The Idaho recorder., 1921-09-23
y JOHN DICKINSON SHERMAN.

@7ONALD u. MACMILLAN is on for
Bafiin Land--just about now hs n
saying good-by TO civilization away up
IL on the coast Of Labrador. And what
does the veteran explorer expect 70
hpdi Probably he himself doesn't
~ know. But Bafhn Land offers that
1rongest Of lures--the lure Of the
unknown. And n Macmillan reaches
tn Interior its west coast and gets back to tell
the tale. two or three years from now we may be
hearing something new--and seeing II. for he In
teuds 10 bring back moving pictures Anyway. he
and his schooner. the Bowdoin. are on for Bafin
Land
The truth II that Rafnn Land II an undiscov-
cred country. II was "discovered" away back In
the Seventeenth century ttbs4-i022l by william
ha0an-that u, that hardy English explorer dis
covered and charted Bahin bay. which lies be-
tween Greenland and Baffn Land. So he neces-
sartly discovered the east coast Of Bafiin Land
But no man has ever sailed around Bafhn Land
And no white man has ever penetrated to It's In
ereior.
Macmillan therefore does not know what's
ahead Of him. Hut the Esklmo who live on the
big Island have told him wondrous tales Of tower
eng mountains with great glaciers vast lakes:
birds new to science and Of great size: beautiful
n0wers: herds OF reindeer. The island. Il In es-
tisnated. II about 1000 miles from north to south
from Lancaster sound to the Gulf of Boothia. II
q anywhere from 200 to 500 miles wide east to
west Its east coast limo IL an ice-cappcd plateau
With IN altitude Of from 5000 to 5000 feet. The
interior II supposed to be largely OF rock covered
with Ice. The western coast. vaguely indicated
On the maps, II drawn from statements made by
Eskimo.
This western eoass. according TO stories told
1aeNillan by Eskimo. Ia Inhabited by people who
have a white man. SO. one Of the
srlts Of the expedition may be moving pictures OF
. primitive people untouched by civilization.
Macmillan thinks there is coal. oil and mineral
f.tz
therr Ii terrestrial magnetism to be studied from
observations taken the magnetic pole. Also
the aurora horeails Is To be photographed
Macmillan Is veteran In Arctic exploration.
He born In Proslneetown. Mass In 1874. and
was pS track and grldiron star at Bowdoin.
In early life he taught the young Idea how 10
shoot lie Ia the Peary Arctic Club North
Polar Expedition of iO0s-O9: frozen feet put him
out Of consideration for Pearys final dash TO the
pole. lie y member OF the Cabot Labrador
party In 1910 and did chronological work among
the Eskimo Of Labrador In 1911 and 1912. He
headed the Croker Land exploring expedition In
i9fA After four years during which time two re-
tief parties were dispatched In search OF him and
= third formed. word came through that the
little party safe at Etah Greenland. lie
had learned that Crocker Land was largely a
myih.
The Baffn Land Arctic Explorntion--the official
title of the little company that Macmillan will
rVfnfnhtu~~ls bthe by group OF
Bowdoin men. The plans provide for alb
OF two years. The plans do not provide
for relief expedition II the Bowdoin s crushed
In the Ice. the parry will retreat by sledge Fort
Churchill the trading post AT the foot of Hudson
bay. and return TO civilization by way Of North
ern Canada
EacNian has carefully selected his compan.
fons. The members OF the expedition. In most
instances. he has known for years and several OF
them have been his shipmates previous yoy
ages. Ills mate Is Jonathan Small l"Jot') o!
Prosincetown. Mass. who was with him for -four
years on the Crocker Land expedition and whom
the explorer describes as "through-and through
sailor and the bes, story teller met" An
other former shipmate ls Thomas McCue OF Bri
guA. Newfoundland. the cook. who Was with tn,
explorer "trip through Hudson bay last year
Harold whitehouse Of Boothhay harbor, anothe
experienced sailor. In engineer.
Ralph r. Robinson Of Haverhili. Maas viii b
o. expiorer's general assistant during the exp>