Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1907-07-12
CAPTAIN BERNIER's
REMARKABLE JOURNEY


Arctic, formerly the Gauss OF the
German Antarctic expedition, TO
raise the flag over as many islands
to the north Of our continent as cir
cumstances would permit. Accord
ing TO the story he has bagged most
of the archipelago for Canada. The
most eastern islands had been flag
ged a year or two earlier.
In August last he steamed across
Baffins bay into Lancaster sound,
the wide channel leading far west
through the Parry archipelago. lie
stopped az Port Leapold on North
Somerset island long enough 10 add
b71S pounds of provisions to the de-
pot which Amundsen had deposited
there. He then went on westward,
adding 10 the Dominion great slices
OF the earths surface every day.
He landed on Grlflth, Corvallis,
Bathurst, Byam Martin, Melville,
Prince Patrick, BglInton and Emer-
aid islands solemnly hoisted the
flag and made them all soundly Ca
madam.
On his way back he stopped at
Erebus bay, North Devon island.
which had been inducted into the
Dominion the year before, and re-
paired the monument erected there |
20 the memory OF Sir John franklin. |
He was back in BafFin's bay in |
less than six weeks from the time
he entered Lancaster sound, and he '
spent last winter there In Ponds in
let. with the intention this summer
OF steaming north TO the northwest
coast of Greenland.
Does he expect 10 raise his potent
flag over Cape Morris Pesup. the
most northern land now known, and
all the rest OF Penry's discoveries In
that region7
IL is n little strange that the geo.
graphical periodicals are publishing io
this news without n word as to It's Z
Significance. The Sun casts no dis .
credit on the report when II says C
that II involves the most remarkable n
feat in the annals OF Arctic navlga- q
tion. n
Not long ago the world rang with
the news that Amundsen had made j.
the northwest passage. II Bernior's n
report is strictly accurate. and we n
have no reason TO doubt II. II means W
that In the summer OF 1906 he prac- tc
tlcally made the northwest passage X
twice. lie entered the archipelago p
nj It's eastern side and he raised his IL
flag on Prince Patrick island, which q
stands on It's western edge. lie ac- IL
complished twice In one season what M
many ships In the long years OF the W
Franklin search tried In vain TO do b'
Fifty-four years ago Mcclure made fo
the northwest passage In the same 10
waters, but II was only by abandon VI
ing his ship, the Investigator, In the m
ice, and sledging eastward TO an 70
other ship. ca
Parry, in 1919. made nearly tho an
same trip that Bernler Il said TO have OF
made last summer. excepting that he M
did not come back till the following he
year. lilo was the nrst 10 see the
splendid waterways leading west sill
ward from Lancaster sound. and he pr
them. as Bernier did last tr!
summer. TO Melville island. but there m'
he was frozen In for the winter, ca
His achievement has stood ever tla
since as the most wonderful feat OF OF
navigation In those waters; but Ber- We
nier has made tho same Journey and ini
gone on beyond to Prince Patrick ISL SO
lnd and come back again In the same fa'
season. We
II Is something undreamed Of ana VIC
Nould scarcely be credited II Il were ga
not for the remarkable report OF IN
he ice conditions late last summer po
llong the west coasts OF the Parry raj
'rehipelago, This report came To sir
he American geological society In Sc,
etter from Mr. Stefansson. the IN,
'thnologist OF tho Mikkelsen expedi- for
Ion, taken oyeland TO Dawson last les
sinter. thi
Tie wrote that the west coast of Ia,
Banks Land, which with Prince Pat enl
iek island Is on the western edge po'
e the Parry archipelago. was FREQ occ
rom the Ice as far as tho Whalers du,
'ent Tho whalor Norwhal leaving tie.
ierschel island ON September 9Th ltiy,
ist year went up the west coast OF gas
ianks Land, then west TO $50 miles liQl
orth OF Herschel island. aud nnal- six
! south, withou, seeing cake OF ho,
'e. wo