Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-10-31
'SA|LS0N |CEPACK
/. FOR ARCnCLANDS
:Stofkerson Undertakes One
of Most Daring Feats
!. Known to Explorers.
AMUNDSEN ALSO AFLOAT

SEA ILE<s OctODer S1.-IWO Arctic
explorers, Road Amundsen, noted
Norwegian. drifting in his ice-locked
boat eastward from the Atlantic. and
Storker Storkerson, lieutenant of
Nilhjalmur Stefansson, Canadian ex-
orer. floating Westward from the
Pacific on an ice pack, are both be-
Heved approaching the New Siberian
Islands. which jut out of the Arctic
ocean off the mouth of the Lena river
In Siberia. Authorities credited with
knowing the Arctic currents believe
the two will reach the islands early
next year.
No other explorers are now in the
Arctic, and it is thought very likely
that neither Amundsen nor Storker-
son knows the other has the same
goal in mind. They probably will not
meet, for Storkerson is expected to
arrive ahead of Amundsen and prob
ably will land far west of Amundsen's
course.
Amundsen. the discoverer of the
south pole and navigator of the diff
ncult northwest passage, is on the
nrst lap of journey to the north
pole. He expects to make the last
lap by airplanes. Storkerson is bound
back in the general direction of civ
ilization after spending several years
IN the Arctic Both are seeking new
lands and studying the currents and
Life OF the northern ocean.
Far Up Toward the Pole.
When Amundsen reaches the ST.
berian Islands the current, it is be-
lieved, will turn and carry him north
IN
drift until it lands him on the i'm
movable ice far up toward the pole
There. according to his plans. he will
establish a base and attempt to fly
the rest of the distance to the top
of the globe.
Storkerson, according to his plans.
will leave his ice pack when it
reaches the Siberian Islands. With his
11Ve men he will come ashore and
make his way back to Alaska His
friends expect to hear of him landing
some time next summer near the Lena
However. they say he may change his
plans and come ashore before that
time
Stefansson. when he was in the
north last winter. planned to make
the trip StorkerSon is now on. After
ne completed arrangements and pur-
chased all the necessary supplies and
dogs illness forced him TO come out
side. When he left he put Storkerson
in charge.
Living Off the Ice Pack.
The Canadian thinks Storkerson' s
trip is one of the most daring Arctic
fsats ever undertaken. HE is up
there camped on the ice and practi-
cally living off the ice pack" Stefans-
son says. "Other explorers do their
work from their ships. Ships are little
less than floating hotels. Storkerson
has no ship. If Storkerson doesn't get
homesick we should hear from him
next year"
Storkerson and his five men were
landed last May on the ice pack about
$50 miles northwest of Herschel Is
land Rough estimates show that the
ice at times drifts more than ten miles
a day. This current, Stefansson
thinks carried Storkerson westward
until in October he probably was
about 200 miles due north from Wran-
gel Island. off Siberia and east of the
New Siberian Islands.
The Karluk, Stefansson's first boat
which was lost. was carried westward
from off Alaska. When it was crushed
in the ice, it was off WrangeI Island.
Storkerson expected to get caught in
the same current and go on beyond
Wrangel to the Siberian Islands.