Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1901-12-16
NORTH POLE EXPLORERS LOST.
End of Search for Three Missing Men
of Italian Expedition.

End of Search for Three Missing Men
of italian Expedition.
The patty which the duke of the
Abruzzi sent to Franz Josef Land in
March last to search for the three
missing men who were lost on one of
his sledging expeditions last year has
returned to Sandeford, Norway. The
expedition brings no news of the lost
explorers, and the conclusion is
inevitable that the unfortunate men
on their journey over the sea ice back
to the Dukes headquarters lost their
way and persisted Of their privations.
In the sledging season of 1900 the
duke OF the Abruzzi sent two ex-
petitions north to find the northern
limit of Franz Josef Land and to
travel as far north toward the pole
as possible. Both started from the
vessel Stella Polare, when she was
frozen in the ice in latitude 81 degrees
So minutes The first expedition was
q failure owing to the frightful cold,
the temperature falling to an unusual
ly low point. The party returned to
the ship late in February.
On March II fresh attempt was
made. Ten men and many dogs
started northward. The cold was still
bitter, the mercury sometimes falling
to ffty-eight degrees below zero. The
travelling was difficult, for the ice was
very rough wherever it was not
covered by heavy snow. In ten days
Captain Cagni and his men had made
only forty-three and half miles from
the ship
1t was now evident that if a long
journey was made the party must be
reduced in size, as the provisions
would not suffice for ten men; SO
Lieutenant F. Querini, the helmsman,
H. Stokken, and the Alpine guide, F..
Ollier, were instructed to return to
the ship. Nothing was heard from
them after they started on the return
journey Ten days later Captain
Cagni decided to reduce still further
his party and sent back three more
men, who safely reached the Stella
Polare and were much surprised to
learn that their comrades had not ar
rived.
Meanwhile Captain Cagni with two
Alpine guides and one seaman pushed
his way to the moth, passed Nansen's
furthest, and on April 26 touched sc
degrees 80 minutes latitude, the
nearest approach yet made to the
pole. Here they determined to turn
back, as their lives would be i'm
perilled if they tried to advance
further with their slender supply of
food. They reached the ship on June
%, with two sledges and seven dogs.
From the force remaining at the
ship the duke of the Abruzzi had sent
out search parties in all directions
No trace was found, but the supplies
Of food were left at places which 1t
was thought the lost men might reach,
and soon after the expedition had re-
turned home it's leader began prepare
tions for sending out the search ex-
petition that has just returned from
its fruitless mission.
The whaling vessel Capella was
chartered and put in command OF
Captain Stokken, father Of the miss
ing helmsman. If the men were still
olive there could be no doubt that
they would make their way to the
south coast, where they would be sure
to meet their rescuers.
The relief party made a careful
search of the entire south coast, but
not a trace could they find of the lost
men. Every hope was finally aban-
doned, and the prov of the Capella
was turned homeward after a stone
monument had been reared at Cape
Flora to the memory of three more
victims of the ice sea.