The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-02-11

IS - Oh tlt- ~ q =.
Two Others to Follow shortly.
The most extensive explorations ever
carried On by the Government are about
to be undertaken by the officers Of the
Geological Survey between the Arctic Cir
Gle and the shores of the Arctic Ocean n
Alaska. Preparations were begun last
summer. and one OF the large appro-
priation bills now pending in Congress
makes provision for paying the necessary
expenses.
Although the actual work Of exploring
unknown territory VIII not begin until
late in the coming spring the remote
ness of the region makes it necessary
that The members of the expedition leave
Washington Immediately. One section Of
it set out several days ago and the
rema Under OF the party viii leave within
the next two or three weeks. or as soon
as it becomes absolutely certain that
the expected appropriation from Con
gress viii not be withheld
BY the middle OF April the members
Of the exploring party must have reach d
Bergman, in the vicinity Of the Perry
trading station, away up above the
Arctic Circle, about due north from the
centre of the Alaska peninsula This
means that the persons composing i
must travel by dog team over the snow
from Prince William Sound which is
on the south central coast of Alaska. IN
a northwesterly direction a distance of
about 400 miles
The place of rendezvous is the mouth
OF the Allenklakat River. a northerIy
branch of the Koyukuk, which stream
flows IN turn into the mighty Yukon
The rendezvous is thus nearly GG0
miles northwest from Sitka. the capital
OF Alaska, while it is about 25G miles
south OF the nearest point on the Arctic
Ocean
The leaders Of the exploration party.
which will operate during the next year
IN three detachments, are " J. Peters.
". c. Mendenhall, and T. G. Gerdins-
Although there are probably many peo-
pie n the United States who would re
celVe such a statement with surprise II Is
nevertheless fact that upward Of one
third OF the whole peninsula of Alaska IS
about as little known as the interior Of
Africa vas q few years ago
The region 10 be trayersed BY the ex-
ploring expeditions now being fitted out
comprises almost every mile of the dis
lance east and west from a few miles
north OF Behring Strait 10 the Mckenzie
River Basis. in the wilderness Of British
North America North and south the I'M
explored territory ranges from q distance
Of 10 10 $50 miles. Roughly estimating It
The great Alaskan wilderness which the
coming exploring parties are TO travel
over IS about as large as New England
New York and Pennsylvania combined
Into corners OF this huge chunk Of ter
ri-ory white men have undoubtedly peue-
trated within the last few years. and theirs
are cases Of men having Travelled entirely
across some portions OF il, but the history
Of these adyeBtuTers has never been told
and the world is no wiser in regard 10
the real nature of the country In winter.
which IN that latitude is 4 season extend
ing over eight or nine months Of the year
the region is known TO be a frozen wilder
ness. The summer season when The prIu-
cipa! exploration work is 10 he done. viii
probably prove all 100 short TO accomplish
all that the promoters OF the expedition
desire.
The plan mapped cut by the CeoIogf- .
cal Survey is for the three detach1nents
of the expedition 10 RENDEZVOUS at the
mouth Cf the AlIenklakat River. reaching
that point by going over the 5n0W ard
ice OF central and northern Alaska dur
ing The next two months Last summer
a good supply Of provisions was cache .
at that place. so as TO avoid IN necessity F.
OF transporting large quantity of
freight over She ice in winter Bergman. 3
the station II the mouth OF tae AlIea- :
klakat- WiI be the base OF the three de- .
tacnments.
The first detachment, consisting Of y
J. Peters. tOpogTapheT- f c. Schrdder .
geologist: d typographical assistant and .
four camp hands, is to be known as .
the Arctic party. II viii proceed north /!
ward up the Allenklakat Valley 20 the
divide which separates the watershed
from the arctic Ocean slope. push N GA
in general n0rtherly direction units tn=
shore Of the ocean IS reached II time
permits this party viii 90 eastward 10
the British boundary turning westward :.
again and reaching the coast in The NJ =
cinity CT Point Barrow, The north
ernmCsL settlement on the continent OF .
North America. By that time the sum +
uer VIII have passed and the hope is
that The party viii be able 10 fail IN WiIl
some whaling vessel, and thus get back
TO The United tSates some time IN the
winter If no whaleT is found the eL-
plorers VIII make their way westward
until q vessel is sighted. or until some
mining camp is reached whence there is /
regular transportation TO the United
StatCs-
The second detachment Will be led by
" c. AendenhaII, geologist. the other
members beng d. l. Rcabum, topJeTa-
7ber and assistant tGVograpaer and
four camp hands This viii be known
as the kotzbue Sound party and its
work VIII be confined 10 the little known
region around KOtZbue Sound in three
directions. The third party. led b. Ar.
EeTdine, VIII continue explorations that
have already been begun in the Coapsr
River valley.
The work Of the several exploring
parties wiI consist Of mapping the en-
ire country travelled over. ascerJaining
III possible facts concerning the mineral
wealth OF the region. the condition and
a-JerIstics OF the native EskIuos
T any are found. and such other facts
IS viii naturally come under their OBJ
erTatiOu as scientific travellers.
A. present, of course. there Is no map
q existence which attempts TO describe /
more than few meagre facts or sup /
'osed facts regarding the vast unex-
lored territory in northern Alaska The
cast naturaily has been pretty well /
EXPLORED, for one revenue cutter and a .
Whole fleet Of whaling vessels have been [
raVing the dangers OF the Arctic for
many seasons. Tn, mouths OF rivers and /
mailer streams have been marked on the
maps. in case the streams flow into the /
arctic, but the course Of these streams
o their sources has in no case been
raced The better class of maps either
10 not present these streams at all. or /
he meanderings have been indicated by
Gifted lines, indicating that nothing def
lite IS known of them
From lVhar sUpea- - IN pareG-c rs-F,y l.--. [