The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1899-08-30
HARDSHIPS OF
POLAR REGIONS
Wellman's Account Of HIS Trip
to Franz JOsefIsnd.
ONE OF THE PARTY DIES
VentIen. q Norwegian comrsde Sue.
eumbs to the Cold Many Adysn'
lures Met Win on tne Trip.
ONE OF THE PARTY DIES

HULL. Eng, Aug. 2S.--Walter Well
man. the l'ader of the Wellman polar
expedition who returned to Tromosc
Norway. August 18th. after having
successfully completed operations In
Franz Joseland has arrived here. HC
walks with the aid Of erutehea, hlr
right leg, which was seriously injured
by a fall into snow covered creyahne
while Mr. wellmAn was leading his
party. still being useless. The ex'
plorer was accompanied BY the Ameri.
can members OF the expedition, who are
well.
In an interview with a representa-
tive OF the Associated Press. Mr.. Well.
man said:
The object OF the expedition was
two.fold- 10 complete the exploration
Of Franz Joaefiand. Of which the nortf
and northeast parts were practically
unknown. and 10 reach u high latitude,
or even the pole itself. The drat OBJ
Jest was successfully accomplished.
The second would have been achieved
at least TO greater extent than by
previous explorers. but for the acct
dent TO myself
Mr. wellman rccounted the start
ing Of the expedition from Tromsoe.
June 20. 1895. how 1, reached Elnwood.
the headquarters OF the Jackson ex-
pedltlon July s0th, and hoisted there
the stars and stripes underneath the
Union Jack which had been lying over
the deserted settlement for nearly two
years.
The provisions left for Prof. Andree.
the missing aeronaut, were found by
Mr.. wellmRn untouched.
After leaving letters about his eS-
peditlon and taking oollapsiblc house
with him. Mr.. wellman proceeded due
east for Cape reEethoft and arrived
there July 50. 1885, The party landed
all the stores and the steamer returned
" Norway.
Ne established our headquarters
In the little house brought from
Jaekson's headquarters, continued Mr.
wellman. over which few the stars
and Stripes. ~
Desiring to push further northowith
the greatest speed, dispatched Bald
win August 9Th. with the Norwegians
sleiges. dogs and boats, myself and
others intending 10 follow In few
days.
shortly after Daldwin's departure. l
discovered that, owing to a sudden
break up OF the ice was unable TO
proceed. but l sent two Norwegians to
inform Baldwin 10 build his outpost,
leave the two men In charge OF II and
return to my headquarters"
Here Lieutenant Evlin b. Baldwin,
OF the bureau told OF the doings OF his
expedition. He said;
September 2lst my party reached
Cape Hellar, In latitude 81. where we
decided TO make an outpost. From the
very outset. we had constant fight
with the high seas, ice and wind and
there was continued fog. The Ice
underneath US parted with terrific
crashes leaving us adrift on small foes.
Here we built station ana called It
Fort Mckinley. We stocked II with
blubber and meat and leaving there
two volunteers, VentEen and Bjortvig,
l started to return October 20, to Mr..
Wellman's headquarters. arriving there
October sOth, In safety, in spite Of great
hardshIps, cold. darkness and ice.
THE party spent the winter comfort
ably In Harmsworth's house, which
was completely buried In snow. They
killed many bears.
MIR. wellmSn. February Is, 1899, with
Norwegians, with sledges and dogs,
started north"
Mr.. Wellman, continuing, said:
February 70, 1899, arrived at Fort
Mckinley Bjortvlg, rifle In hand.
stood at the mouth OF the snow tunnel,
He rung my hand and with tears In
his eyes sald Poor VentEen Is dead
or course you have buried him. !
said.
"'No,' Bjortvig said, he lies there
pointing to the house. i have kept my
promise
"The two men had compact that In
case Of death, the survivor should keep
the body until help came, In the little
hut the quick and the dead had slept
side by side through two months OF
Arctic darkness.
"BJortvlg, said he had managed to
keep up his spirits by recitlng Ibsen's
poetry.
THE next day we gathered stones
and under these we buried our dead
comrade. A few fitting words were
spoken as we stood around In 70 de-
grees OF frost,
after delay of ten days the party,
including Bjortvig pressed north in
sledges and by March until we reached
SO degrees east of Rudolph island.
THE prospects then were reassuring
We had three months of the best sea-
son before us and were confident Of
reaching 81 degrees. Though. Of course
we had suffered from cold, we were all
In fine form,