Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-07-17
PEARY'S CHIEF AIDE
IN NORTH POLE DASH
HEADS INTO ARCTIC
Is Accompanied by Six Ad-
ventur0us Companions in
Exploration Trip.

Wlseasset, Me-, July 16.-DonalC
B. Macmillan and six adventurous fol
lowers sailed down the Sheepscote
river Saturday bound for Baffin land
They were cheered by 1000 friends and
admirers. including Governor Baxter
the explorers classmate at Bowdoin
college, as the little schooner left the
wharf.
An attempt to map Baffin Land, the
vast Arctic island southwest of Green
land, whose 1900 miles of unexplored
western coastline is as much mystery
today as when the English navigator,
William Baffin, announced its dis
covery in 1916. is the main objective
of the Macmillan expedition.
The tiny 115-ton schooner which
carries the party north was built at
East Boothbay, Me. She was named
for MacMillan's alma mater. has aux
iliary power and embodies all the es-
sentials for resisting terrific ice packs
The crew consists of six men. The
vessel is of the Gloucester fisherman
knockabout type, sheathed with IRON
wood, 81 feet long, with draught of
9h feet. Crude oil engines capable of
developing 90 horsepower are includ-
ed in her equipment, as we'll as 1000
gallons of fuel oil and 500 gallons of
kerosene. The Bowdoin also carries
stores and provisions sufficient to last
her crew two years.
Ninth Voyage North
The head of the expedition was
Peary's chief lieutenant on the latter's
successful dash to the North Pole in
1909. He has, made eight voyages
into the Arctic regions. According to
plans. he intends to reach
Baffin Land about August 26 and es-
tablish camp south of the entrance
to the dangerous Fury and Hecla
strait, where the ships of Captains
Parry and Lyon. seekers of the north
west passage, were blocked a century
ago. The location is 16O miles north
IF the Arctic circle and 700 miles south
If Etah, Greenland. 1t is not far from
The point where MacMillan's Crocker
and expedition passed the four win
,ers of 1913-1415 and 16. On that
occasion the expedition was once re-
ported lost and two relief expeditions
we're sent out for it but Macmillan
inally returned. He announced that
Jrocker land was not land" as be-
ieved possible by Peary, but an ice
mirage.
Explore Baffin Land
During the winter of 1922, at
empts will be made to explore the
cast of Baffin Land and the following
ummer an effort will be made to PEN
trate the. interior, where, according
o Eskimo tales, there exists one of |
he richest and most alluring fields of |
esearch in the frozen north. The |
sland is said to have great mineral |
eposits and to possess high mountains |
nd beautiful lakes. which have never |
cen seen by white men.
The region is believed to be an i'm |
,ense breeding ground for water fowl.
hose nesting habits will be the sub
ect of study. while the program of |
ne scientists of the expedition also
alls for field work in zoology, botany.
eology, meteorology and terrestrial |
lagnetism. Special observations will
e taken of the magnetic pole. which
as located first by james Ross in
$50, on the further side of the Boothia
not far from MacAHlIau's
roposed winter camp.
Retreat by sledse.
Ahh oStNiAFt Will HlSO ut uiduS tu
Baffin Land. In the
rent of serious mishap to the Bow
Din, the party plans to retreat by
% sledge to Fort Churchill, trading
ost at the foot of Hudson Bay, and
renee return to civilization by way
northwestern Canada.
Macmillan was born in Province
'wn, Mass, Nov. 10. 1874, the son of
Cape Cod sea captain. He was
'aduated from Bowdoin college in
>96 and took up postgraduate work
Harvard in 1902. Before be-
ming an explorer he was teacher
I'd public school principal. In addi-
IN to accompanying Pcary on his last ,
nous trip north, he was member !
the Cabot Labrador expedition in
10 and as previously referred to,
e leader of the Crocker land expe- .
lion three years later. In 1911 and I
IL he made ethnological studies of /
e Eskimos Of Labrador. He is un- I
arried.