Norwich bulletin., 1917-08-27
No Crocker Lanc

MacMillan, who was one of Rear Admiral PeTry's hsutenants on his successful dash for the North Pole confirmed previous despatches from him that there was no Crocker Land, such as had been reported by Peary. Peary's mistake was due to a mirage so real that the MacMillan party had been deceived by it for four days, he said
 The first objective of the MacNil- Ian expedition, which was organized under the auspices of the American Museum of Natural History and the American Geographical Society, with the co-operotion of the University of Illinois, was to prove or disprove the existence of Peary's Crocker Land. The next purpose of the expedition was to conduct survey of the Green land ice cap. While MacMillan did not deny that he had made some dis coveries he was reticent concerning them, saying he was under orders to report to the museum of natural his tory in New York. He plans to leove Tuesday for his home in Freeport, Maine and thence to New York.
 we had good luck,'' MacNIillan said. .'Provisions were plentiful and there was plenty of game and eggs to be se- cured, but I am glad BOrtlett Gin com mand of the relief expedition) came along We were getting pretty low and might not have lasted another winter
 Touching on Crocker Land, Mac Milan said:
 Deceived By Mirage.
 "Peary was deceived by a mirage, due to layers of air at different densi- ties suspended above the ice. Peary saw this supposed land from a cliff 1 400 feet high We mounted the same cliff and four days were deceived. Finally when the sun shifted it was no longer there It was but mirage, but so clear that you could see green hills covered with vegetation rising high above the water It was sup posed to be 120 miles northwest from Cape Thomas Hubbard but we sailed 150 miles northwest. passing over the supposed Crocker Land.
 Tt was a wonderful image. It de- ceived the whole party and Small (Jonathan c. SmaID mechanic and general aide) insisted for a long time that Crocker Land was somewhere near, but finally we had to admit that Peary was mistaken. Don't think, however. that Peary was faking. It would deceive any man, no matter who he was.
 Without Loss of a Man.
 The expedition was carried through without the loss of a man and despite disaster at the very start. The eX- p1orers left North sydney in July, 1913, on the steamer Diana but we/ wrecked on Borges Point, on the coast. Nothing daunted, the explorers returned to St. Johns. N. F.. and were transferred to the steamer Enic which landed the party at their base Etah. on August 20.
 Hardships, But No Sickness.
 "We had some hardships, of course, due to the cold, but we had no sick ness whatever" " said MacMillan. The only thing that saved us from scurvy was our fresh meat supply. The men got fresh meat until near the last, when Small and I lived on dog bis cults and duck eggs I tell you. Bartlett was welcomed by us. When Bob arrived Small and I were the only two members of the expedition at Etah We were living with Eskimos and had planned to stay all winter with them, but a taste of real bread was certainly welcome after eating dog biscuit for two or three months.
 Knew Nothing About the War.
 "Eslximos had brought us word that the war was on but we knew practi- ca1Iy nothing about it until Bartlett arrived with papers,
 The relief of MacMi1lan and Small by Coptain Robert Bartlett in the seal ing steamer Neptune enhances the Bartlett has earned as a foremost Arctic navigator.