The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-09-04
RETURN OF EXPLORERS.
The jackson. Harmsworth Expedi-
... ton Back in England.
FRANZ JOSEF LAND EXPLORED.
The Result of the Explorations Com.
pletely Revolutionizes Old Ideas,
and Makes a New Map Necessary.
No Land North OF SO Degrees.

Inc ReSuiC OF Cne ExplorutloHs Soh'
pleteIy Revoluttonizes Old Ideas,
and Makes New Map Necessary.
No Land North of SO Degrees.
London, Sept. 4.-The British steamer
Windward, having on board the jack
son Harmsworth expedition, which has
been three winters near Cape Flora,
Franz Josef Land, arrived here yes
terday from Franz Josef Land with
T. G. Jackson and his colleagues. 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 quar-
tsrs of the expedition at Elmwood were
fastened 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 with a
press representative Mr.. Jackson said
that since the Windward left Franz
Josef Land last year with DR.. Nansen
the winter had been less severe and
less wi..1J than usual. Mr.. Jackson and
Albert Armitage, nautical astronomer
of the expedition, started on March 16
with pony and dog sledges to ex-
plore 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 essential part of their equipment.
The party followed the coast line,
some times on sea Of Ice and some-
times along glaciated land, 1900 feet
high, bordering on Cambridge bay.
The constants mists which prevailed
made the journey very harassing. The
party shot bear, the only one seen,
and having procured meat and blubber
they returned to Elmwood in the mid
die Of May, after meeting party sent
out to look for them. A second expe-
dition, which went eastward at the be-
ginning of June, was less successful,
as on the second day out the explorers
lost sledge through the thin ice and
had a hazardous return journey.
The result Of the explorations, 1t Is
claimed, completely revolutionizes the
old ideas of Franz Josef Land, and
proves that the much discussed Gil
lies land does not lie where Arctic
geographers have been in the habit Of
placing 1t, and therefore 1t may be con-
sldered non-existant.
The whole continental mass of land
is replaced by vast number of small
islands and the lofty mountains by
long rigid 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, meteo-
logical and geological observations
were made. and very valuable botanical
and geological collections were brought
to England.
The winter life of the explorers was
uneventful. There was about two hours
twilight In the middle of the day, from
October to November, and from thence
on 1t was total darkness until the end
of February.
The members of the expedition killed
l,4O0 loon "a web footed bird found in
the northern reglon) in the autumn.
WHICH EIuNlucu dLipi0 licSh hAcae'
During the winter they caught 10 loon
and % kittiwakes Ia bird of the gull
kind, to which they fastened labels
initiated ~" and liberated them.
The cold sometimes reached 40 de-
grees below zero and jumped UP to 20
degrees below freezing point.
The members of the Jackson-Harms-
worth 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 doubt
full, and that at most 1t must be small.
These alterations in the map render
the prospect Of reaching the North
Pole from Frans 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
Professor Andre, who started on July
II from the Island Of Tromsoe. in an
attempt to cross the North Pole by
balloon.
Mr.. Jackson announces his intention
of heading another Arctic expedition,
this time on his own account.