The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-08-18
Arctic Explorer Alone
Two Months With
Death.
WALTER WELLMAN HEARD FROM.
Prevented By Misfortune
From Reaching
North Pole.

1IO4iSoe, lSidHu OIL IrOmSOe, Norway
Aug. 17-Walter Wellmau and the
survivors of the polar expedition led by
him arrived here this evening on the
steamer Capella, having successfully
completed their explorations in Franz
Josef Land. Mr. Weuman has discov-
cred important new lands and many
islands.
The expedition brings grim story
of Arctic tragedy. In the autumn of
1898 an outpost called Fort Mckinley
was established in latitude 81. 1t was
house built of rocks and rooted over
Paul Bioervig and Bert Bentzen, the
latter of whom was with Nansen on the
Fran, remained there.
The main party wintered in a 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, before
the rise of the sun to its winter height,
Mr.. Wellman, with three Norwegians
and IS dogs, started north. 1t was the
earliest sledge journey on record in
that high latitude.
On reaching Fort Mckinley, Mr..
Wellman found Bentzen dead, Bjoervg,
according to promise, had kept the
body in the house, sleeping beside 1t
through two months of Arctic dark
ness. Notwithstanding his terrible ex-
perience, the survivor was safe and
cheerful
Pushing noShward through rough ice
and severe storms, with a continuous
temperature for ten days between 40
and 80 degrees below zero, the party
found new lands north of Freedom
island where Nansen 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 a succession of disasters.
Mr. Wellman, while leading the party,
fell into snow covered crevasse, Sc
riously injuring one of his legs and
compelling a retreat.
Two days later the party was reused
at midnight by an ice quake under
them, due to pressure. In a few mo-
ments 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 becoming
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.
Mr.. Wellman is still unable to walk
and will probably be permanently Grip
pied.
After reaching headquarters other
members of the expedition explored re-
gions hitherto unknown and important
scientific work was done by Lieut. Ev-
Ign Baldwin of the United States
weather bureau, DR.. Edward Hofma of
Grand Haven, Mich, and A. Harlan
of the United States coast survey. The
expedition killed AZ bears and many
Walruses.
The Capella arrived at Cape Teget-
hof in search of the expedition on July
q last. On Aug. 9 she met the Stella
Polare, bearing the expedition headed
by Prince Luigi, Duke of Abruzzi,
which had sailed from Archangel to
reconnoiter 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, Prof Andree.
The WellmaG expedition, headed by
Walter Wellmap, an American news
paper man, formerly Washington cor
respondent of the Chicago Times Her
aid, who had already passed eight
months in the Arctic regions, left
Tromsoe on June &C. 1885, for the pur-
pose of exploring high ATTITUDES, and,
after stopping at Solombola, near
Archangel, sailed for Franz Josef land,
on the ice steamer Fridtjof loaded with
scientific instruments, dogs, sledges
and provisions.
While at Archangel the governor Of
that place refused to allow the Fridt-
jof and Spanish ship to sail the same
day, asserting that he feared the hos
tilities between the United States and
Spain would cause an outbreak be-
tween the crews of the two ships, al
though the Spanish vessel was trad
err and the armament of Mr. Wellman' S
steamer consisted only of a harpoon
gun.
On Aug. 80 of last year the F'ridtjof
arrived at Tromsoe, Norway, and re-
ported that Mr.. Wellman had landed
an expedition at Cape Tegethoff, es.-
tablishing also a supply house at or
near Cape Flora dat. S0). This was
the last definite news regarding the I'M
dertaking, and some anxiety had been
felt as to the fate of Mr. Wellman and
his associates.
Mr. Wellman, who is a native of
Ohio, and was formerly a well-known
Washington correspondent, has always
been interested in the literature of Arc
tic exploration, and in 1898 he attempt
ed to reach the north pole. His ship,
the Ragnald Jari, was crushed in the
ice In the present expedition he
planned to push forward into the north
ern part Of Franz Josef land, which had
been explored as far north as So de-
grees.