The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-04-04

Venetian Navigators Secured Valuable In
formation as Early as 1396-History |
Suggested by Nansen's Expedition.
The alleged discovery of the north pole |
by Manson, whether ii shall be confirmed
or not brings to mind the many efforts
made to that end. hitherto without sue
cess. The first arctic explorers were the
Mortimer and Ioelanders, as early
as the ninth and tenth centuries. They
established colonies on the Greenland
coast, which flourishsd for some years,
making great gains by the fisheries.
which they pursued as far as Lancaster
Sound, and even to Barrow Strait. In
1896 two Venetian navigators, Zeno by
name, voyaged to the north and brought
back tidings of the arctic regions. In
1897 John and Sebastian Cabot landed in
Labrador, and afterward prospected a
voyage toward the north pole. They
penetrated as far as 81 degrees 80 minutes
north; that is to say, about half way up
Davis Strait. The next explorers were
the brothers Cortereal, who made in all
three voyages in 1500-1502. extending as
far as 60 degrees north, but resulting In
nothing but disaster and loss of life. In
1913 Sir Hugh WIlloughby was sent out
by the Muscovy Company to find pass
age to India. He reached Nova Zemba,
but persisted with his crew.
In 1576-7S Martin Frobisher made three
voyages, and discovered the entrance to
Hudson and Frobisher Straits, leading
into Hudson Bay. In 1878 Sir Humphrey
Gilbert made futile voyage. Next fol-
lowed Davis lin 15S5-S7), who discovered
the strait that bears his name, and sur
veyed portions of the coast Of Greenland.
William Barentz, a Dutobman, made
three arctic voyages in 1594-96. He him
self persisted on the third voyage near
the Icy Cape of Nova Zembla.
Henry Hudson set out in 1907 under the
auspices of the Muscovy Company, with
orders to steer directly for the north pole.
He advanced beyond latitude so degrees,
steering due north between Greenland
and Spitzbergen. The following year he
reached latitude rs degrees north, be-
tween Nova Zembla and Spitzbergen.
The next year he tried again, but, being
impeded by ice. he searched along the
American coast for a passage, discovering
the Hudson River. In 1910 he sailed
again. discovering and wintering in Hud-
son Bay, where he was deserted and left
to perish by mutinous crew. Within
the next five years several expeditions
we're made into Hudson Bay. In 1916
| T2off bn hou par ro6 eff inn,
In 1741 Bshring set sail with an expedi-
ton from Petropavlovsk in Kamsohatka.
After various buffetings before severe
gales, having twice made the American
coast and been driven to sea. Behring
died, the vessels were wrecked and the
crew wintering on an island known as
Behring Island, made a small vessel, in
which they reached Ka1nschatka August
25, 1742. Only bare mention can be made
Of the expeditions OF Shalaroff, 1850,
who persisted Of starvation with all his
crew, of Andreyeff, and of Captain Bill
ings, who started from the mouth of the
Kolyma, in Siberia. None Of these re-
suited in important discoveries; and SO
we come to the last of the Russian
eforts--the sledge expeditions of Van
WIangell and Apjou in 1929. They
penetrated to latitude 70 degrees 81 min
utes north, longitude 157 degrees 35 min
utes west, and reported an open sea in
the distant North, which precluded fur
Their operations on sledges.
Between 1869 and 177s Samuel Hearne
made three overland voyages north
toward the Polar Sea- In the third he
discovered and traced to it's mouth the
Copp ermine River. In 1878 Captain
Phipps (Lord Mulgraye), sailing along
the coast of Spitzbergen, reached latitude
so degrees 48 minutes north. In 1776
Captain Cook sailed on his last expedi-
tion, with instructions to attempt the
Polar Sea by way of Behring Strait. He
penetrated only to latitude 70 degrees As
seconds. A vessel was dispatched to
Baffin Bay to meet him, but ice formed
q solid barrier. 1t may be remarked
that Parliament in 1743 had offered re-
ward of 500. 900 to the crew who would
accom- plish a northern passage through
Hudson Bay, and after Cooks expedition
an additional $685. 00 was offered to the
crew that should reach within one degree
Of the pole. In 1889 Mackenzie, in a land
expedition, discover ed and traced to Its
mouth the river named after him. In
1878 two expeditions set out; one under
Captain Ross and Lieutenant Parry to
discover the northwest passage, the other
under Captain Buohans and Lieutenant
(Sir) John Franklin, to penetrate to the
north pole. The latter went between
Greenland and Spizbergen, and reached
so degrees "a minutes north. The Ross
Parry expedition sailed up Lancaster
Sound about sixty miles, when it wal
thought that land was encountered. ex
tending entirely across it, and the vessels
returned In 1919 Lieutenant Parry, witt
another expedition, succeeded in sailing
through Lancaster Sound into Barrow
Strait On passing Prince Regent Inle
they had advanced further than any othe
mariners thus far. Proceeding through