Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1911-08-24

the arctic circle carried provisions
a-plenty.
Not SO with Stefansson and Ander-
son. Their mission raj the collection
of specimens that would enlighten the
rest of the world as to human, animal
and vegetable life within the arctic
circle. They had no single, objective
point. Their wanderings and search
es took them a part of the time out
over the ice Of the Arctic ocean and a
part of the time across mountain ran
ges that rise thousands Of feet in the
air.
Food Stolen by Wild Beasts.
They also had plenty of provisions
when they started. AS though, how
ever, the ordinary perils Of the coun-
try were not sufficient, the real own
ers of the country, polar bears and
wolverines, added to their dangers.
Time after time the daring scientists,
wearied by months Of privation, would
seek the stores of food they had hid
den in caches for just such emergen-
cies, only to find that ~four-footed ma
RAIDERS had broken in and stolen hun
dreds of pounds Of food.
Stefansson, as the actual leader OF
the expedition. has reserved all but
the briefest summary for his personal
report to DR.. Bumpus. A brief ten
pages suficed for him to announce the
results of the two years journey, as
we'll as to outline his plan for a last
dash into the country Of the hostile
Coppernine people, Eskimos who
viewed with jealous eyes any attempt
on the part of white men to penetrate
their country.
On the map you will find a tiny
point Of land projecting into the Arc
tic ocean and named Cape Parry.
Nothing illustrates better, perhaps,
the uncertainty of the position Of the
explorers than the very first para
graph of Mr.. Stefansson's letter,
which was written from that place on
March Is Of this year.
"An Eskimo (the same Jimmy Me
na-ran-na who accompanied Captain
Amundsen in 1866 from Herschel
island to the Yukon)," wrote Mr.. Ste
fa~nsson, has come here from Baillie
island and intends starting tomorrow
for the Mackenzie delta. am giving
him this letter, hoping it may get into
the July mail at Macpherson"
Just think Of it-grave doubts as to
whether a letter will reach a mail
post in four months time!
"My Eskimos," he wrote, ARE in
deadly fear Of the Coppernine people
who have the reputation Of being 9
murderous lot. While they have
agreed to accompany me, can never
tell on what night they may have 6
dream which they will construe as {
warning not to go and l will be left
to make the journey alone"
Braved Death for Science.
The dangers from the people them
selves were not the greatest obstacles
to this, the climax Of his trip. as Mr.
Stefansson limited in his letter. Thu
trip would require, all conditions be
ing favorable, at least is days goinl
and the same time returning, to sa.
nothing Of the time that must b.
spent In gathering scientific data. Si1
days provisions, however, were al
that Mr.. Stefansson had. For the res
of his food he must depend upon
country in which even the EsQuimau1
found 1t exceedingly difficult to flint
sufficient food to sustain their lives
The possibility Of starvation, how
ever, did not deter the ~adventurer
That he made the trip, secured bill
specimens and is now safely on hi
return is all that those who are mos
deeply interested In his welfare know
DR.. Anderson, who, shortly after h,
set out from the friendly deck Of tn
little river steamer on the Mackenzie
separated from Mr.. Stefansson an
headed q party Of Esquimaux into tn
country. has written a little more q
length Of his two years trip. He to-
has found a sentence quite suficien
To tell Of experiences that must hav
tried the heart and courage Of ever,
member of the party. \
Baillie island, in the Arctic ocear
was the headquarters chosen by d
Anderson for his party. From Their
he wrote his report, which by its yer
simplicity and directness Is n OF IN
|, most remarkable documents ever sen
through the mails Of the United Statel