CHAPTER XII 



ITALIAN EXPEDITION (1899-1900) 



Between the discovery of Franz-Josef Land by the 

 Anstro-Hungarian Expedition and the expedition of the 

 Duke of the Abruzzi a good deal of exploration had 

 taken place. In 1880 and 1881, Leigh Smith in his 

 yacht Eira reached Franz-Josef Land without much 

 difficulty, and surveyed the coast up to Cape Lofley. 

 The Eira, when leaving for the second time, was crushed 

 by the ice near Cape Flora, and sank. The crew built 

 a wretched hovel in which they passed the winter. In 

 the following summer they sailed in their boats to 

 Novaya Zemlya, where they were taken on board a 

 ship which had been sent to their assistance. 



In 1894, Jackson, in the Wmdward, built a station at 

 Cape Flora, on Northbrook Island, and remained there 

 till the autumn of 1897. He made three expeditions 

 with sledges. In the first two he was prevented from 

 advancing towards the north by stretches of open sea. 

 He reached 81° 20'. In the third journey he went 

 towards the west, making the circuit of Alexander Land. 

 He named the most westerly point of the group " Cape 

 Mary Harmsworth. 1 " 1 The sea to the north was called 

 " Queen Victoria Sea." 



In 1898, Wellman in the Frkltjqf landed at Cape 



Tegethoff, and after making some discoveries in the 



eastern part of Franz-Josef Land, returned home next 



year in the Capella. 



261 



