Bear.
August 3.-We leave Walden Island an a
few hours, and do so without regret. 1t is
a very comfortable resort, but the winter
will soon be coming on, and winterins here
means that when spring comes our Tones
will be found bleaching on the rocks. Ihe
Hotel White Bear has been snug resting
place for two weeks, two weeks or weary
waiting for a chance to get away. Though
the wind was for many days strong III the
right quarter, the stubborn Ice would heVe-
move. 1t began TO be a serious qGesiion
whether il ever would move. UnIll some
change in the situation showed itself, escape
was impossible, for between US ana Inc
mainland was six-mile belt OF ifnpaSsaple
ice. Through 1t we might have struggled
with our aluminium boats, but aot al CT the
party of nineteen could go IN these craft IN
the event of coming to open water. AMI such
a thing as leaving the men OF the Sarl te-
hind was not to be thought d. Night ana
day we kept watch upon the mountain, DE-
termined to use the first opportunity to set
away, even a poor one. We hai tood enough
for sixty days, but IL winter should eaten
US here-well. it would be cold and hungry
winter.
The Hotel White Bear really consists of
single room 20 by "A feet, but in one corner
is a little apartment for the four officers.
Here we have the cabin of the Jarl repro
duced, with table and chairs and beds and
even the pictures on the wall. Here We
sleep and have our meals. 1t Is like being
civilized again, for we have our trunks
rescued in a more or less damaged condition
from the hold of the ship, and are able to
shave and wear silken pajamas and battle
in toilet water and could, If occasion arose,
don our dress suits and patent feathers and
go to the party. Better still, We have lot
of books, chiefly about arctic expeditions,
most of them even more luckleSs than our
own, and We read We wondered why
arctic expeditions never do have any luck
anyway. Our greatest enjoyment Is eating.
Prison Door Opens.
At last we think we have a chance to get
away The strait between our prison and
the mainland is half open. There is much
floating of ice as the tide and wind move 1t
to and fro. and 1t will be rather ticklish
work going through, but go through we
must. Ii We stay here, we will starye to
death by Christmas. and escaping that will
freeze to death by New Year, and you
may be sure We are not anxious to have the
Ice bear play cricket with our thigh bones
on the rocky slopes of Walden Island. so
the two aluminium and two wooden boats
are made ready for the journey. All four
are now at the southern end of the Island,
where they have been for several days. that
not a moments time need be lost In the de-
parture when the hour should arrive. We
have plenty of food to carry us to Danes
Island and have room enough for our trunks
and extra clothing bags, most of our books
and personal articles. Even the dog is to
go.
Newu of Capt. Bottelfsen.
TROMSOE. August 16.-Here We all are.
including the dog, safe and sound. True
to the instincts of the civilized brute, the
first thing We did on landing once more In
civilization, after an absence of three and a
half months In the icy wastes. was to order
big dinner, a bottle of champagne and
Havana cigar. 1t is only twelve days since
we left the White Bear Hotel at Walden
Island, away up there the top Of the
globe within $50 miles as far as man has
ever been in that direction. Though our
return has been rapid, 1t was not altogether
an easy task. For three days We had
pretty hard time In the drifting Ice, beset
by dangers and compelled to struggle from
one point of vantage to another. Our
sharpest work was crossing the strait, and
having once gained the main land we felt
ourselves masters of the situation. Along
the coast of Northeast Land we found some
open water and were glad to discover the
seaworthiness and sailing qualities OF our
DOdlS. III CNOppy seas tHey De-
haved admirably and against adverse
breezes sailed almost up to the eye of the
wind. On our way along the shore we
calnped one night at a spot which bore
Captain Bottelfsen and his brave compan-
ions. who had dared the dangers of the
arctic sea in boat IA feet long and IL
feet wide.
Meeting Prof. Oyen.
On our fourth day out we came to an
open sea and at Low Island found a num-
Der of Norwegian hunting sloops working
their way northward as the ice slowly
caded, looking for seal and walrus. One
of these brought US letter from Captain
Bottelfsen. which told briefly of his strug-
giles to reach Danes Island and of his de-
termination to go on to Norway as soon
as possible and execute our order for an
other ship to come out and take us back.
But the date of the letter was only two
weeks earlier, and 1t really appeared that
with haste and good luck we might reach
Norway before he could hire his ship and
start on the return voyage. Though We
were quite able to take care of ourselves
down the coast to headquarters and were
rather enjoying the trip, We decided TO
hire the fast sloop Berentine, Captain Nils
Johnson. and go on without delay.
The Berentine proved fast sailer, and
luckily We had fair wind, so that in two
days we came to anchor before our head
quarters house in the Danes Cat. Right
glad were Professor Oyen and MIR. Heyer-
dahl to see US, as well as three sailor boys
who had sought refuge there when their
own ship. the Malygen, sailed OF to Norway
with Captain Bottelfsen without them.
They were in no danger Of being compelled
to winter, for Bottelfsen was coming back,
and besides all the hunting ships would be
sure to call before returning to Norway.
II forced to winter they would have had
everything a man could wish for except
daylight and the morning paper. for their
comfortable house was literally full of the
best provisions. Taking these stores and
the men aboard we set sail for Tromsoe.
Gains and adverse winds delayed us en-
route, and 1t vas with great regret we
learned. when near this port, that Captain
Bottelfsen had but four days before sailed
for Spitzbergen in the Malygen being towed
out of the ford by the kindness of Captain
Wempe of the German steamer Stettin.
A GrOundless RumOr.
Great was our .amazement to discover
that the world had been alarmed for our
safety, and that there had been reports to
the effect that every life in the expedition
had been lost. There never was even an
excuse for such rumors, and there never
was a moment in which we were unable to
take care of ourselves and make our way
unaided back to our headqua rters. We did not
eyen'have any need for the services of a re-
lief shin though wa all cyro taf,