Evening star., 1909-08-22
WELLMAN TRIP IS OFF

Continued from First Pagel
great height we met strong current
OF wind. The motor was still running
smoothly and we We're travelling thirty
i've miles an hour northeast. Land was
disappearing 10 the south
Effect Of Loss of Rope
"Wellman left the bridge and wen.
forward To consult Naniman. They
agreed that the loss of the guide rop.,.
which destroyed vertical equilibrium
OF the ship. made a continuance OF the
voyage impossible and we opened the
valve to get the ship lower
'Wellman took the wheel and steered
toward Noselsang. The ship was bat
Ting against strong wind. The pro-
peliers. working powerfully. enabled US
at times TO gain a little. but at other
times we lost ground We descended
slowly, and in the lower altitude found
the wind less violent Finally We struck
IN altitude where the wind was light.
miles an hour. Then the motor stop
ped. probably on account of the loss
of equilibrium.
The shape of the balloon ,as il was
. when We started was now lost through
the letting out of SO much gas at y high
altitude. and the engineers set anout re-
inf1ating ii to restore its original form.
"Wellman called to Naniman TO get out
the retarder and to replace the guide
rope in case We should get near the sur
face OF the water. Vaniinan found great
difficulty in arranging the tackle in this
unexpected manner, but the retarder was
finally let down.
With the motor stopped, we drifted
northward over the ice fields i'm complete
silence. Wellman caught sight of two
ships far to the south. which proved 10
be the Fran and the Arctic. carrying a
Norwegian expedition.
IA little later the engineer succeeded in
starting the motor. and our course was set
southwest, Wellman having declared he
would return to his camp. The retarder
was floating on the sea or sliding over Ice
fields. Occasionally loops in the impro-
vised guide rope would catch i'll the ice
and 1t was necessary to swing the ship
around in order to release it.
Line Held by Ice Floe.
Near the edge OF the floating ice the
line was caught and held fast by an ice
foe The steamer Fran had seen us and
come near. and Wellmaa shouted to the
crew to send off a boat to release the
line, not wishing to cut it because II
would be useful in making landing.
The Fran sent off boat and released
the line. Meanwhile Wellman and Vani-
man consulted and decided TO have the
Fran try to tow the America back TO
the camp
'The Fran took the airship in tow and
proceeded for two hours towing us slow
ly. The wind became stronger and the
airship jerked and careened from side to
side. Vaniman suggested that the Fran
send boat to trail from the rear end
| retarder rope.
This was done and the ship rode
easier for half an hour. At the end of
that time the tOw-rope began straining
the steel car in a violent manner again
and Wellman decided to come down to
the surface Of the water in order to per-
nit the taking off OF the instruments,
the crew and the dogs.
This was successfully carried out and
all were taken aboard the Fran.
Then the wind freshened suddenly and
the cable tow parted. The America
fioated away rapidly, the Fran following
finally recovering her.
Strange to say the America was little
damaged and alr her parts will be used
| in a new airship. The motors and other
machinery were undamaged."