The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-08-18
RETURN OF VKLLMlN..
Successfully Completed Explores
I tons in Franz Josef Land.
ARRIVES AT TRoKsoE, NORWAY.


The Explorer Discovered Important
New Lands and Many Islands-Grim
Story OF Arctic Tragedy-Mr. Well
man Hurt by Falling Into Crevasse.
Tromsoe. Norway. Aug. 1s.-Walter
Wellman and the survivors Of the
Polar expedition led by him arrived
here last evening on the steamer Ca
pella, having successfully completed
their explorations In Franz Josef Land.
Mr.. Wellman has discovered important
new lands and many islands.
The expedition brings grim story
Of Arctic tragedy. In the autumn Of
1896 an outpost called Fort Mckinley
was established In latitude 81. 1t was a
house built Of rocks and rooted over
with walrus hides. Two Norwegians,
Paul Bjoervig and Bert Bentzen. the
latter Of whom was with Nansen on
the Fran. remained there.
The main party wintered in can
vas covered hut called Harmsworth
house, at Cape Tegethoff, on the south
ern point Of Halls Island, latitude 80.
About the middle Of February. be-
fore the rise Of the sun to IT'S winter
height, Mr.. Wellman, with three Nor
wegians and AZ dogs started north. 1t
was the earliest slsdge journey on
record in that high latitude.
On reaching Fort Mckinley, Mr..
Wellman found Bentzen dead, but
Bjoervig, according to promise, had
kept the body in the house sleeping be-
side it through two months Of Arctic
darkness. Notwithstanding his terrible
experience the survivor yas safe and
cheerful.
Pushing northward through rough
ice and severe storms, with continu-
Gus temperature for ten days between
40 and so degrees below zero, the party
found new lands north of Freedom
Island, where hansen landed in 1896.
By the middle of March all hands were
confident Of reaching latitude 81 or IS.
If not the pole itself. Then began
succession of disasters. Mr.. Wellman.
while leading the party, fell into
snow covered crevasse, seriously in
juring one of his legs and compelling
a retreat Two days later the party was
reused at midnight by an iceQuaks
under them. due to pressure. In few
minutes 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 Mr.. Wellman's condition becom-
ing alarming, as Inflammation set in,
the brave Norwegians dragged him ona
sledge, by forced marches. nearly 200
miles to headquarters, arriving there
early last April. Mr.. Wellman is still
unable to walk and will probably be
permanently crippled.
After reaching headquarters. other
members of the expedition explored
regions hitherto unknown, and i'm
portant scientific work was done by
Lieutenant Evelyn B. Baldwin, of the
United States weather bureau, DR.. Ed.
ward Hofma, of Grand Haven, Mich.
and A. Harlan. Of the United States
coast survey. The expedition killed At
bears and many walruses.
The Capella arrived at Cape Teget-
hoff, in search of the expedition. on
July 81 last. On Aug. 8 she met the
Stella Polar, bearing the expedition
headed by Prince Luigi, Duke OF
Abruzzi, which had sailed from Arch
angel to reconnoitre northwest Franz
Josef Land and to meet, If possible, the
Wellman expedition.
Mr.. Wellman and his companions
found no trace in Franz Josef Land of
the missing aeronaut, Professor An
dree,