The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-03-07
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Expedition to Hunt More Land Tor
the United States.
Danish Captain Plnns Trip From tke
Mouth of the Mackenzie to Siberia
Important Discoveries Expected.

~
velt was made acquainted with the
plans of an expedition intended to To-
cate and possess for the United States
a great and unknown continent, or
enormous archipelago, about the size
of Greenland. which exists somewhere
between the Parry Islands and Wran-
gel Land, off the Siberian coast.
Captain Mikkelson, a Danish subject.
who will be the leader Of the eXpedi-
ton, had been officially Endorsed by
the Danish Minister and was personal
~ introduced to the President by
Henry Edward Rood, of Harper's Mag
azine. Afterward Captain Mikkelson
and Mr.. Rood announced the details OF
this new exploration plan, which is
said to be novel in the history of Arctic
expeditions.
Captain Mikkelson has no intention
of trying to reach the North Pole, all
undertaking which he believes to be
both impossible and useless Of attain
ment. In addition to his intention to
locate the unknown Arctic continent,
he desires to make scientific expedl-
tons which probably will result in new
and important additions to present
knowledge of geology. meteorology,
Typography and probably ethnology,
astronomy and physics.
Geographical bodies throughout the
world are agreed that a continent, or
a mass Of great islands. lies to the
north and west of the Beaufort Sea. in
the one wholly unexplored region OF
the Arctic Ocean. Captain MikkelSon
says that upon discovering the new
continent he has arranged to plant
there the American flag. to comply
with necessary formalities. and claim
it as a possession of the United States.
Accompanying Captain Mikkelson
will be Ernest Lefingwell, Of Illinois.
his partner in the undertaking, VINO
will have charge of all the scientific
work, and Ejmar Ditlevsen, of Copen-
hagen, who is both a BIOLOGIST and an
artist.
In the latter part of May Mr.. Letting
we'll and Mr.. Ditlevsen will start from
Edmonton, British North America. on
a voyage of 2200 miles to the mouth
of the Mackenzie River, where a fleet
of eleven Arctic whalers are now
frozen in. For the first 1900 miles they
will Journey in a light skiff, built for
rough water and shooting rapids. This
boat will be waiting for them at Atha-
basca Landing. Arriving at o
Smith, Great Slave Lake they will
board a steamboat Of the Hudson's
Bay Company, and travel in her the
remaining thousand miles.
Ma while Tonfoin Mikk0lGnn Will
sail from San Francisco. CAL. for Der.
ing Strait. carrying his outfit OF
sledges, furs, provisions, firearms and
scientific apparatus.
Captain Mikkelson will sail under
American colors with an American
crew and a competent sailing master.
After passing Boring Strait Captain
Mikkelson will touch on the Arctic
coast of Siberia and there pick up two
Siberian ponies. Then he will return
TO Northern Alaska and will coast
eastward along Alaska and the ex-
IRENE northern boundary of British
America, landing now and then to buy
dogs from natives and reaching the
mouth of the Mackenzie River in Au-
gust, where he will meet Lefngwell
and Ditleysen. -,
They will board the ship. which will
90 straight to a sheltered bay on the
northwest coast Of Banks Land, where
permanent headquarters will be made.
For eighteen months Captain Mikkel'
son expects to spend much Of his time
in the extremely important work OF
training his dogs.
While Mikkelson IS bringing his dog
teams to the highest point of efficiency
he will be travelling constantly over
Banks Land, about which nothing a
been added to the records made by NC
Clure in 1851; and he will also journey
across Wollaston Land to the south
east, where he will remain with n
companion some eight months, living
with EsquimauX and studying their
modes of living and their legends.
In the early spring Of 1908 Captain
Mikkelson with Mr.. L%efingwell and
Mr.. Ditleysen will say goodby to their
ship and start northwestward. Cap
tain Mikkelson expects to reach :Wran'
gel Land Tor the Alaskan COAST by
June, 1908, having no dogs left and he
and his companions themselves drag
cling their remaining supplies and three
kayaks or Arctic canoes in when
they will paddle and drift across the
hundred miles Of water between Wran'
gel Land and Siberia.
Having no camp equipment remain,
ing. they will sleep on the ice foes at
- ~. ,oooh;pr tba Siberian or