The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1916-08-03
Prof. Tanquary Tells Of Hard
ships to Macmillan Party
In Arctic.
CROKER LAND IS A MIRAGE
One Hundred Dogs Used In 1,3cO-
Mile Journey Across Melville Bay
to Neutrality-suspicious. Wait
for Relief Ship.

Wise DeHTluB uO SlSlS VI AiS lAACC
years stay in the Arctic as member
of the Croker Land expedition under
the leadership Of Donald B. MacMil-
| Ian, Prof Maurice C. Tanquary, who
recently returned to New York told OF
his trip from Etah by dog team and OF
| the work of the expedition.
| Professor Tanquary expressed the
satisfaction of the members of the
expedition at the success which had
attended them. While Croker Land,
| he said, is doubtless a myth. the mi.
RACES In that vicinity were of such
brilliancy that they deceived complete
ly those who were in search Of land
and it was necessary to see them dis
appear by approaching them to know
that land did not exist.
"By arrangements which were made
when we were landed at Etah," said
Professor Tanquary, 1--WE were to pur-
sue our work for two years, when
relief ship was to come for us.
Long Wait for Relief Ship.
1--WE were all waiting In Etah, our
headquarters, for the relief ship which
was to come for us in 1915. When
August passed and no ship arrived we
gave up all hope of being brought out
that year. We found out later that
the George B. Cluett, which had been
sent out for US, had been forced to
stop at North Star bay, about one
hundred and fifty miles south of Etah.
because her propeller shaft had
broken. DR.. Edmund @. Hovey of the
museum was on the Cluett, and he ar
ranged with Mr.. Peter Freuchen, who
has charge of the Danish exploration
base at North Star bay, to take him to
| Etah i'm motor boat.
ION the morning of September 10,
when the motor boat arrived in Etah,
Mr.. Macmillan had gone south along
| the shore to hunt WalruS and Doctor
/ Hunt had gone on a long trip north
after caribou. AS 1t was imperative
that we start at once If we wanted to
get away before the ice shut us In,
those of us who were at Etah got our
supplies aboard the motor boat as
quickly as possible, leaving Mr.. Mac
/ MILAN and Doctor Hunt to look af>
ter things at Etah or join us later II
they wished.
1--WE reached North Star bay and
| the sCluett on September II, but could
not start from there on account Of q
i storm which held us two days.
when we finally did start in the
Cluett the ice at Cape York was SO
bad that we could not put through
and anchored in an extremely pre-
carious position under the shadow OF
1 q tail cliff at the entrance to Parker
Snow bay The captain made several
attempts to continue south through
the ice, but we had to take refuge In
Parker Snow bay and the ship was f'
4 nally iced in there on October /.
Start on Long Trip.
4sBoth Mr.. Macmillan and Doctor
Hunt visited us there, coming down
| from Etah by ,sleds, and 1t was deter
| mined that four OF us were to attempt
the trip by sled across Melville bay
| and along the coast of Danish Green
land to Holstenborg, a distance OF
about 1,300 miles, where we could get
| the first ship out for Copenhagen. The
Cluett was SO crippled that 1t could
| not make the trip north to Etah.
1--WE finally decided to take eight
sledges, drawn by NEARLY one hundred
| dogs, and the party was to be COM
posed of Doctor H0vey, Mr.. Allen, En-
sign Green and myself. We left Par,
ker Snow bay on january 16 and made
Cape York the first day.
ION March 8 we reached Uminsk.
There we met the high priest OF
Greenland, Knud Bale, who was Just
starting south to his home at Egedes-
minde and who volunteered to guide
us. We reached Egedesminde on
March q and were taken into Mr..
Bales home as his guests. 1t was
decided that we should remain there
until the annual Danish mail left to
catch the boat at Holstenborg.
'sWhen the time came to leave 1t
was not deemed advisable to have all
three of us make the trip out. We
saw that 1t was possible to get one
man through and it was decided that
Fl should come.
Il reached Copenhagen on May 70.
When got in touch by cable with the
National museum / was advised to
make arrangements for relief ship to
go to Etah and bring out the other
members of the party and the speci-
mems which we had collected. I final-
" succeeded in chartering the Den
mark, small steamship, powerfully
built for ice work. They will get the
other members Of the expedition late
In the summer"