Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-08-24
VELLNAN Gets BACK
The Survivors Of Polar Expedition
Arrive at Tromsoe, Norway.
A Grim Story Of Arctic Tragedy Brought
BY the Expediti0n-Walter Wellman
Crippled-N0 Trace Of Andree
Found In Franz Josef Land.

TromSOe. Norway, Aug lS.-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-
ton brings a grim story of Arctic
tragedy. In the autumn of 1898 an
outpost called Port Mckinley was es-
tablished in latitude 81. 1t was
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 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 As 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 continu-
GUS temperature for ten days between
40 and so degrees below zero, the party
found new lands north of Freedom is
land, where hansen landed in 1895.
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 a
snow-covered crevasse, seriously injur-
ing one of his legs and compelling
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 mem ers of the eXpedi-
ton 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 on
IA 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; DR.. Edward
Ilofma, of Grand Haven, Mich, and A.
Harlan of the United States coast sur
vey.
The expedition killed Al bears and
many walruses. The Capella arrived
ut Cape Tegethotf, in search of the ex-
petition, on July ", last On August.
., 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 expedition.
Mr.. Wellman and his companions found
no trace in Franz Josef Land of the
missing aeronaut, Prof. Andree.