Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1914-06-05
WRITES OF LIFE.
IN THE ARCTIC.
Macmillan Says Party Built a
''Pa|ac0" at Etah.
LEFT THERE LAST FEBRUARY
Croker Land Seekers Faced Journey
Of 1000 Miles In Temperature OF
From 30 to 70 Degrees Below Zero.
Hopeful Of Finding Now Continent,
but Apprshensive Of Disaster.


From 80 to 70 Degrees Below Zero.
Hopeful Of Finding Now Continent,
but Apprshensivs Of Disaster.
Reports from the Croker Land ex-
petition have been received by the
American Museum Of Natural History.
through President Osborn and Dr, I'D
mund Otis HOvey, four months after
the documents were prepared, .Knud
Rasmussen. the Danish explorer.
brought the letters out Of the fnDzrn
north. and they were forwarded ny
him from Copenhagen.
In his letter to President Osborn
Donald b. MacSiillan. head Of the ex'
petition. tells Of attempts to reach
civilizati ton by wireless aud OF how In
the spring kites would be- used In the
hope Of some time finding conditions
right. He tells Of the contemplated
trip Of more thnn 1000 miles to Crock
er Land. with temperature ranging
from 30 to 20 degrees below zero.
The letter to DR. HOvey. director OF
the expedition. sets forth that the dash
across the polar sea from Cape Thom-
as Hubbard to Croker Land ia to be
made by Macmillan. Elmer Ekblaw
and Fifzhugh Green. with eight Eski.
mos.
Provisions Will Last Two Years.
The party. 1t is thought. Is now well
on its way back to the base ut Etah.
an electrically lighted palace" as
Macmillan calls 1t. In the fall the
world will know II Croker Land IL u
great continent. as Admiral l'eary
thought when he saw 1t from Cape
Thomas Hubbard in 1906.
Macmillan says he has provisions
only for two years instead Of three.
TO President Osborn he says:
Twill do my best to do all the work
as planned, do it we'll and bring every
man back"
A letter to DR.. HOvey says:
president Osborn's Christmas din
Tier was great treat. My. but that
chicken tasted good!"
The letter from Macmillan to Presi.
dent Osborn. dated Etah. North Green
land, Jan. 10. 1914, says:
1.-The midnight Of the long arctic win
ter is over. with every one In good
health and eager for the big work
ahead Of us. Apparently the darkness
and absence Of the sun have had no
effect at all npon the boys. They are
Just as happy as ever and singing most
Of the time. -.
1.-THE day after the ship left us we
began excavating with picks and dyna
mite for our house. selecting a well
sheltered spot In the midst of the Es.
kilno igloos. The work went on day
and night. and ON Sept. IL we moved
into large. comfortable home. "a by
"a. eight rooms on the ground floor and
large attic forM storeroom.
II am quite sure we have the most
palatial residence ever put up In the
arctic. with our electric lights and tel.
ephone to two Eskimo igloos. Have
tried to make the boys just as COM
Portable as possible as IN inducement
to good work. giving them good. warm
rooms and good. warm clothing.
II have succeeded In establishing
two provision stations ON the line Of
march to Croker Land. one Mt Anori.
tok. about twenty-five miles north OF
here. and the other across Smith sound,
over in Ellesmere Land. at the entrance
Of Buchanan bay.
Peary's Best Man In the Party.
II have secured some Of the very
best men in the north. They are in.
terested in this new land out ON the
Polar sea and want to see it. have
Pee-ah-wah-tO. SipsOo and EisayOo Of
the worlds record Of 1908: Ootah. Of
north pole fame: Peary's best man,
Apellah. and I-took-ah shoe. who kept
DR.. Cook alive on his long trip: also
eight other good men who have been
with Peary on various trips. They are
confident that II the land IL there we
shall have no trouble getting It.
But | am looking for trouble and
am guarding against it in every posi-.
BILE way. We have over 1000 miles to
90 in temperature ranging from 80
to 70 below. The evil spirit Of the arc
tic is always watching and can change
success into misfortune and failure
within q few hours.
1--WE have ample provision for two
years. but not for three, but We could
easily stay there, living as the Eskimos
do. We shall leave the house here for
Croker Land about Feb. 10. with TWEEN
ty-One men and 100 dogs. Will remain
on the other side just as long as we