The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1907-01-16
WOMAN POLE SEEKER
Mrs. Ella Ougman to Head Ex-
petition For the Far North.
EsKIMOs HER ONLY COMPANIONS

They Think She Is n Man, or other
wise Would Refuse to Follow Her.
Plucky Woman Ecels Confident of
Accomplishing What Men lave
Failed to Do-Expects to Return In
Two Years.
Somebody has got to find the north
pole. The men who have gone search
ing for it have failed. I'm going to
try, and l think l shall succeed"
This is the confident assertion of
Mrs. Ella Ougman, explorer and an
t~hropologist, who is making ready at
Nome, Alaska. for I'M expedition "far-
thest north" says the New York
World.
Mrs. Ougman Is we'll known at the
Smithsonian institution, Washington,
for her determined exploits in Alaska
and other parts of the northwest,
where she has for several years been
studying the habits Of the Eskimos.
She Is regarded as M expert on the
1nnuits, as the EskimOs are known,
aud her collection of Eskimo curios
Is considered the finest extant.
Mrs. Ougman expects to start within
a month and believes she will return
to Nome we'll inside of two years.
This newest Of the explorers will
have Eskimos as her only companions.
| She understands the Eskimos thor
oughly, speaks their strange language
as fluently as she does her mother
tongue and considers that they will be
best able to withstand the temptation
to dig for gold in the Klondike and
stick to the object Of the expedition.
II would have recruited a few ster-
ling white men," said Mrs. Ougman,
III l could have found any proof
against their falling victims to the
gold fever. l have not projected this
trip for the sake Of making money out
Of it. 1t is not gold we shall seek, but
the elusive north pole, that and moth
ing else. l cannot afford to take any
possible deserters with me. l know
the Innuits. They are faithful.
"Thosc who will go with me have
sworn that they will stay to the end of
the trip, and l know they will do it,
Besides this. no white has the endur.
ance that the Innuits have. and OF ali
things endurance counts in a trip to
the arctics.'
Mrs. Ougman Is known to the Esii
mos as a man. Although she wear,
skirts, the u~nsuspecting 1nnuits have
always been led to believe that they
We're donned simply to keep her warm
The Eskimos do not trust women as
that the leader Of their bold expedition
was of the weaker sex they would no
follow her.
"The Eskimos grant me courtesie!
they would not think of allowing wo
men," said Mrs. Ougman. For in
stance. they allow me to enter thei1
burying grounds, a thing no woman
do. In this way l have gathered al
manner Of things from the treasure
buried with the Eskimo dead.
ION the trip to the pole this will b'
Of much Importance to me. 1t will b.
my object not alone to look for tn
pole, but to study the habits Of tn
different Eskimo tribes we meet"
The expedition will start on sledge
, drawn by Eskimo dogs. At the Eski
mo settlement farthest north in tn
journey the sledges will be loaded viii
food. There will be enough. Mrs. Dug
man says, to last twenty-four months
Should the commlssary supply by an.
chance give out there will be some ex
ira dogs that can be spared.
Mrs. OUgman has the distinction o
being the only woman who has seel
, Mount Mckinley, on the heights Of til
snowy Alaskan range. With a party o
explorers she pushed up the Yukol
valley two years ago and stood at til
base Of the mountain. The climb t
the peak of Mount Mckinley Is 1900
/ feet.
! "There won't be any chance Of ia
tigue on this trip" said Mrs. OugmaI
Il have had experience in the awfu
cold Of the Alaskan country and know
how to keep warm. This time we vii
pass Mount Mckinley and continu
I north until we have found the POLE"