The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-08-29
MELLMAN Has FAITH.
Believes He Was on the Right Track
For the Pole.

Norway, August II, after having sue
cessfully completed operations in Franz
Joseph land, arrived here yesterday.
He walks with the aid of Crutches, his
right leg, which was seriously injured
by a fall into snow covered crevasse,
while Mr.. Wellman was leading his
party, still being useless. The explorer
was accompanied by the American
members of the expedition, who are
well.
In an interview with a representa-
tive of the Associated press, Mr.. Well
man said:
THE object of the expedition was
two-fold-to complete the exploration
of Franz Joseph land, of which the
north and northeast parts were prac-
tically unknown and to reach a high
latitude or even the pole itself. The
first object was successfully accom-
plshed. The second would have been
achieved at least to greater extent
than by previous explorers, but for the
accident to myself"
Mr.. Wellnan recOunted the starting
of the expedition from Tro.asoe, June
26, 1898; how it reached Eilnwood, the
headquarters of the Jackson expedition
July %, and hoisted there the stars and
stripes underneath the union jack,
which had been flying over the deserted
settlement for nearly two years.
The provisions left for Prof. Andree,
the missing aeronaut, were found by
Mr.. Wellman untouched.
After leaving letters about his eXpe-
dition and taking a collapsible house
with him. Mr. Wellman proceeded due
east forS Cape Tegelhoff, and arrived
landed all the stores and the steamer
returned to Norway.
I'VE established our headquarters in
the little house brought from JacksOn's
headquarters, continued Mr.. Wellman,
"over which flew the stars and stripes.
Desiring to push further north with
the greatest speed, I dispatched Bald
win August 5th, with the NOrWegianS,
sledges, dogs and boats, myself and
others intending to follow in a few
days.
Shortly after Baldwin's departure, I
discovered that owing to a sudden
break up of the ice, I was unable to
proceed, but I sent two NorWegians to
inform Baldwin to build his outpost,
leave two men in charge of it and re-
turn to my headquarters"
Here, Lieutenant Evelyn B. Baldwin,
of the weather bureau, told of the do
ings of his expedition. He said:
September 81 my party reached
Cape Heller, in latitude 81, where we
decided to make an outpost. From the
very outset we had a constant fight
with the high seas, ice and wind and
there was a continual fog The ice
underneath US parted with terrific
crashes, leaving us adrift on small
foes. Here we built a station and
called it Fort Mckinley. We stocked
it with blubber and meat and, leaving
there two volunteers, Ventzen and
BjerVig, I started to return October %,
to Mr. Wellman's headquarters, arriv-
ing there October 80, in safety in spite
of great hardships, cold, darkness and
ice.
The party spent the winter comfort
ably in Harmsworth house, which was
completely buried in snow. They killed
many bears.
Mr.. Wellman, February Is. 1899, with
Norwegians, sledges and dogs, started
NORTH
Mr.. WelIman. continuing, said
February g. 1899, arrived at Fort
Mckinley. Bjervig. rifle in hand, stood
at the mouth of the snow tunnel. He
eyes, said: Poor Ventzen is dead
said:
pointing to the hut. I have kept my
promise
1.-The two men had made a compact
that in case of death. the survivor
should keep the body until help came.
In the little hut the quick and the dead
had slept side by side through two
months of Arctic darkness.
"Bjervig said he had managed to
keep up his spirits by reciting aloud
Ibsen's poetry.
'The next day we gathered stones
and under the sea we buried our dead
comrade. A few fitting words were
spoken as we stood around in seventy
degrees of frost.
After a delay of ten days, the party,
including Bjervig pressed north in
ed 81 degrees east of Rudolf island.
THE prospects then We're most reas-
surfing. We had three months of the
best season before US and were conf
dent of preaching 81 degrees. Though
of COURSE, we had suffered from cold
we were all in form.
Then seemingly trivial accident
turned the advance into a precipitate
retreat. While struggling with the
sledges in rough ice. my right leg was
bruised and sprained by my falling in
to hidden crevice- For two days I
went on, and unless other circumstances
had occurred, 1 should have pressed
onward SO far that I would never have
been able to return alive. At midnight
March p, we were awakened by the
crashing of the ice under our feet. It
swayed and deep crevices yawned
about US Several dogs and sIedges
were crushed. In the darkness and
storm it was impossible to see a patch
of safety. Expecting to be overwheIn-
ed at any moment by the ice we
scrambled over the field of ice and
saved most of our equipment except
the dog food. reaching a place of safety
in half an hour
Our brave Norwegian comrades did
not express the slightest fear. While
1t was possible to go on for a time
my leg now demanded a retreat For
two or three days stumbled along
until I fell. There was nothing to do
then put get sIedge and be dragged
back to headquarters by the men and
dogs. Forced marches by my devoted
comrades saved my life
The point at which we turned back
was twenty-five miles northwest of
Freeden islands, where Dr. Nansen
landed in 1895. North of these islands
we photographed three islands and
some large land, unseen either by
Payer or Nansen. We also found that
Payers so called over glacier does not
exist.
L still believe it is possible to reach
the pole by Franz Josefland But I
can not say if I shall make another
effort"
After Mr.. Wellman's return to
Harmsworth house, April g. Baldwin
and four Norwegians went out to Will
GEEK land, charting the unexplored east
coast and discovering a new ice cover