The sun., 1909-06-30
THE MEN NEAR THE POLE.

Scattered here and there along the
fringe Of the Arctic Ocean are men who
have relinquished the comforts and lux
uries OF civilization in order to gain the
north pole or TO add to the sum OF scien-
tifc and chronological knowledge.
These men are Of two distinct types,
one OF which Is represented by Peary. an
explorer whose active lie has been spent
In a single effort, that Of planting the
American flag at the north pole, With
him on his various expeditions have
gone scientists. and he himself while
modestly disclaiming scientific attain
ment has done much to, increase geo.
graphical. geological. hydrographical In
formation about the far north. Three
years ago at this season Commander
Peary was returning from the most
northerly point ever reached by civilized
man. 30 far as history records, a point OF
go q north latitude. This very day he
may be on his way to Etah. Greenland.
with the story Of his success at last. or
OF another heroic failure.
Mkkelsen. the young Danish explorer.
who Is Of the other type. set out from
Vancouver in May. 1905, on the Duchess OF
Bedford. to find an undiscovered CONT
nent which many geographers believe
may exist north OF Alaska and north OF
eastern Siberia. His expedition was
made under the auspices Of the Royal
Geographical Society and OF Hdrper's
Magazine and with the financial support
OF personages after one Of whom his
ship was named. Before leaving New
York he promised to raise the American
flag on the new continent should he dis
cover 1t. His expedition came TO grief
when the Duchess Of Bedford was lost.
Mikkelsen himself was also actuated
simply by love Of adventure. but at least
two members Of hisezpedlticn were imbued
with the scientific spirit. Ernest Leffingwell,
the geologist. and Stefansson. the ethnolo-
gist. Leffingwell remained in the Arctic
wilderness for a year or 20 after Mikkel-
sen had come back to prosecute his studies
OF geological formation. He stayed In the
north for aboutsixteen months. living with
the Esquimaux in their igloos, ca ting their
food and wearing their clothing.
In May, 1908, Stefansson again went
north, this time fully equipped with ap-
paratus to make studies Of the natives.
Measurements, photographs, phono-
graphic records Of dialects, neurological
tales, religious traditions, TO-, all were
to be placed in permanent form.
In letter written to friend in Pleasant
vile, N. Y, and published in THE SUN
the other day Stefansson quoted resident
surgeon at Point Barrow to the effect
that during the last ten years the death
rate there from tuberculosis had doubled
because the Esluimaux instead Of holding
to their snow igloos or their summer
homes Of driftwood, perfectly ventilated
and comfortably warm, had built them
selves houses or wooden shacks after
the fashion Of white men. Sudden tran
sition from homes suited to the Arctic
to such modern dwellings had caused,
Stefansson believes, the appalling in
crease OF tuberculosis, together with
diseases Of civilization hitherto unknown
among the Esquimsux.
The most interesting part OF Stefans-
sons letter in THE Sun. however. consists
OF the hint that near the Coppermine River
or on Victoria Land are natives having
blond hair Whether these people are
descendants OF former explorers who
intermarried with natives is not yet
known. Stefansson will make every effort
this year to find out. There is a possibil-
ity that these light haired people may be
descended either from surviving members
OF Sir John Franklin's expedition or per-
haps from some Of the lcelandic colonies
in Greenland that disappeared long ago
and may have wandered for to the west
Stefansson. being trained scientist, ven-
tures no opinion on these points