The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-05-28
STEFANSS0N OFF
FOR ARCTIC QUEST
Explorer Has Left the East
and Will Soon be on
the Pacific Coast.
RETURNS $40, 900 TO.
AMERICAN DONORS
Expects to,Leave Point Bar
row Aug. /, for Herschel
Island and the Arctic.

Vilhjalmur ~Stefansson, former Uni
versity Of North Dakota man. and
world famed discoverer Of the "blonde
Eskimo" left Ottawa. Can, yester-
day on his way to Victoria. B. c.,
ne VII! take command Of the
expedition which will be gone perhaps
tnfee years In search of the unknown
land" thought to exist in the frozen
Arctic When he left Ottawa, Mr..
Stefansson carried with him the heart
lest good wishes of American societies
and individuals, although he is en-
gagged in a foreign mission.
Returns $4,000.
MT. Stefansson wanted 1t under
stood that his return Of more than
$4,000 subscribed in this country for
the expedition before 1t was taken
over by the Canadian government did
not meal that friendly relations with
n United States had been jeopardiz-
ed. Before his departure yesterday
National Geographical society, to
whom he returned 100000:
Our heartiest. congratulations on
your splendid organization and plans
for your expedition. Can the National
Geographic society contribute instru-
ments or anything except best wishes
for your success?
-"Gtlbert H. Grosvenor,
@ti DIRECTOR"
MT. Stefansson said 1t was not gen.
orally known that. with every condi-
ton favorable, he might arrive on the
frontiers Of the so-called unknown
continent in little more than two
months. On the other hand. 1t NAV
be three years before he is heard from
again, as he is determined to spend
that much time In his search before
he abandons It.. Whatever the for
une of his mission. he is confident
of returning alive with his party of
scientific adventures. He will lecture
IN Winnipeg two days. Winnipeg is
the place of. his birth. Then he will
leave for Wynyard. Saskatchewan, to
visit his mother. whom he has not seen
for five years. Thence he will journey
to the coast, arriving in Victoria about
June 4.
Joins Ship at Nome.
which Stefansson and his five fellow
explorers will make the trip under the
polar stars. is awaiting him in victo-
ria. She will sail for Nome about
June q under command of Captain
Robert Bartlett, Admiral Peary's
trusted skipper. but Stefansson will
travel. on the regular mail steamer
and join the Karluk at Nome.
/. The. fact that the National Geo
graphic society contributed to, the
Amundsen expedition the 100000
which . Stefansson ? returned did not
mean n a active rivalry exists be-
tween the two explorers. the latter
said. Nor is the Mcmillan expedition
viewed as a competitor. although the
three bands will all be engaged on
similar missions. !.
Not a Race. ;
I'VE r. not entering a race" stef-
ansson said. For instance. the bases
Of supplies for Amundsen and for my
expedition will be 700 miles apart. We
might touch in our paths. but they.
will not overlap. Theoretically, 7 have
an advantage. because my base of sup
plies, where the scientists of the expe-
dition will winter.r is only. about 100
miles from the locality where the UNI
known continent is supposed to lie.
Amundsen will have to journey far to
the west from his base of supplies be-
fore he gets within striking distance
of his destinations"