The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-08-18
POLAR EXPEDITION RETURNS
HyELLlI1N IND SURFITORS Il RRITE
1T TROMSOE, NORW4Y.

-Important New Lands and Many
Islands sDIscovered-Mr. Wellman I'm.
able TO Walk and Probably Permn.
nentIy CrippIed-No Trace of Andre
Tromsoe, Island of Tromsoe, Norway,
Aug. T.-Walter Wellman and the sur
viyors of the PolaY expedition led by
him arrived here this evening on the
steamer Capella, having successfully
completed their explorations in Franz
Josef Land. Mr.. Wellman 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
a house built of rocks and rooted over
with walrus hides. Two Norwegians,
Paul Bjoervig and Bert Bentzem, the
latter of whom was with Nansen on the
Franz remained there. The main party
Wintered in canvas covered hut called
HarmsWorth house at Cape Tegethoff
on the southern point of Halb Island
latitude So
About the middle of February, before
the rise of the sun to its winter height,
MIR. Wellman, with three Norwegians
and forty-tiYe dogs started north. 1t
was the earliest sledge journey on rec
ord in that high latitude On reaching
Fort Mckinley, Mr.. Wellman found
Bentzem dead, but Bjoervig, 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 sur
vivor was safe and cheerful.
Pushing northward through rough ice
and severe storms, With a continuous
temperature for ten days between 40 and
so 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 conf
dent of reaching latitude 81 or SS, if not
sion of disasters. Mr.. Wellman while
leading the party, fell into snow-cov-
cred crevasse, seriously 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-hags and some
dogs and provisions. On Mr.. Wellmans
condition becoming alarming, as inflam-
nation set in, the brave Norwegians
dragged him on a sledge by forced
marches nearly two hundred miles to
Headquarters, arriving there early last
April Mr.. Wellman is still unable to
walk and will probably be permanently
After reaching headquarters other
members Of the expedition explored re-
gions hitherto unknown, and important
scientific work was done by Lieutenant
Evelyn B. Baldwin Of the United States
weather bureau, DR.. Edward Hofma of
Grand Haven, Mich, and A. Harlan of
he United States coast survey. The
expedition killed fortyseven bears and
many walruses. The Capella arrived at
Cape Tegethoff in search of the eXpedi-
ion on July 81 last On August 8 she
net the Stella Polare, bearing the ex-
1edition headed by Prince Luigi, Duke
If Abruzzi which had sailed from
Archangel to reconnoitre northwest of |
franz Josef Land and to meet If posi-
lie. the Wellman expedition. Mr. Well
nan and his companions found no trace
n Franz Josef Land of the missing |
leronaut, Professor Andre.
The Welman expedition, headed by
Walter Wellman, an American newspa-
,er man. who had already passed eight
months in the Arctic region, left from
oe on June 26, 1898, for the purpose Of
Exploring high latitudes, and after stop
ing at Solombola, near Archangel,
allied for Franz Josef Land on the ice
teamer Fridtiof, loaded with scientific
Instruments, dogs, sledges and provi-
ions While at Archangel the governor
f that place refused to allow the Fridt-
Of and a Spanish ship to sail the same
ay, asserting that he feared the hos
ilities between the United States and
pain would cause an outbreak between
he crews of the two ships, although
he Spanish vessel was trader and
ne armament of Mr. Wellman's steam
r consisted only of harpoon gun. On
ugust 30 of last year the Fridtjof
rrived at Tromsoe, Norway, and re-
orted that Mr.. Wellman had landed
n expedition at Cape Tegethoff and es-
ablishing also supply house at or
ear Cape Flora latitude S0.) This
as the last definite news regarding the
and some anxiety had been
1T as to the fate of Mr.. Wellman and
Is associates Mr.. Wellman, who is a
ative of Ohio and was formerly a well
nown Washington correspondent, has
ways been interested in the literature
Arctic explorations and in 1898 he
to reach the North Pole His ,
Zip, the Ragngnald Jari was crushed
the ice. In the present expedition he
AIMED to push forward to the north
n part of Franz Josef Land, which
i'd been explored as far north as 50
'Grees.
goo PERSONS POISONED.