The Portland daily press., 1897-01-15

northern terminus Of the North Green.
land Archipelago, pro baby not far from
the eighty fifth parallel, with caches be-
hinu it az each prominent headiana.
FROM this point, when the proper time
came, with picked dogs, the lightest
possible equipment, and two of the best
of the Ell KINDS, the dash for the pole
would be attempted with strong proba-
biliries of q successful termination.
"Should the first season be unfavorable
as regards ice conditions, it could be de-
voted to detailed survey Of the archi-
pelago itself and n reconnaissance of the
| east coast as far south as possible, and
the northern journey reserved for the
following season, or the next. Each sue
ceeding summer the snip would ATTEMPT
to establish communication with the
party's base, succeeding probably every
other year at first, then with increasing
experience, every year, and KEEP UP its
supply of food, dogs and Esklmos until
the objects of the expedition were ac-
oomplished. Should the ship be unsuc-
cessful in the passage of Robenson chan
Delsthe first year, the party would land
at Hayes's Sound, and devote the first
year to explorations of that unknown
region. Retreat from the colony at
Sherard Osborne Fjord would always be
practicable across the inland Ice to Whale
Sound.
"The points in favor of the project
are:
81. The utilization of the Eskimo,
the people best fitted in the world for
that particular kind of work. Men who,
under the leadership Of one whom they
know to be their friend, and in whom
they have the utmost condolences, would
follow tosthe end, faithful and loyal as
their own magnificent dogs
"What could be moro effective, more
practical, than a party, its rank and file
made up of the children Of the North
Pole itself, surgeon for emergencies,
and leader to furnish will, intelligence
and direction.
ss2. Land for base. The party
launched into the icy watste from the
Northern archipelago would have some
definite, fixed point to which to return,
rather than ship drifting with the
drifting ice, to vanish like will-o' 1.-THE.
wisp. as did the Fran from Nansen.
Then should the party be swept westerly
In it's retreat it would still strike land,
and finding depots at each prominent
headlsnd could easily reach headquarters.
SO. A practicable and already utilized
route for retreat independent OF the ship
or outside assistance.
SIN nutshell, my project means, first,
the raising of a sum sufficient to insure
persistent, continued effort, SO that II the
attempt fails the first year it can be re-
peated tho next, and the next and the
next until it is done.
''Second, the establishment Of party
of picked Eskimo families, a surgeon and
an experienced leader at the highest
practicable point on the northwest coast
Of Greenland, with ample supplies,
means of communication, which would
enable the colony to sustain itself until
its work is accomplished, and with q
practicable line Of retreat entirely indie
pendent of the ship.
"There is not man or woman here
tonight whose heart would not thrill
with patriotism to see the realization Of
this project and know that it was
American money, intelligence. energy
and endurance that has scaled the apex
of the earth and lighted it with Old
Glory.