Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-08-22

found Pcntsen dead but Bjorvig, accord
ing 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
ylyor was safe and cheerful.
Flushing northward through rough ice
md severe storms, with continuous
,nlperature for ten days between 40 and
% degrees below zero. the party found
new lands north Of Freedom island.
whore Nansen landed in 1895.
By the middle of March all hands were
confident Of reaching latitude 81 or SO, If
not the pole itself Then began a sue.
leading the party, fell into a snow-cov-
cred creyasse, seriously injuring one OF
his les and compelling a retreat Two
days Y II the party was arouse at mid
night uy an ice quake under them du,
to pressure. In a few moments many
dogs were crushed and the sledges de-
stIoyed. The members of the expedition
larrowly escaped with their lives, though
Aey managed to save their precious sleep
sng bags and some dogs and provisions.
On Mr.. Wellman's condition becoming
alarming, as Inflammation set in, the
brave Norwegians dragged him On a
sicGCe, by forced matches, nearly 200
miles to headquarters, arriving there ear
ly last April Mr. Wellman is still IN
able TO walk and will probably be per-
manentiy crippled.
After reaching headquarters other
members Of the expedition explored re-
gions hitherto unknown, and important
scientific work was done by Lieut.. Evelyn
3. Baldwin Of the United States weather
bureau, DR.. Edward Hofma of Grand
Ijven, Mich, and A. Harlan of the
l,ted States coast survey. The expe-
,-.tiCn killed forty-seven bears and many
walruses.
!,
in search of the expedition on July -
last. On August 8 she met the Stella
Polar, bearing the expedition headed by
Prince Luigi, Duke of AbruZZi, which
had sailed from Archan-el to reconnoiter
Northwest Franz Joseph Land and to
meet, if possible. the Wellman expedition:
Mr. Wellman and his companions found
no trace in Franz Joseph Land of the
missing aeronaut, Prof. Andree.
1t was the 2Gth of June, 1898. when
Mr.. Wellmans vessel the F'rithjof,
steamed out of Tromsoe, fcr its trip
through the ice fields of the Arctic ocean
for Franz Josef Land. It was under
for the Frithjof had steam in its boilers
only one day later than the explorer had
reckoned On when he made out his timer
AIRY months before in his Washington
home. The expedition from Tromsoe
meant a month Of pounding and pushing
through the Ice to jackson House at Cape
Flora. well to the north in Franz Josef
Land. Then a tramp to the northern
part Of the island to latitude 50 or 49,
where the winter was to be passed.
The 10th Of February was the date set
for breaking camp for that dash of three
or foar months toward the pole and re-
+uIn. 4 thousand miles were to be COW
cred in that short time. and the return
was to be made to the cape in time to
reach Jackson House early enough to
take advantage of the open seas of the
summarizing for the trip by boat back to
Iromsoc. This schedule was followed al
most to day, until the accidents in the
North put an end to the hopes of the eN-
plcrers.
Mr.. Weilman had two objects when he
started for the North. The greater one.
OF course, was to reach the pole The
otter was TO gain knowledge Of the fate
OF Andree, the bold Norwegian who had
attempted to reach the pole by balloon
That Andree was not found at Cape Flo
IN has long been known. Letters from
Mr.: Wellman reached this country last
fail telling of the sorrow and grief of
the members as they approached the cape
and found there no signs of life. and
realized that the adventurer, whom all
SO much admired. must have persisted