Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-03-23
LONELY ARCTIC GRAVES.
The Last Resting Places of Some Ill |
Fated Explorers.

Fated Explorers.
Beyond the region of human ha bltation
the Arctic zone is sparsely dotted with
the graves of brave men who lost their
lives while engaged in polar exploration,
or endeavOrS to find the pole itself. And
subsequent expeditions endeavor to pre-
serve these graves as far as possible, and
keep record Of them.
Cape Sabine, across Smith sound, in
southeasterly direction, is marked by a
solitary grave, that Of Prof. August
Sonntag, the astronomer, whose skull and
bones were found exposed to view by
Lieut.. Peary, during his last Arctic trip,
and by him restored to their tomb under
the loose stones that had been scattered
about, probably by wolves and bears.
Another grave, few rocks tumbled
one upon another in a deep rent between
massive powders, is on Littleton island,
about seven miles to the northward on the
eastern side. Christian Ohlsen, aged SO,
was buried there. DIR. Kane's expedition
of 1889, on its retreat reached this ISL
and IN time to leave the boat. Two other
members of Kane's expedition, Baker
and Schubert, died while the Advance,
kane's ship, wintered at Fern Rock.
They were buried in the little observatory
there.
On the west side of Smith sound, at
Baird inlet, George w. Rice, member
of the Lady Franklin expedition, died
from cold in trying to secure food for his
comrades at Cape Sabine. His compan-
ion, Fredericks, buried him in the ice.
There are five graves at North Star bay.
ii. NJ. ). North Star, one of Sir Edward
Belchers squadron, in search of Sir John
Franklin, was forced to winter at the
lower end of this sound, during which
period one man was killed by falling
down cliff, and four others died from
natural causes.
IN 1o{ 10 d
grave of Capt. Charles Francis Hall is
marked with the most civilized headstone
or tablet of any. The English polar ex-
petition of 1879 erected brass tablet
brought from England, to mark his grave.
He died at Thank God harbor, November
5, 1871, aged 80.
Two young Swedish students. Alfred
BjOrling, bOtanist, and Evald @. Kali
stenius, zoologist, II and "a years of age.
undertook an expedition to Smith sound
in 1892. Three men besides themselves
reached the Cary islands. The little
schooner was driven ashore One man
died, and the rest, taking their small boat.
attempted TO reach the mainland. So
read the record found by Lieut.. Peary in
the little cairn near the grave. No trace
of them has been found, and they are
now given up as lost forever
The Mares British expedition of 1879
Wintered in Lady Franklin bay. the Dis
coyery and the Alert at Cape Sheridan.
Commander Markham of the Alert had
reached the highest north at SO deg. 20
min. 26 sec. over the ice. Sickness and
Scurvy made them retreat. and after ter
rible suffering and struggles they reached
the Alert, leaving one of their number
dead. His name was George Porter.
His grave is probably the most northern
of any time.
Near the winter quarters of II. NJ s.
Discovery, Lady Franklin bay, two other
graves are marked with rough boards to
the memory of James Hand and Charles
Paul, seamen. Other graves lie scattered
throughout the Arctic circle, though many
q polar explorers last resting PLACE is not
marked by SO much as a cairn.