The Washington times., 1904-12-25

shall establish depots along the coast
for provisions and during the long
nights of the Arctic winter l shall re-
main with my ship. probably until Feo-
ruary. With the first light of summer
of 1906. / shall sta9t north with some
twenty or twenty-five sledges, each
one hauled by a team of first class dogs,
and with Eskinaos. who are the pick and
flower of the entire tribe, as drivers.
The New Vessel
Now for a few words about my ship
She need not be OF pronounced power,
but of such a shape that when squeezed
between the huge foes of ice she shall
rise under the pressure. The bow is to
be Of such a shape and stability as to
enable her to smash her way through
the ice. Once on the northern shore of
Grant Island will be within 420 miles of
athe pole
AS q reason for thinking that 4 ship
is the crucial part of my trip L will say
that four times in four different seasons
L have made sledge journeys, the air
line distance of which almost eGualed
the distance from Grant Land to the
pole. and If my ship could have reached
Grant Land my sledge journey on one
occasion would have carried me 100 miles
beyond the pole and back again
There is, therefore. more than an
even chance of my success this time
The salient points are a ship of such
strength and power and shape as viii;
land me and my party at the most
northerly point of Grant Land, there
to rest during the winter and start
again, fresh and eager In the spring:
the use of a sufficient number of dogs
and the utilization of the Eskirnos.
Advantages Of Route.
The advantages of this route which
l have just outlined are threefold The
ice from this point to the pole is more
stable and less apt TO be in motion than
Is the ice on the other side of the pole.
This point brings me one hundred miles
nearer 10 the pole, and l know
that region FOR one hundred miles
north of this point just as well as any
OF you know the streets of New York
One interesting part of the outfit Of
my ship VIII be wireless telegraph
equipment, the aid of which will place
me IN communication with my ship and
the base of supplies at Cape Sabine, and
by two or three relay stations, depend
Ing on the perfection of wireless tele-
graph uD to next SUMNER. 1 shall be
able TO communicate with the present
permanent cable station at Cape Cha
teau, in northern Labrador, at the
Straits of Belle Isle.
If there is anything in wireless te-
iesr"nhy my ship should be in constant
communication with New York Wheth-
Ell l shall take light. portable appara-
tus on my sledge or not will depend
upon circumstances. I may take 1t for
hundred miles. but the moment q
pound Of food becomes more important
than pound OF apparatus It will b4
cached.
Charm of the Arctic.
There is one question which has been
repeatedly asked, and that is, What is
the charm of the Arctic regions2' and
Why is il that man who gees there.
almost invariably goes there again.
First and foremost it is the appeal of
prfmeTal world to the primeval I1an.
There are very few of US who have not
Il drop of the cave dwellers
blood in our veins Also. in that region
you realize that you are working for
that goal for which the best of men be-
fore You have so long striven.
Can YOU think what il means TO live
In those Arctic mists and frosts? II
so. you think of living a new ;ifA. An
other question which ! am f-.QuentIy
asked is. How do you stand the intense
coldg L think ] can correct a oopular
impression in regard 10 that. II is not
the cold itself, but the darkness. the
long nights that breed insanity IN some
temperamenIs.