The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1899-08-29
WILL NOT RETURN
To the Artic Regions Though
Certain North Pole can be
Found.

Hull, Eng Aug. 2s-Walter welrnan,
the leader Of the Wellman polar expedl-
tiOn, who returned to Tromose Norway.
August II after hsssing successfully COM
pleting operations in Franz Josef land.
arrived here today. He walks with the
aid Of crutches, his right leg. which was
seriously injured by fall into a snow
covered crevasse while Mr.. WeHman was
leading nts party. stiil being useless The
explorer was accompanied by the Ameri-
can members of teh expedition who are
well. In an interview with representa-
tive OF the Associated Press, Mr.. Well
man sad:
The object OF the expedition was two
fold. To complete the exploration Of
| Franz Josef land. of which the first OBJ
ject was successfully accomplished. The
second would have been achieved, at least
to a greater extent than by previous ex-
piorers but for the accident TO myself"
Mr.. Weuman recounted the starting OF
the expedition from Tromsoe June l6, 1893
how 1t reached Eimwood. the headquar-
ters Of the Jackson expedition and hoist
ed there the stars and stripes underneath
the Union Jack which had been flying o.
er the reserted settlement for nearly two
years.
The provisions left for Prof .Andree,
the missing aeronaut, were found by Mr..
Wellman, untouched.
After leaving letters about this expedt-
tion and taking collspsible house with
him Mr.. Mellman proceeded due east for
Cape Tgelhoff and arrived there July
SO 1888. There the party landed all 1.-THE
stores and the steamer returned 10 Nor
way
1--WE established our headquarte = IN
the little house brought nom Jacksons
headquarters. continued Mr.. Wellman,
''over which flew the stars and strpes.
Desiring TO push further north with the
greatest speed. / dispatched Baldwin,
August 6th with the Norwegians. sledges
dogs and boats myself and others in
tending 10 follow In a few days. shortly
after Baldwln's departure, noticed
that, owing tc a break up OF the ice,
was unable to proceed but sent two
Norwegans 10 Baldwin. with instructions
60 build his outpost. leave two men IN
charge OF 81 and return to ms hedqusr-
tsrs
Here Lieut.. Baldwin told OF the dolngs
Of his expedition. He eaidi
September 2, my party reached Cape
Hellar IN latitude 81. where we decided to
make an oatpost. From the very outset
We had a constant fight with the h gh
seas, Ice and wind and there was a con-
tlnua1 fog, The ice underneath us parted
with terrific crashes leaving us adrlft on
called & Fort Mckinley. We stosked Il
with blubber and meat and. leaving there
two volunteers, Ventzen and Bjorvia,
started TO return October % TO Mr.. Well
mans headquarters. arriving there oc-
tOber 50 In safety IN spite OF great hard
ships. cold, darkness and Ice The party
spent the winter comfortably in Harms-
worth house which was completely bur-
led in snow. They killed many bears. Mr..
Wellman. February IS, 1889. with Norweg-
ians' with sledges ana dogs started up
north"
Mr.. Wellman, continuing said. "Febru-
airy &C. I arrived al Fort Mckinley, B5or-
via, rifle in hand stood az the mouth OF
the snow tunnel. He wrung my hand ana
with tears IN his eyes, said. Poor Vent
zen Is dead"
'Of course you have buried him" said.
No. Bjoryig replied. "he lies there
pointing 10 The hut. Il have kept my
promise"
'Frhe two men had made compact that
in case OF death the survivor should keep
the body until help came. In the ittle hut
the quick and the dead had slept side by
side through two months OF arctic da X
ness"
POETRY KEPT HIM UP:
Bjorvt5 said he had managed 20 keep
up hia spirits by repeating aloud Ibsen's
poetry.
''rhe next day We gathered stones and
under these we buried our dead comrade.
few fitting words were apc zen as We
stood around IN seevnty degrees of frost.
After a daay Of tsn days. the party In.
Guiding Bjorvtg pressed north IA slsdsss
and BY marsh until we reached q de-
Erees east Of 4.udolph island The pros
pects thsn we're most assuring We had