Evening journal., 1897-03-13
Mr.. MISREPRESENTATION
Parties of Scientists to Explore
North Pacific Coasts.
HUNT FOR EARLY TRACES OF MAN.

HUNT FOR EARLY TRACES OF MAN. |
Six Years to Be Spent In Quest OF Data
showing the Reiationshin Between Asi
attic and American Races pimcuities
Of the Enterprise.
NEW YORK, March 13.--The details oi
tho expedition proposed by Morris X Jea.
up, president Of the American Museum OF
Natural History, for the exploration OF the
coasts Of the north Pacific ocean and the
study Of the races living thore have been
given out by DR. Franz Boas, assistant
curator Of the anthropological department
Of the museum
The main object Of the expedition Is tc
investigate and establish the chronological
relations between the races OF America anc
Asia and Is intended as contribution &C
the solution OF that question To this emo
three parties will be sent into the field
One will work on the coast OF the Okhotsk
sea, another will explore the west coast OF
America, and tho third will be stationed
at the northern part Of the Bering sea-
The funds for the work will be provided
10y Morris X. .Jesup and 1t Is expected
that the cost will be about S75, 600.
The start win be made early this spring
DR. Boas will personally conduct tho west
American coast party and will be assisted
by Harlan 1. Smith, an attache of his de
partment in the museum. His other as
sistants will be employed on the field
About four months will be devoted to that
portion, and then the party viii conduct
further explorations along the Amoo,
river, I'm Siberia 1t has not yet been de
termined who will conduct the other TIVE
parties
While it is expected that the object o.
the exploration can be accomplished IL
about six years, Mr. Jesup has set no limit
TO the time which must be consumed anc
has declared bis intention Of seeing thl
matter through no matter what cost ol
length Of time are required In connection
with the anthropological investigations
n collection of such antiquities as art
found to have any bearing on the sublecl
will be made, and the subjects will b.,
placed in the museum, where a place ha
already been selected for their accommoda
tion. The collection feature of the expedi.
tion, however, is merely incidental Co ia
main object
Importance of the Problem.
Speaking Of the value Of the proposec
undertaking to a reporter, DIR. BOas said
There are few problems that are o0
greater Importance to our knowledge o.
the early history of the American rae,
than its relations to the races of the Old
world The discussion Of this problem har
been going on for long period, but 49,
study has never been taken up I'm q sys
tematic manner. While some investigator
maintain that American culture has growI
up spontaneously, others claim to recog
nize traces OF Asiatic culture in America
Two ways OF connection between the new
world and the old world have been sug
gested, the one leading over the islands o.
the Pacific to South America the othel
leading along the coasts OF the North Ia
cilc ocean to our continent The problem
that It is proposed to take up relates to TN
northern area
"Still more doubtful is the racial rela
tionship between the peoples of Asia an
! America The opinion that the peoples O
British Columbia are more closely relate
to the Asiatic race than any other Mort
American Indians has not been sustaine
10y any material from the Asiatio side
| The final solution Of these questions re
! quires a systematic study Of the Who'll
area. Anthropologists will appreciate tn
! I
possible to investigate this important prob
lcm energetically before the DESTRUCTIVE
influences of civilization will have de
stroyed the primitive cultures entirely.
Il refer 20 the Siberian railway, now II
process OF construction and soon to be
come an accomplished fact. There Is d
doubt that the tribes of Siberia who ar
already in state of general degeneration
will be wiped out altogether by the rail
road, with its attendant ciyilizing inhu
ences.
Peoples of Siberia.
"Our knowledge Of the ethnology Of tn
Pacific coast OF Siberia is largely base
upon the reports of carly travellers. Stel
ler's description of Kamtchatka supplies
gap that cannot be filled today. Tho ciI
COMMUNICATION OF the globo OF the las
century and Of the beginning Of this con
tury have furnished us with fragmentar
material from those regions, hut the onl
contribution that can claim any great SCI
entific value is that of Sohronck on th
peoples OF the Amoor. The mythology q
the whole region is practically unknown.
"On the American side our informa
ton is somewhat fuller. Investigations Il
British Columbia have been carried on 70
number Of years under the auspices q
the British Association For tho Advanc,
ment Of Science (mainly by Boas), bu
much remains 60 be done.
Work on the Pacific coast OF Americ
will be commenced this spring in field
that have heretofore remained unexplorc
and will DO continued as long as impol
tant gaps in our knowledge Of the ethnol,
gy Of the coast remains to be filed.
"Ihe regions in which investigation
are TO be carried on offer peculiar diflicu
ties on account Of the multitudos Of tribes
While almost the whole Of Siberia il IN
habited by tribes akin in language an
similar in type the eastern coast is ooci
pied by a variety Of races Tho same
true in America, where, in the interior
we find vast sweep Of country inhahitC
by one people, while the diversity OF Ian
guage and races on the coast is almost il