The sun., 1896-06-21
yorAG1NG TO THE EAR NORTH.
Interesting Talk with Mariner Who @oes
for Business, Not Discovery.


Miner w. Bruce, known in Alaska to almost
every person, native or:white. within that vast
region, will sail for the north in the schooner
Ella johnson of Cook Inlet fame some time to-
morrow. Miner Bruce has been in Alaska for
good many years, and Ia as familiar with
the geography and customs OF the country 1,
the merchant is with the interior Of his store
He has written a book on Alaska which has
been perused by thousands of people in the
United States, and has prepared an excellent
rab of the coast Of that country and of eastern
Siberia.
When the Ella johnson sails tomorrow she
will ha,e ten men aboard. besides the leader.
about 100. tons of meSc nandise for trading.
and some Lumber. She will go first 10 Una
laska. and from there TO st. Lawrence Bay.
OF Siberia, two men will be left. who viii
gather herd of reindeer together, TO be called
going up is for the construction OF their winter
quarters, S.. and two years supplies OF food will
viii 90 to Cape Hope. at which @ @ POINT W the mor
chandise aboard will be traded Off to the ua-
ttves. He will then return to East Cape, and
left there. viii proceed up the Siberian coast
In an attempt to reach the far northern point,
tude. about the crossing Of the Arctic Circle.
On the way he win stop at Cape serdze, and
, This bay on the Siberian coast is as great in
extent as Cook Inlet, and has probably never
been bee entered cred before by vessel manned by
brought TO the United States reindeer station
then 20 back TO Siberia in the Ella johnson.
and remain until driven out by tae Ice. He
return before the middle OF September.
In 1898 he took fourteen deer from that side,
AM and they were taken to san Francisco In III
Frnncisfo only one is now living: Il. is at
pnTk In hta otty- A
on whioh the q animals @ feed was % gathered. but but
ran out after a month, and during the remain
der OF the voyage the brutes sustained life on
This is the only instance where reindeer
sSd sEpF spueS ass tho Ss
Hotel last night The natives are very su per-
siitious and seem 70 think i win bring dieas-
white men and taken out Of the country. They
will XIII the deer and sell tho meat, but not the
this expedition. am fearful OF not being eble
TO buy them For that reason will establish
the station ion at East Cape TO gather reindeer up
have them ready TO bring across next summer.
ihif will be the first time have ever gone into
money: and viii teke lot Of %inehesters
voy at Washington have obtained the permis.
sion OF that Government TO trade in Siberia.
nooI,~ wish yn1 you would particularly impress % on
for Nansen. ! was offered $1,000 yesterday
by prominent newspaper 10 send them nows
had reached the pole. am not going To look
Tor him; H. and & VII make every effort 70 get down
of him would make an attempt to reach him.
,. Nanfen ~ ,Gi will. II my opinion. be first heard
Atlantic side in June. 1893, with twelve men
In h!s party. His idea was TO get as far north
as possible S IN their vessel get frozen IN the iee
pole. He based his theory on tho iinding Of
some throwing sticks picked up in 1899 on the
prevent 70 be those used by the Alaskan Eski;
S Ge waT ThSy STer from th9Ssh to haze
they dropped on some whaler.
don! take much stock in the theory of cur
so Se e' s &
loft for the pole. II is thoroughly ittsd out,
! last. y was reported that Nanscn was return
Ing, but II was proven to be without foundation.
In the delta of he Lena River. II he had como
n1wn DOWN o tnr"miGh Eastern Siberia he would have
quain.ed with tho history. OF former expedi-
ticns. will probably take that course.
bcra and Alaska. so far " as am able. TO look
out for Andre. tho Frenchmnn who is going TO
attempt the finding Of the North Pole N BAL
loon. lie Is now ftJtng out in France. under
stand several European Governments are back.
ing % him. iie Will 20 as tar north as possible In
bic VIII int unt in balloon, dependig o the air
currents 10 watt him over the pole. The attempt
p''c'Nllous, HS tHC currents arc lubI AS
liable to carry him the wrong as the right way.
The great confederation in these sxpedi-
tions Is the food supply and its transportation.
DE Long reached n point within but 400 miles
OF ihe pole, and was Obliged To turn back be-
causo OF iEsuilicicrcy OF provisions. Just
think of 1t! Within 400 miles and then to turn
back. l believe Nansen will fail for the same
reason.
I have theory Of my yn which believe
to he tho only one by which the pole can be
reached. Instead OF TAX ing along u lot Of men
loaded down with provisions. dogs and rein
deer should he taken. Let your food walk in
the country. The dogs should be OF u breed cs-
pcCially adapted 10 travelling In that country,
a mixture something like the Eskimo dog and
tho st. Bernard. They should be rugged. strong,
and well trained. and laden with provisions
for themselves and few men. The reindeer
should also be trained and packed Three
men could take care OF a couple OF hundred
such an nmals, and rs ford ran short they could
be killed and eaten. the remains being cached
In the snow or ice to he used on the return.
Instead Of taking n lot of men and sleds, a
small party Of that kind, travelling as fast as
possible, with no stop To go into winter quar-
ters, would run the greatest chance OF reach.
ing the object OF their search. ! believe tho
region about the pole Is "A solid, level, jam OF
ice without Hoes or breaks
Why don't you undertake II, Mr.. Brucef"
oh, I'm gettinR-to0 old" was the response.
And. remember. Vie added. energeticaily, as
the thought struck him, II am positively not