Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-08-18
RESCUE OF WELiMAN
intrepid American Arctic Explorer
Arrives Safely at Trom- :
soc, Norway.
FAILS OF HIS PRINCIPAL OBJECT,

And the North Pole Is Still Hidden in the
Region of Eternal Ice-Secures Much
Valuable Information of Franz Josef
Land-E<erything Looking Well When
the Chief of the Party Has an Accident
and May BE Lame for Life.
Tromsoe, Island of Tromsoe, Norway,
Aug. Is. - Walter Wellman and the
survivors of the polar expedition led by
him arrived here last evening on the
steamer Capella, having successfully
completed their explorations in Franz
Josef Land. Wellman has discovered
important new lands and many ISL
ands.
The expedition brings a grim story
of Arctic tragedy. In the autumn of
1898 an outpost called Fort Mckinley
was established in latitude 81. 1t was
a house built of rocks and rooted over
with walrus hide. Two Norwegians-
Paul Bjorvig and Bert Bentsen, the
latter of whom was with Nansen on
the Fram-remained there. The main
party wintered in a canvas-covered hut
called Harmsworth House, at Cape
Tegethoff, on the southern point of
Halls island, latitude 80.
weIlman Finds Bentsen Dead.
About the middle of February, before
the rise of the sun to its winter height,
Wellman with three Norwegians and
forty-five dogs started north. 1t was
the earliest sledge journey on record in
that high latitude. On reaching Fort
Mckinley Wellman found Bentsen
dead, but Bjorvig, according to prom
ise, had kept the body in the house,
sleeping beside it through two months
of arctic darkness. Notwithstanding
his terrible experience the survivor was
safe and cheerful. Pushing northward
through rough ice and severe storms,
with continuous temperature for ten
days between forty and fifty degrees
below zero, the party found new lands
north of Freedom island, where Nam
sen landed in 1895.
ONE DISASTER FOLLOWS ANOTHER.
WelIman Lanes Himself and the Party
Begins the Retreat.
By the middle of March all hands
were confident of reaching latitude 81
or So, if not the pole itself. Then be-
gan a succession of disasters Wellman,
while leading the party, fell into a
snow-covered crevasse, seriously injur-
ing one of his legs and compelling re-
treat. Two days later the party was
under them, due to pressure. In few
moments many dogs were crushed and
the sledges destroyed. The members of
the expedition narrowly escaped with
their lives. though they managed to
save their precious sleeping bags and
some dogs and provisions. On Well
mans condition becoming alarming
as Inflammation set in-the brave Nor
wegians dragged him on a sledge by
focred marches nearly 200 miles to
headquarters. arriving there early last
April. Wellman is still unable to walk,
and will probably be permanently Grip
pied.
After reaching headquarters other
members of the expedition explored
regions hitherto unknown, and impor-
tant scientific work was done by Lieu
tenant Evelyn B. Baldwin, of the Unit
ed States weather bureau: Dr. Edward
Hofma. of Grand Haven. Mich, and A.
Harlan, of the United States coast sur
vey. The Capella arrived at Cape
Tegethoff in search of the expedition
on July q last. On Aug. she met the
Stella Polar bearing the expedition
headed by Prince Luigi, Duke of Ap-
ruzzi
Wellman and his companions found
no trace in Franz Josef land of the
missing aeronaut, Professor Andree-