The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-24

next season q march over the hummocky ice
which surrounds the Pole II is greatly TO be feared
that this will count against him, and as he says
himself the place for an Arctic explorer Is In front
Of his men lie may be fortunate enough To
strike q very open season but the period for which
that would continue would be limited, and I'M
less the speed Of the Windward could be doubled
he might miss the favorable moment and be hope
lcssly barred out when almost in sight OF the
goal Of his ambition An explorer may be for
tunate enough to And such season at his first
trial, and he may wait Ave or six years without
IL coming to him,
His fellow explorer, Sverdrup, was but little
more fortunate last season The Fran was
stuck at Cape Sabine, a little north OF II, and
there spent the winter with but slight opportuni-
ties for achieving anything Of scientific interest.
Elesmereland was thoroughly explored by Sver-
drup valuable geographical data were acquired
and complete meteorological records were made.
but there was no striking success such as Nan
sens, or as is embodied in making distinctly
notable discovery. The winter, too. witnessed
a death the surgeon OF the party, DR. Svensen
having succumbed to the intense cold Of the win
ter The Fram's crew was a strange mixture:
Sverdrup. neTchant shipmaster; Baumann,
a naval lieutenant: Ysachen. a cavalry captain;
four professors and a miscellaneous crew, only
effort to get north, and it is proposed that II she
can reach a point at about the entrance to Ken
nedy Channel before the close of navigation this
season, Sverdrup and Ysachen shall be landed
with dog teams, to try and sledge to the Pole:
or ifthat is not feasible to work round the northern
extremity Of Greenland and down the unexplored
portion Of its eastern coast. the Fran coming
south again, going round Cape Farewell and
working UP the coast to point where she would
meet them, her people thus making the record
OF acknowledging Greenland.
But In the matter Of sledging they are not nearly
30 we'll fitted out Peary He has the excep-
tonal advantage of having Eskimo dog drivers
the very best in the world, and. given the dogs
they can accomplish what no other people would
dare attempt Their only fault in this respect
is that they are mcrciess to their dogs. and I'M
less the supply is abundant the success Of an
expedition is liable to be ieopardized at critical
point Thus. out of Pearys sixty dogs, thirty
persisted during the from cruelty and
overwork while the Norwegians lost only three
out of their seventy-five. II is on the cards that
Sverdrup favored by Pesry's inaction at Etah
this summer, may make a good northing and
get the opportunity to score point Of value
over his American rival which the latter might
have returned with interest but for his unfor-
tunate accident But this season is not much
more open than the last and on Aug. 10 Capt.
| John Bartlett OF the Windward saw the Fran
| six miles north OF Littleton Island which dis
tance she took five days to make II Is not very
| likely as Kane Basin freezes over early in Sep
| TENDER that Sverdrup will get much farther north
| this season than he did last. nor do his scien
| tihc or geographical discoveries promise TO bt
much more valuable.