While there are deeds of daring to be done men will be found to do them. Captain Scott’s terrible story of his hardships, privations and finally his tragic death are still fresh in the minds of all, but it in no way deters others from following his noble example. The North Pole was discovered by Peary in 1906, but science is not yet satisfied. Peary reported that he sighted land and that, in his opinion, there was an Arctic continent. What is this continent made of? Are there any inhabitants? If so, what are their language and customs? What are the fauna and flora of this unknown region? Two men are heading expeditions at present with the purpose of answering these questions and are willingly risking their lives and those of many others to satisfy the demands of science. And these two men are Vilhjalmar Stefansson and Donald McMillan.
On June 18 the Stefansson expedition set sail from Victoria, B.C., under the command of Captain Bartlett, Peary’s old sailing master. Its first port was Nome, Alaska, where it was joined by the chief explorer himself and other members of his party and from which it headed for the Arctic regions.
The expedition consists of two parties, the northern and southern, so called from the routes they intend to take. The first goes on board the ship Karluk, the second on the Alaska, the latter being in charge of R. M. Anderson, Stefansson’s comrade on his last expedition.
On leaving Nome they both proceeded by way of Bering Strait to the Arctic Ocean while it is free of ice. Thence they will head for Beaufort Sea, where the two sections are to part company. The northern party on board the Karluk will face due north toward the region where the Arctic continent is reported to exist. The danger of the ship being caught in the ice and crushed into pieces is imminent, but they are prepared for all such emergencies. If the continent is found the party will disembark and the ship return to Herschell Island. If not found they will make Prince Patrick Island their headquarters and make winter sleigh journeys north and east. The time to be spent on the expedition is by no means definite, but in all probability it will be about three years.
Neither part of the expedition has any intention of trying to reach the Pole. The aim is practical and commercial in addition to being scientific. In all there are eleven scientists going on the trip, the greater number being on the Alaska.
Stefansson’s definite aim is to find the Arctic continent, to explore it and collect specimens of the fauna and flora. He even thinks it possible that he may find a new race as on his last expedition, when he discovered the blond Eskimos. With him goes James Murray, a noted oceanographer who accompanied Shackleton on his Antarctic expedition, as well as two other distinguished scientists, W. T. McKinlay, a magnetician of Glasgow, and George Mallock, a Canadian geologist.
The purpose of the southern party is even more definite still. They are to explore known lands—to map the islands east of the mouth of the MacKenzie River, make a collection of the fauna and flora, take a survey of the channels in the hope of establishing trade routes and thoroughly explore the lands of the blond Eskimos of Coronation Gulf and Victoria Land, which lies south of Banks Land.
Stefansson and Anderson both know their territories between Alaska and the MacKenzie River and their crews are men well used to the Arctic regions. The scientific staff is the best to be had, being drawn from all parts of the world, and many of the men have also been on similar expeditions in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. One of the most important people in the southern expedition will be the official photographer, who will also make cinematograph films showing the life and customs of the natives of the countries they explore. No trouble, no expense is to be spared. The total cost will be defrayed by the Canadian Government and the sole management is in the hands of Stefansson.
But this is not the only Arctic expedition on its way. There it another, known as the Crocker Land expedition, which set sail July from New York. The aim of this party is to explore the Arctic continent sighted by Peary in 1906.
This expedition is in charge of Donald B. McMillan, who was one of the Peary expedition. With him go six other men, all well known, and a crew of twenty-eight. This trip is financed by the American Museum of Natural History, the American Geographical Society and by private subscription.
The San Francisco Call, San Francisco, CA, July 27, 1913