Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-12-01
LAND Of GOLD
FOUND IN ARCTIC
Swedish Explorer Brings Back
Harpoon Head to Prove
His Discovery
EsKIMos HOLD SECRET
OIL Also IN Abundance in Far North,
Where Bullets We're Made Of
Precious Metal

BylneinF a tale OF n land where gold IL
fnofn plentiful than II II Alaska Christian
ItHen young Swedish explorer, has re-
44fhed t. this country after three, years
spent n the Arctic A. evidence OF the
sfutu eE bis story he has a harpOon head
hammered out Of gold by the natives OF
camp since wiped out by dlsease lie has
alt6 several specimens Of gold-hearinE
quarts brought TO him by Eskimoa VINO
dnrNd many dangers In order 90 get them
1f6bn said lie had visited n land where the
ground was 70 full of oil that In the
ftfyd nfonths the Hmcll Of Il nllod the air
NJ Ksaden's explorations carried him over
fh1naandn of miles In tire country north
west Of Hudson nay. Hs went alone and
lived and Travelled with the natives and as
nne Of them He visited the IgtukikH. near
Fury and Hecla straitsi the KlnipetuH,
hetween the Great Fish River and Chester.
Held Inlet the Netchllks, near BoothR ana
the magnetic pole, and the fivlsllkB near
tho Wager River His OUTFIT was shipped
~ boat 20 Fort Churchill in Hudson Bay,
Whtch was the starting point OF his travels
7usf where TIE gold and oil arc. Mr.. Leden
WlII not say. The place where the gold "
to BE- found he did not visit. because 90
havs done so. he said. would have meant
another two years In tho Far North. Tie
fafritory was described 10 him by some
lcskifnoa who told him Of a great hill that
had been 20 split that tho different strata
were uncovered Hero tho reddlsh-yellow
metal could be seen. Mr., Leden persuaded
nonto Of those iourneying north TO search
cut the place.
'Tha Eskimos that went in 20 nnd II had
: terrible time" he said. Their dogs died
and they had 20 win their way back to the
place where was staying through terrific
weather. They attempted to bring back
several large specimens of the gold. but
oondltions became 80 bad they had TO throw
them away.
ia ata ls,s nd
father, the possesHor OF nm old.fashoned
big bore gun, had found yellow metal
that he had hammered out TO make bullets.
The stories OF the Eshlmos would Indicate
that gold iH up north In greater abundance
than In Alaska. Tho natives, OF course,
have no idea of ltA value"
Mr.. Eeden's expedition was planned with
! the idea Of making scientific survey OF
4 enc country and It's people. He said ho be-
lieyeB the Eatimoa had common ancestor
( with the American Indian. lie bases hts
; opInion chiefly on their folk lore and their
music He took n photographic outfit into
e the Ear North, and he brought back many
e records Of Eskimo music.
G 'erha Eskinos have wonderful Lam
81 gnaRat' no said. ut Is hard 20 master be-
Il cause the same word will express no many
dlfrcrent things depending upon the infiec-
tlon. the pronunciation and relative posi-
tiou. II is much the same an the Indian
language. There Is the same similarity In
their myths and IN their poetry.
each Individual composeB his own
nDngn. and by them gives expression TO bis
feeling, Their instrumental music is en-
tlrely confined TO the drum"
Travelling with the natives. he said. was
not only full OF peril, but required the ut
most diplomacy. Tho natives are super
ntitioua and they have n firm belief In good
and bad spirits. white man II considered
more OF a bad spirit than n good one and
fhiH, Mr.. Leden said. makea him at all
times \ sort OF Jonah in tho camp. lf the
weather is bad. II an accident happens or "
nIcitneha comes It is always the white man
who Il regarded as the cause IL no becomes
very sick they are sure II Is another mani
festntion Of the anger OF the good spirit and
90 they never lack for nm excuse TO abandon
him.
Tribes living within few miles Of each
other he found had no words In common,
hut the roots OF their words were the Hame.
Their common blood is also shown, he said.
BY the structure OF their music and their
manner OF delivery and II Ia by these
means that he hopes TO prove 10 the Hclen-
fldc world that the EBklmos are related by
blood 10 tho Indian and not TO the Mongul.
Although he Is only thlrty-nve years old
Mr.. Ledcn has made Ave trips into the un-
known regions OF tho Far North lie IN
commissioned by the University OF Norway
81 chriatlania and he also collected for the
Geological Survey OF Canada.