The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-04
Franz Josef Land Thoroughly Ex-
pIored and Several Inaccuracies
Found to Exist I'm Old Maps.
An OPEN SEA DISCOVERED
THE MOST NORTHERLY BODY OF
WATER IN THE WHOLE WORLD.
No Such Place as GiIIie's Land, ard
fnI-NOthing Seen of Andree.

LONDON, Sept. 3.-The British steamer
Windward, having on board the Jackson
Harmsworth expedition, which has spent
three winters near Cape Flora, Franz Josef
Land, arrived here to-day from Franz Josef
Land with e. G.. Jackson and his coll
leagues. All the members of the expedi-
tion are in good health. They report hav-
ing explored Franz josef Land thorough
ly, with the exception of some odd corners.
Before the Windward sailed the quarters
of the expedition at Elmwood were fast
ened up but Mr.. Jackson left there a
quantity of supplies in case the place
should be visited by Professor Andree or
other explorers. He also established a
depot at Bell island.
Talking over his experiences Mr. Jackson
said that since the Windward left Franz
Josef Land last year with Dr. Nansen
the winter had been less severe and less
windy than usual. Mr.. Jackson and Albert
Armitage, nautical astronomer of the ex-
petition, started on March IS with a. pony
and dog sledges to explore the western part
of Franz Josef Land. They encountered
boisterous weather and at the end of the
first month a majority of the dogs and the
pony succumbed and the explorers were
compelled to abandon all but the most es-
SChlldl part Ol THEIR 6QulpUaGnl Inc party
followed the coast line. sometimes on a
sea of ice and sometimes along glaciated
land 1,5O0 feet high, bordering on Cam
bridge bay. The constant mists which pre-
vailed made the journey very harassing.
The party shot a bear, the only one seen,
and having procured meat and blubber they
returned to Elmwood in the middle of May.
after meeting 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 sue
cesful, as on the second day out the ex-
plorers lost sedge through the thin sea
ice and had q hazardous return journey.
The result of the explorations it is
claimed, completely revoutionizes the old
ideas of Franz Josef Land and proves that
the much-discussed Gillies land does not
lie where Arctic geographers have been in
the habit of placing ii, and therefore, 1t
may be considered noleXistent The whole
continental mass of land is replaced by a
vast number OF small islands and the lofty
mountains by long ridged hummocks and
ice packs, while north of those areas has
been found an open sea, which is the most
open north sea in the whole world.
The most valuable magnetic, meteoroog-
.cal and geological observations were made
and very valuable botanical and geological
collections were brought to England.
eventful There were about two hours twi-
light in the middle of the day from October
to November, and from thence on lit was
total darkness until the end of February
The members of the expedition killed 400
loon Ga web-footed bird found in the north
ern regions) in the autumn, which provided
ample fresh meat During the winter they
caught nineteen loon and twenty-five ktti-
wakes Ca bird of the gull Kind, to which
they fastened labels initiated ~ and lib
Grated them. The cold sometimes reached
forty degrees below zero and jumped up to
twenty degrees below freezing point.
The members of the Jackson -Harmsworth
expedition failed to see King oscar Land
and are convinced that there is no great
land northwest of Franz Josef Land. They
add that the existence of Petermann Land
is doubtful. and that at most ii 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 eighty-two degrees.
They did not see anything of Professor
Andree, who started on July II from the
Island of Tromsoe in an attempt to cross
the north pole by balloon Mr.. Jackson an
nounces his intention of heading another
arctic expedition, this time on his own ac-
count.