Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-31
PEARy CHANNEL
DOES NOT EXIST
Danish Explorer Solves Prob
lem of Importance in
Geography.
KNUD RASMUSSEN NOW
IN THE ARCTIC REGIONS
Said to Know Eskimo Language Bet.
ter Than Any Other Person.
On Six-Year Trip.

COPENHAGEN. May - 1913.
- mis- discovery that the so-callec
Peary channel. at the northern end Of
Greenland. does not exist. Knud Rasmus-
sen. the young Danish explorer. has solv-
cd problem of great Importance to the
geographical world. Besides this. the ex-
plorer and his companions mapped the
region connecting Greenland with Perry
Land. and made fresh discoveries of land.
which they baptized Christian y Land.
Additional details have been received
here OF the brilliant feats Of the Danish
expedition which has just terminated a
scientific task that has attracted many
explorers since hansen. by crossing the
ice fields Of the interior Of Greenland.
proving that only unusual endurance and
hardness were required for successful
exploration in those regions.
Enud Rasmussen started Oh his expo
dition July 10. 1910. when he embarked
with his companions on the schooner
Motor and sailed from Copenhagen to the
Melville coast, in northwestern Green
land.
Son of an Eskimo.
Rasmussen was peculiarly Well fitted
for the task he had undertaken. He Is
native OF Greenland. having been born
at Jacobs Harbor in 1879. His father was
q Danish clergyman who was thoroughly
acquainted with a number OF Eskimo dia-
lects. and his mother was pure hooded
Eskimo Knud himself spoke Eskimo
from his infancy and later studied the
Language philologically, SO that he knows
II at the present day perhaps better
than any other person.
He has been throughout his life in
tensely interested in exploration, and as
<r~lr in
via the Farce Islands and Iceland. all
the time making scientific observations.
When this expedition reached the Green
land coast the explorer established sta
ton there for the benefit of the scattered
Eskimo population
The expedition was equipped with sum-
Client provisions to last six years. and 1t
was part of Rasmussen 5 plan to establish
a commercial depot near Cape York. on
the northern side of Melville bay. where
there Is a comparatively numerous tribe
Of Polar Eskimos. who hitherto had been
virtually out Of communication with the
civilized world. This was To be under the
auspices of the Danish royal committee
for the privileged commerce OF Green
land
Successfully Carries Out Plans.
According to the kilograms received
from Thorshavn in the Farce Islands,
ing out these plans. but also the second
part of his program. which included the
autographed and chronological explora-
tion OF the practically unknown regions
OF northern Greenland. 1t was Rasmus-
sens intention TO map Melville bay. TO
cross the glaciers of the inland ice fields
20 explore the .'Peary channel and also
Crocker Island. discovered by Peary in
latitude So.
Mr.. Freuchen, another Dane was the
principal companion of Rasmussen in his
explorations and on his great sledge eX-
petition across the Greenland continent.
sharing with him the honor of deciding
the question of the existence of the
:Peary channel.
When Peary made his discoveries at the
northern end of Greenland during his
voyages In 1S91-92 and 1885, and when
ne explored Independence bay. which
stretched from east to west. he was In
clined to believe that the bay continued
Farther westward and terminated ns
course In the supposed "Peary channel"
He baptized the final point of his attain
Inent Navy cliff East Of this promon-
tory q huge glacier. the Academy" pro-
Jected into the sound.
Reaches Limit of Greenland.