The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-05-14
MEMBERS Of POLAR
PARTY LEAVE
FOR NORTH
Description of Trip to be Taken
by v. Stefansson-Party
Sails Tomorrow.
Special to The Evening wines.

Special to The Evening Times.
Winnipeg, Man., May 1.-two
members of the Anglo-American polar
expedition. which is to spend the year
1906 and 1907 and part of 1908 in
the polar regions. will leave the city
for the west via the c. P. R. tonight
They are Dr.. George P. Howe, of Law
renee. Mass. and Vilhjalmur Stefans-
son, formerly of Ramsey county, North.
Dakota. the physician and the anthro-
pologist respectively to the eXpedi-
ton.
DR.. Howe arrived in the city from
st. Paul yesterday and is a guest at
the Queens. When seen yesterday he
stated that his personal knowledge re-
garding the party was somewhat in
definite. ut is headed jointly he
said, "by DR.. Ernest Leffingwell, of
Chicago, and Coptain Mikelsen. of the
Danish navy. The party is composed
of ten members in addition to the
crew.
THE cost of the expedition is being
betrayed by contributions from the
Royal Geographical society, of Lon
don, and the American Geographical
society. of New York. The Canadian
government has voted a sum of money
and Baron Rothchild also made a con-
tribution.
Capt. Mikelsen and Dr. Leffingwell
have been for some time at Vancouver
fitting out the brig the Duchess of
Bedford, which was formerly engaged
in the sealing trade. and which was
chartered for the voyage. Departure
from Victoria will probably be made
on May 15 In August it is expected
that the steamer will pass through
Behring straits and on the way tidal
observations will be taken at Point
Barrow, Harrison's bay and Herschel
island. At Herschel island they will
pick up Mr.. Stefansson and will then
cross Prince of Wales straits and es-
tablish depot of provisions on Prin-
cess Royal island They then 90 south
to Mimic inlet where they are to go
into winter quarters.
Expedition to Banks Island.
"In the spring of 1907 the expedition
will be sent to Banks island, Melville
island and Prince Patrick island to
take soundings and to investigate tidal
cracks in the ice. Only a portion of
the party will go on this expedition
The balance of the company will re-
main and study the Esquimaux at
Mimic inlet. When the ice goes out
the men will round the coast of Banks
island and the future work of the eX-
petition will depend on the state of
the larder If our provisions hold out
second winter will be spent in the |
north at Burnett bay on the island.
THE general purpose of the eX-
petition is, to take tidal observations
on Bank island and the Alaskan coast,
IN l.a 1ota ,>1,c
during the two years stay, to pursue |
geological chronological and geological
Investigations on the Western Parry
islands, and also to make some survey
of the coast and the interior of some
of the islands,"
DR.. Howe, physician of the party, is
resident of Lawrence, Mass. He
graduated in medicine at Harvard uni
versity in 1904 and since that time |
has been surgeon at the Boston city
hospital
Vilhjalmar Stefansson. anthropolo-
gist, will go west tonight He lived
formerly in Ramsey county, N. d., and
was a student at the North Dakota
state university at Grand Forks, from
which he graduated to Harvard where |
he pursued special studies in ethnol-
ogy. DR.. Stefansson will not go to
the west coast, but will make the |
journey overland from Edmonton. His |
purpose in this is to visit the Indians
living along the Mackenzie river and
to see the Eskimo at the mouth He
has already considerable knowledge of
the language used both by the Indians
and the Eskimo, and anticipates little
trouble in making himself understood
by the native races. 1t is expected
that the long trip down the Mackenzie
will he made by the Hudson bay
steamer which leaves the source in
June. Before reaching the points from
which the steamer starts, long ar
duous journey must be made, part of
it over land and part by water
Arriving in the far north, he will
keep in very close touch with the
Eskimos, of whom he will make
study. A collection will be made of
all the utensils used by them. and
this will be eventually given over to
the museums of the universities of
Harvard and Toronto. under whose
direction the anthropological work is
being done.