Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-17
Y. STEFANSSON IS NOW
ONLY EXPLORER IN ARCTIC
Mcmillan Expedition Arrives in
Greenland-Details of Cruise
of the Karluk.

SEATTLE Wash, June 16.-The ar
rival in Greenland of the Mcmillan ex-
petition. which left New York In July.
1918. to explore Croker Land. ana
which reported that this supposed con-
tinent, whose mountain tops Rear Ad-
miral Robert E. Peary believed he had
seen in 1906. did not exist, leaves VII
hjalmur Stefansson. at the head OF
Canadian expedition. the only explorer
in the arctic seas. It Is believed that
Stefansson and his twenty-four white
men and nineteen Eskimos already are
or soon will be heading eastward from
Melville Island on board the motor yes
sci Polar Bear In an attempt to MAKE
the Northeast passage from the racine
TO the Atlantic ocean.
Stefansson and his expedition aeft
Victoria B. c.. June IT, 1913, just FOUR
years ago, In the steam whaler karluk.
At Nome. Alaska, the expedition was
divided into northern and southern par
ties Stefansson, on the Karluk, taking
command of the former. which was to
seek new land north of the mouth OF
the Mackenzie river. and Dr.. Rudoipn
NJ Anderson. with two smaller vessels,
proceeding toward the Coronation gulf
country, east of the Mackenzie delta, to
make q geological, botanical and do
logical survey of the country. beside
charting channels and studying the
Eskimos, some of whom are blue-eyed-
II is supposed from an admi1ture of
blood from the lost Scandinavian colony
of Greenland.
Clutched by Ice in September.
The Karluk stopped at Point Barrow,
the most northerly point of Alaska,
once clutched by the ice. On September
10 the ship was apparently frozen In
for the winter. and Stefansson, accom-
panied by two white men and two
for winter meat. While he was absent
q violent storm arose and blew the
Karluk out to sea
The Karluk was soon afterward again
ward. being finally crushed by the Ice
January is, 1914. east of Wrangell Is
land. which is north of Siberia. Tho
men took to the ice, but became sep
arated, and several were never seen
again. The others. under Capt. Robert
Bartlett, reached Wrangell island. and
eight men were rescued in September,
1914. by q vessel sent to the island for
the purpose, Capt Bartlett having made
his way over the ice to Siberia and
Nome with news of the disaster.
Meanwhile Stefansson and his asso-
ciates moved eastward along the shore
of the Arctic and fell in with the An
derson party. in winter quarters at Mar
tin point, west of the mouth OF the
Mackenzie river.
Stefansson and two companions set
out in March, 1914. over the ice with
dogs and made their way due north.
northwest of Prince Patrick island and
making safe return to Banks island.
Powerboat His Headquarters.
stefansson passed the summers of
1915 and 1916 in exploring this new
land, having established communication
in 1915 with the Adamson party through
the powerboat Polar Bear, which had
gone to Banks Land with supplies.
Stefansson purchased the Polar Bear.
and has since made it his headquarters.
Most of the crew of the. Polar Bear re-
NAMED with him. He has an abundance
of food. and a large stock of gasoline
DR.. Anderson, who returned from the
Arctic in 1916, brought news that
Stefansson purposed to pass the win
ter of 1861 at Winter harbor, Mel
VILE island. 1t was his purpose. az soon
ward with the Polar Bear IN an effort
to accomplish the Northeast passage
and end his adventures with an aseent
of the St. Lawrence river to Montreal.
number of dogs and was in the best of
health.
In letter to Rear Admiral Peafy,
dated Cape Kellett, Banks island, jan
uary IL. 1916. stefansson said: SHOULD
you not hear from US by November.
1917. it is to be presumed that some
thing beyond our control has delayed
u.s. 1 am of the opinion that in the
spring of 1918 ship or ships should
be sent north from the Atlantic TO look
for US IL we have not been heard from
then" In this letter Stefansson ex-
pressed hope of cooperating with the
Mcmillan party in demonstrating the
existence or non-existence OF Croker
Land.
Fourteen men of the Canadian expedi-
ton have died from exposure, suicide
and disease, twelve having persisted on
the ice and on Wrangell island after the
wreck of the Karluk