East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1917-09-22

his 1r1cnO hcMllhn nus TcLuFuctl
from the Arctic bringing In person
much OF the news contained in the
letter to FurIong last November.
(From X. f. d No l, North Pole.
by Charles Wellington Furlong,
r. r. G. S.
Opened by the Censor-734,'
gIared the bold type on the letter
bearing Danish stamp, just receiv-
cd amongst my mail of a few days
ago But the letter had Travelled
much farther than from Kooben-
havn, the place indicated by it's Dan
ish postmark Its start was made
from that northernmost habitation
of man. Etah North Greenland; AMI
it's sender, the intrepid explorer.
Donald Il. Macmillan, head of the
Crocker Land Expedition George
Borup MemOriaD. Macmillan. for
merly a professor well known in the
east. was a member of a number Of
expeditions into Labrador, and as
sistant in the last Peary North Polar
expedition. So when the letter came
1t was like a cool. refreshing breath
blown into the heated furnace of a
war-rent world.
A'LtA1khI& 10 fhIUl IN INC ATCJc.
The object of this expedition was
primarily. to find out whether
Crocker Land existed; and secondly
to explore It and to record all avail
able facts connected with this last
untrod territory of the globe. Some'
of us will recall wildly that little
farewell gathering to Macmillan. on
the s s. "Diana," four years ago the
5th OF this month, at the United
Fruit Company's rock in Boston. We
watched her pull out into the
stream with her courageous little eX-
pedition aboard-MacMillan Ensign
Fitzhugh Green, U. S. N, Maurice
Tanguary. Jerome l. Allen, and W.
Elmer Ekblaw The crew of the
Diana" carried one of Pearys
early expeditions to the Arctic. and
included Captain Waytz Boatswain
Murphy of DR.. Cook fame. and En-
Eineer Crossman OF the successful
Peary party. The Diana" was load
ed with every article of equipment
necessary for carrying out the i'm
portant scientific work. even includ-
ing heavys of seeds TO experiment Ia
the cultivation of radishes and Swiss
chard. under glass, at F'lagler Bay.
only six hundred and fifty miles from
the Pole itself. which the eNpedi-
ton expected to make the first win
ter's headquarters. while the trail
to Cape Thomas Hubbard was be
ing smothered out In anticipation of
a sprint for the Pole at the dawn of
the following spring-19l4.
In 1915. second invasion of
Crooker Land was anticipated, and
other explorations in whatever di-
rection It was deemed advisable:
while in 1916. It was expected the
party would be back home.
The beginning OF the war found
three important expeditions under
way or in the field for polar explor-
alton: Shackleton in the Antarctic;
Stefanason in the Arctic, working
from Alaska north and east: Mac
MILAN. working from Greenland
north and west. Each OF these eX-
peditions has had its thrills: each
has suffered shipwreck of their veS-
sci: each has, from time to time,
caused anxiety for the safety of the
courageous leaders and the sterling
men who made up their compile
ments
Raral Free Delivery in the Arcal%
The first news OF Macmillan after
his departure was news of disaster
The Diana" was wrecked, out'
nothing daunted. the cargo was
transferred to another vessel; and
on August IS, 1918, they arrived AZ
the entrance of Smith Sound from
which received two postais--
probably from the northernmost ru-
raj free delivery of the world. inc
one written first read as follows:
Arrived here last night, at 10 de-
grees 20. with so dogs and 26 ES-
kimos on board. Will leave here to-
day for our winters quarters In
Ellesmere Land. II we can get
through the ice. Conditions favor
able. I think. for a good landing
The second, written later the same
day, read:
Arrived here at midnight to find
Smith Sound blocked by ice. Have |
tried once to get across to our win
ter quarters. but must wait for a
change OF wind"
Relief Expedition sent ont.
Tn change of wind evidently came |
and the work of the expedition be-
gan in earnest. Nearly a year pass
ed. Through lack of communication
fears for MacMillan's safety were
aroused, and It was deemed adVis-
able to send n secondary, or relief
expedition, under the auspices OF the |
American Museum of Natural His
tory; at which time. DR. HoVey OF
the American Museum. discussed
with me the possibility OF taking |
charge of that expedition.
However, word came through Ras-
mussen, that he had found the Mac
MILAN party safe at their winter |
quarters, which made the secondary |
relief expedition unnecessary at that |
time. However, year later It sailed |
in charge of DR.. Hovey himself. who |
was caught by the ice and forced to
stay n year. instead Of making a
prompt return as contemplated
Crockcr land Bubble Punctured.
They found the Macmillan party |
we'll and accomplishing splendid |
work But in this second year let |
ter was received from Macmillan, by |
way Of Copenhagen. stating that |
"Crocker Land seen by Peary in |
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