The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-01-24
Stefansson Hopes to Find a Great
Unknown Land North OF Alaska

two specimens in all the museums of
the world. it is said. And lie and his
companion. DIR. Anderson. between
them, brought back hundreds and
hundreds of specimens of Arctic birds.
all of which arc now being mounted
and prepared for study.
a Long Cherished Project.
The idea OF some time going in
search of the unknown Arctic con-
tinent has been iii S%tcfansson's mind
for a long time, and his first definite
steps in such direction We're taken i'll
the winter of 19U5-O6. when he agreed
to become a member OF the. Anglo
American Arctic expedition. organized
by a young Danish naval officer. Cap
American scientist. MIR. Ernest LET
tingwell. For this effort Mikkelscn
raised Il considerable sum of money in
England and ~Leffiinewell contributed
"a large sum. Much publicity was
given in England to the ambitious
plans Of the young men who proposed
to penetrate unknown polar regions
and the London office of a well-known
magazine at once contracted with
Mikkelsen to furnish a series Of ar
ticles describing what he was able to
accomplish.
The Very audacity of the plans cap
tiNated many influential and wealthy
persons abroad. and appealed to their
Imagination. OF course this idea of
an unknown Arctic continent was not
new to the world of science. For
many years geographers Of the prin-
cipal countries had been discussing it.
and. speaking generally. they are still
about evenly divided as to the theory.
Everyone knows that there is a vast,
~uneharted. unprecedented region of the
Arctic. which was roughly described
by Mtkkelsen as lying north and west
of Alaska. and to the north. of the
eastern part of Siberia: but what that
unknown region consists of. nobody
can tell, of coursc-perhaps ice and
leads" of open water at certain sea-
sons. and nothing more. Yet men who
have carefully studied the ocean cur
rents sweeping down toward Alaska
and Siberia; who have noted the drift
OF timber. uprootcd trees. etc. swirl
ing on their course-by a system Of
working backwards. SO to speak--say
that it is extremely probable that in
the unknown Arctic exists either a
number of large islands or 4 great
land-mass of continental size.
Perhaps as Largo as Australia.
Furthermore. those Who hold this
theory believe that il a continent does
exist. it is fully as large as Australia.
1t may he a barren waste of ice and
snow superimposed on masses OF
rock, the ~outcropping of what is now
termed the continental shelf. But it
is by no mean impossible that at least
a part Of the land mass may have
verdure sufficient to sustain animal life
perhaps forms Of life absolutely new
to us-even new families of the, hu-
man race, living under conditions that
are unknown elsewhere. with forms Of
tribal COVER pnren;. legends. family
customs. absolutely original with
them: men. women. children who
have v heard Of any other hui
man beings. who inevitably imagine
that their own little corner Of the
world is all of the earth there is.
As to such alluring possibilities.
S%tefansson expresses 10 opinion. He
merely smiles. saying:
We will wait and see."
For ~Stefansson is chary Of words.
lie arranged to become a member Of
the Observation-Disclosures expedition.
and did not waste time in idle s%pecula-
ton.