Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-01-11
HUBBARD MEDAL
TONOTEDEXP[0RER
National Geographic Society
BestoWs Gold Memento on
VilhjaImur Stefansson.
TALKS OF THE FAR NORTH

The fiji h 10 be so honored and the
first to receive such recognition in
more than nine years, Vilhjalmur
Stefansson vas awarded the Hubbard
gold medal by the National Geographic
Society last night. Among those
pra!sing him for reducing the I'M
known areas of the polar regions of
the western hemisphere by about 100, 900
miles were Rear Admiral Robert e.
peary, discoverer of the north pole, and
Greedy expedition.
Bartlett, Perry. Amundsen and Gilbert
were the others who have received
the medal Gen. Greedy in the name
OF the three living survivors of the
old time expedition greeted S;efansson
as the representative of the present
day explorers and said the older men
expected even more from the younger
.'enc. 3,iCr. : Gluiral Perry. 100. in
timated what he expected we might
live to see.
Mr.. S efansson has done his work
with the aid of dog and sledge," he
said Coming explorers are quite
likely to use more and more modern
means. My own idea is the use of
aeroplanes, whereas SJefansson is
talking of submarines. Either would
mean the end of the dog and sledge.'
Stefansson was chara cterized as the
man who had taken the white mans
brain and body into the arctic re-
gions Because of the methods of
subsistence which he devised 1t was
said the explorer could have remained
in the north fifteen years as easily
fOnGhf
only weather elements and hunger,
but sickness as well-typhoid, pneu-
monia and pleurisy.
Traces "Center of Civilization"
Mr. Stefansson delivered a lecture.
tracing the path of the center of
civilization as it had moved steadily
up from the south through the ages.
Stefansson said ave continually I'M
derva1ued the land to the north of
u.s. He told how Canada and even
Alaska had at one time or another
been looked upon as without value
and even worthless. Spitzbergen.
once little thought of, was now con-
sidered one of the precious lands of
the earth. Mr.. Stefansson said there
was an idea the entire north was
covered with ice
81 saw more permanent ice from my
hotel window in Seattle" the explorer
remarked. than in the arctic re-
gions."
Col. Roosevelt's name was brought
into the lecture when Stefansson told
of the enthusiastic support he had
given to the idea of developing the
musk OK as the best animal of food
in the far north. Stefansson advo-
,ated the propagation OF the musk
ox, which did not roam and was
= -, \
could defend itself. He believed the
musk OK If encouraged would con-
vert the northern glacier-covered
territory into habitable lands. Stef-
,nsson told how his party had sub
sisted by killing seals and getting
fish from the stomachs By playing
SEAL the hunter could deceive the
animal and get close enough to kill.
The presence of seal was easily de-
tected before he came TO the surface
the newly formed ice by the
appearance of star just before the
animal broke through. 1t was posi-
bic to secure 125 pounds of seal meat
with a single cartridge. or two tons
If meat for one pound of ammunition.
The party required only one seal |
every four or five days.
Polar bear hunting was easier than
going after seals. because the polar
bears, smelling the seals or hearing
he dogs barking. which they mistook
'or seals. simply wandered into camp
% be killed. Uncivilized Eskfmos. he
said, were the healthiest people he
lad ever seen. Civilized Eskimos who
lad apopted the habits of white men
such as living in permanent wooden
aouses. rather than snow houses fire.
luentiy built and not storehouses for
described as having con-
.racted many diseases such as tuber-
,ulosis and were in danger of exter-
nination.
The fish net was a new thing to
he Eskimo. He was more of an
adept with the spear. The lecture
vas profusely illustrated with pic
lures, one of them showing the wom-
IN earnestly engaged in what ap-
oeared to be washing.
Looks like these women are wash
ng," Stefansson said, TO the evident
interest of his audience. but if you
think they are you do not know the
Eskimo"