The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-04
EXPLORED FRANZ JOsEF's LAND.
The Return of the Jackson Expedi-
tiOn-An Account of the Trip.

tiOn-An Account of the Trip.
London, Sept. S.-The British steamer
Windward, having on board the Jackson
Harmsworth expedition, which has spent
three winters near Cape Flora, Franz JOS
eff land. arrived here to-day from Franz
Josef land with F. G. Jackson and his col
leagues.
All the members of the expedition are
in good health. They report having ex-
plored Franz Josef land thoroughly, with
the exception of some odd corners.
Before the Windward sailed the quarters
of the expedition at Elmwood were fast
tty of supplies in case the place should
be visited by Prof Andre, or other ex-
plorers. He also established a depot at
Bell Island.
Talking over his experiences with a rep
resentative of the Associated Press, Mr.
Jackson said that since The Windward left
Franz Josef land last year with DR.. Nan
sen, the winter had been less severe and
less windy than usual. Mr.. Jackson and
Albert Armitage, nautical astronomer of
the expedition, started on March 16 with
a pony and dog sledge to explore the west
ern part of Franz Josef land They en-
countered boisterous weather. and at the
end of the first month a majority of the
dogs and the ponies succumbed and the
explorers were compelled to abandon all
but the most essential part of their equip
ment. The party followed the coast line
sometimes on a sea of ice and sometimes
along glaciated land, 1903 feet high, bor-
dering on Cambridge bay.
The constant mists which prevailed
made the journey very harrassing. The
party shot bear. the only one seen, and
having procured meat and blubber, they
returned to Elmwood in the middle of
May, after meeting a party sent out to
look for them, anxiety having been felt
for their safety, as they were a fortnight
overdue. A second expedition, which went
eastward at the beginning of June, was
less successful, as on the second day out
the explorers last sailor through the thin
sea ice and had a hazardous return jour-
neY.
The result of the explorations it is
claimed, completely revolutionizes the old
ideas of Franz Josef Land, and proves
that much discussed Gillies Land, does
not lie where Arctic geography has been
in the habit of placing it, and, therefore,
it may be considered non-existant
The whole continent mass of land is re-
placed by vaSa number of small islands.
The most valuable magnetic, meteorologi-
cal and geological observations were made
and very valuable botanical and geological
collections We're brought to England.
The winter life of the explorers was
uneventful. There We're about two hours
twilight in the middle of October to No
vember and from thence on it was total
darkness until the end of February.
The members of the expedition killed
1,4O0 loon Ga web-footed bird found in the
northern regonsl in the autumn, which
provided ample fresh meat During the
winter they caught nineteen looms and
twenty-five kttiwakes "a bird of the gull
kind, to which they fastenedSiabels mi
tailed u" and liberated them.
The cold sometimes reaches 40 degrees
below zero, and jumped up to 20 degrees
below freezing point.
The members of the Jackson Harms
worth expedition failed to see King Os-
cars land and are convinced that there is
no great land northwest of Franz Josef
land. They add that the existence of Pc
hermann land is doubtful, and that at
most it must be small
These alterations in the map render the
prospect of reaching the north pole from
Franz Josef land more than doubtful, as
the returned explorers are satisfied there
is no land north of 50 degrees. They did
not see anything of Prof Andree, who
started on July II from the island of
Tromsoe, in an attempt to reach the north
pole by balloon
Mr.. Jackson announces his intention of
heading another Arctic expedition, this
time on his own account.