Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-09-04
THE JACKSON-HARMSWO EXPE-
DITION RETURNS To LONDON.
FRANZ J0sEFLAND EXPLORED.
OLD IDEAS OF THE REGION CON-
PLETELY REvOLUTIONIZED.
Consists of Small Islands With n Very
Open Sea to the NOrth-Thcre
Is No Chance to Reach the
Pole Through Franz
JOsefland.

London, Sept S.-The British steamer
Windward, having on board the Jackson
Harmsworth expedition, which has spent
three winters near Cape Flora, Franz Jo-
sefland, arrived here to-day from Franz
Josefland with Jackson and his colleagues.
All the members of the expedition are in
good health. They report having explored
Franz Josefand thoroughly, with the eX-
ception of some odd corners.
Before the Windward sailed, the quar-
ters 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 experience with a rep
resentative of the Associated Press. Mr.
Jackson said that since the Windward left
Franz Josefland last year with DR.. Nam
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 sleds to explore the western
part of Franz Josetiand. They encounter
ed boisterous weather, and at the end OF
the hrst 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, sometimes on
a sea Of ice ard sometimes along glaciated
land.
The constant mists which prevailed made
the only one seen. and having procured
meat and blubber, they returned to Elm
wood in the middle of May, after meeting a
party sent out to look for them. A second
expedition, which went eastward at the
beginning of June, was less successful, as
on the second day out the explorers lost the
sled through the thin ice and had hard
journey.
The result of the explorations. it is
claimed, completely revolutionized the old
much discussed Gillies land does not lie
where Arctic geographers have been in the
habit of placing it, and, therefore, it may
be considered non-eXistent.
The whole continental mass Of land Is
replaced by vast number of small islands
and the lofty mountains by long ridged
hun,mOCkS and ice packs while north of
these areas has been found an open sea
which is the most open north sea in the
whole world. The most valuable mag
netic. meteorological and geological
liable botanical and geological collections
were brought to England. The winter life
of the explorers was Ineventful. The men,
bers of the expedition killed 1,iO0 loon "a
web footed bird found in the northern re-
gions in autumn) which provided ample
fresh meat.
During the winter, they caught nineteen
loon and twenty-five kittywacks. bird of
the gull kind to which they fastened labels
initiated y. o." and liberated Them. The
cold sometimes reached 40 degrees below
zero and then again jumped up to 20 de-
grees 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 north of Franz Josef land. They
add that the existence of Petermann land
is doubtful. and that at most it must be
small. These alterations in the map rem
der the prospect of reaching the North
pole through Franz Josef land more than
doubtful. as the returned explorers are
satisfied there is no land north of 81 de-
grees.
They did not see anything of Professor
Andree, who started on July IL from the
Island of Tromsoe in an attempt to cross
the North pole by balloon.
Mr. Jackson announces his intention of
on his own account.