Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-09-18

ts reprinted With the permission Of
the Public Ledger:
BY VILHJALMUR STEFANSS0N
(Copyrioht, 1915, by'the Nep York TIMES
Company; also copyrighted IN Cdnadd.J
HERsCHEL ISLAND. Aug. p via
Nome Alaska. Sept. 16).-The ice party
this year consisted of Storkensen, Andrea
sen and Thomson, all Norwegians ex-
cept myself. We left the base at Cape
Keiett in the FIRST part OF February with
nine others On February 2l, through
the accidental spilling of fuel oil, had
to send a sled from Cape Alfred back to
Kelett for more oil and waited for them
there until April s.
We finally left Cape Alfred much too
late in the season on account of our too
southerly base, 200 miles within the area
r explored last year, and proceeded in a
direction between. the north and north
west. On account of sore-footed dogs,
thick fogs and soft snow among the pres
sure ice and much open water we had
reached by April 26 only north latitude rs
3 degrees, from a point eight miles from
the shore. Here the sea depth ranged
from 800 to 400 meters.
We travelled much on ice about five
inches thick, and once would have lost
one Of our two sleds and the better dog
team had the ice broken 10 feet sooner
than II did. The sled went down after
our last dog reached the strong ice on the
far side of the lead. and we finally got
the sled and the load. although they were
soaking wet.
One day we crossed a 2O-mile expanse
OF Ice, none of II more than eight inches
thick. but safe so long as no wind or cur
rent moved the ice or broke II in small
pieces At north latitude IS degrees 20
minutes. between May l and 6, we drifted
II miles south and l3 miles west, and
there was 30 much open water that we
could make little progress for Il took us
three hours to ferry across a 50O-yard
widelead. We made the Journey on RATS
inprovised by passing tarpaulins under
The sleds and Iashine them upon the
sides. s2 t.e
Such a raft. carries a thousand pounds
when the water is not rough and less
II there is a rough wind. The l3 dogs
were especially troublesome The wealth
er vas getting warmer fast and the ice
was broken into small pieces with water
OF mashed-up ice between. l, therefore.
gave up further attempts of going west.
and Travelled to the west coast of Prince |
Patrick Island
Some rs miles OFF shore, near 7s de-
grees 40 minutes north, we were forced |
10 realize that We could hope for no |
great northerlng at so late a season on |
broken ice drifting rapidly southwest |
We, therefore. tried to make Yne short |
race ice on Prince Patrick Island in |
that latitude, but were carried so miles |
south before we fully made land about |
Az miles south OF the land which we had |
seen on June l.
Before this time our kerosene had given
out and we were burning seal blubber |
and the caribou meat dried at Norwav |
Island during the summer of 1914 for dog |
food, was also finished. For the men |
we nad sun ~ days rations. for we |
mad lived partly ON seals and bears
Proceeding northward we finished fha
charting OF the coast line between the
farther points reached by McClintock |
and Mechas from their winter base AZ |
Dealy Island on the south coast of Mel |
viiie island Fogs and thick weather
hampered us greatly IN this work IN 4
the afternoon Of June Is we reached the
horth tip OF the island and found a |
record left there by McClintock dated |
June Is. 1858. S1
NEW LAND is SIGHTED.
On the morning OF June, Is, from n an |
toot hlsh Ice cake near the camp that |
we mad Just pitched, Storkensen slghted |
new land tothe northeast This camp was |
piteheo at y degrees Sc minutes, and we
landed next day on the land nj ! noint |
distant about "a miles near Is north snS
II west. The trend OF the coast here was
northwesterly., but thick weather nra-
vented US seeing far. On account of tha |
lateness OF the season we followed the |
COAST east Tor rhree DAYS only
Anick weather prevented sextant oh |
seryations. except one day, which eava |
Y degrees 4s minutes north and i1s 49,
Erees is minutes west We actually saw
only about 100 miles of coast line. r,innins |
somewhat south OF east from the landinS
place, bur mountains We're seen for AZ \
least 80 miles farther east, and from q
height OF 700 feet 20 miles inland sttll /
higher hills were seen In all direcfions
from north TO east at a distance ssti,
mated al more than 50 miles.
The land, therefore. Is Of conaidsr.hl.
size 1t Is low where We nrst landsd ~,
becomes higher and more rugged a. ons
pfoeeeds eastward.
ABoUNDs IN ARCTIC ANIMALS
Caribou and other Arctic animals ~.
ebundapt except bears. AS summer w.
nov comine on rapidly we turned toward
home, On June Y geese ana Other blrr-
had arrived. and the rivers were bresht,',
out We discovered some small isIands
Between Melville Island and the new 1.r,S
TOOK formal possession Of those lands. ana
left record OF discovery
We followed the west eoasr OF Melvin.
Island sonth. crossed TO the Bay Of Mercy.
ana STAYED there from July IA 10 Iuly "a
70 rate pocket ehronometers ana prov,dc
new packs for the doss. We caught ~ 4
sled az McClanes Ninterine place ard
Travelled diagonaliy across Banks Island
o keIiett. arriving home on August s. fo
nnd eserytAing well, On this trip We had
ne tcrioents more serious than the wet.
ting Of one sled load. We had no sick-
utss. end brought home Ia good flesh
every dos ne started with. We were All
cf ~ IN our ordinary health ard strength
We used the ordinary eskimo beehive
<nQ~houses' Besides the protlsionn
brought from home. Ne used about loo0o
pounds of meat ana fat Tor food and fuel 4,
<<.|| InIn.sheo most or thIe buf lhef.
X|< IE<i1&t a eefino0 four bears and
U|<< 1xI0 the last IL Melville ~