The Iola register., 1899-08-25
WELLMAN GETS BACK
The Survivors of a Polar Expedition
Arrive at Tromsoe, Norway.
THE PARTY DISCOVERS NEW LANDS.
A Grim story of Arctic Tragedy Brought
by the Walter Wellman
Crippled-No Trace of Andree
Found in Franz Josef Land.

Tromsoe Norway, Aug. 1s.-Walter
Wellman and the survivors of the Polar
expedition led by him arrived here yes
terday evening on the steamer Capella,
having successfully completed their
explorations in Franz Josef Land. Mr..
Wellman has discovered important new
lands and many islands. The eXpedi-
tion brings a grim story of Arctic
tragedy. In the autumn of 1898 am
outpost called Port Mckinley was es-
tablished in latitude 81. 1t was a
house built of rocks and rooted over
with walrus hide. Two Norwegians,
Paul Bjorvig and Bert Bentzen, the
latter of whom was with Nansen on
the Fran, remained there. The main
party wintered in n canvas-covered hut
called Harmsworth house, at Cape
Tegethoff, ON the southern point of
Halls island latitude So
About the middle Of February, be-
fore the rise of the sun to its winter
height, Mr.. Wellman, with three Nor
wegians and 40 dogs, started north. 1t
was the earliest sledge journey on re-
cord in that high latitude. On reach
ing Port Mckinley, Mr. Wellman found
Bentzen dead, but Bjorvig, according
to promise, had kept the body in the
house. sleeping beside it through two
months of Arctic darkness. Notwith-
standing his terrible experience, the
survivor was safe and cheerful.
Pushing northward through rough
ice and severe storms, with a continu-
Gus temperature for ten days between
40 and 80 degrees below zero. the party
found new lands north of Freedom is
land, where Nansen landed in 1895
BY the middle of March all hands were
confident of reaching latitude 81 or SS,
if not the pole itself. Then began n
succession of disasters Mr., Wellman
while leading the party, fell into a
snow-covered crevasse, seriously injur-
ing one of his legs and compelling a
retreat. Two days later the party was
aroused by an icequake under them due
to pressure. In few moments many
dogs were crushed and the sledges de
stroyed. The members of the eXpedi-
tion narrowly escaped with their lives
though they managed to save their
precious sleeping bags and some dogs
and provisions.
On Mr.. Wellman's condition bessm-
ing alarming, as inflammation set in,
the brave Norwegians dragged him on
"A sledge, by forced marches, nearly 200
miles to headquarters, arriving there
early last April. He is still unable to
walk and will probably be permanently
crippled.
After reaching headquarters, other
members of the expedition explored
regions hitherto unknown, and impor-
tant scientific work was done by Lieut.
Evelyn B. Baldwin, of the United
States weather bureau; DIR. Edward
Hofma, of Grand Haven, Mich, and A.
Harlan of the United States coast sur
vey.
The expedition killed AZ bears and
many walruses. The Capella arrived
at Cape Tegethoff, in search of the ex-
pedition, on July %, last. On August
9, she met the Stella Polar, bearing the
expedition headed by Prince Luigi,
duke of Abruzzi, which had sailed
from Archangel to reconnoiter north
west of Franz Josef Land, and to meet,
if possible, the Wellman expedit tion.
Mr.. Wellman and his companions found
no trace in Franz Josef Land of the
missing aerOnaut, Prof. Andree.