Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1921-02-23
STEFANSSON FINDS
THE BLOND ESKIMOS
Interesting Account of His
Canadian Expedition in
Polar Region

/ %NOPASCO VI CIlc <1IAAOI ANOi AVA o0OOil
of Natural History and the Govern
ment of Canada. 1t was on this
I trip that Stefansson found the
Blond Eskimos, showing unmis-
taxable signs of European origin,
and believed to be the remnant of the
lost Morse colony of Greenland. In
the course of this expedition, he added
many new features to the map of
| Canada, exploring one river the Hor-
| ton-more than 500 miles in length.
He commanded the Canadian expedi-
!, ton of 1913-1918, from which he has
| recently returned, one of the most
deliberately and extensively equipped
| polar expeditions ever undertaken. He
| explored and mapped over 100000
| square miles of the hitherto unknown
| polar region Of the western hemis-
phere, found new islands, corrected
the outlines of others on the map, and
established the non-existence Of one
! island, the discovery of which has
been announced some years ago.
There remains but one thing more
| to tell of Stefansson, and considering
the fact that he is an Icelander, it
seems superfuous to mention that he
| started out to be "poet." He con-
| tributed "verse" to the college liter
| airy monthly" in his undergraduate
days, and even achieved the distinc-
! ton of having his translations of
! Icelandic poems published in an East
ern magazine, however he stopped
'scribbling" poetry as hc expressed it
| because the product of his pen did not
meet the standard he set for himself.
AS exemplified by his books he writes
| WELL. His style is marked by clearness
- UM,,coO
| but that other passion in the Morse
blood-the passion for ransacking dis
tant shores was stronger, calling a
descendant of the old Vikings from
| the far inland plains of North Dakota
| to explore the desolate Arctic.
I Plans for the second expedition took
shape while he was still north of the
Arctic Circle in 19O6-07. 1t was orig
! inally intended that Stefansson should
| be the Ethnologist of the same expe-
| dition which sailed in 1906, and start
from Victoria, B. c., going through
| Behring Strait and Beaufort Sea, but
! is was finally agreed, that he should
! 90 overland and down the Mackenzie
river and meet them at Herschels Is
J land. He wished to occupy his time,
in case of accident to the ship in the
, study Of the Mackenzie.
The ship contained his whole out
fit, and his wish was gratifed, for the
ship became blocked in ice and never
picked him up and he lost his outfit.
Stefansson started from New York,
! April 22nd, 1908 and was joined by an
old classmate, Professor Anderson, at
Toronto, Canada. Professor Ander-
son was a very athletic man, and a
! crack rifle-shot, and experienced in
! "roughing it." He was a soldier in
| the Spanish-American War. He was
Doctor of Philosophy, and had
written several books on Birds and
Animals. He was tired of civiliza-
ton and eager to go North, so that
the two could work together. One by
the study of Birds and Animals, and
the other by studying the life of the
people and the Arctic region. They
went from Toronto to Winnipeg and
Edmonton over the new line of the
Canadian NortherH railroad. Every
body took the kindliest interest in
especially the Hudson Bay Co. They
left Edmonton and made the first
part of their Journey on freight
"scows," and through dangerous rap
ids. When they reached Hershels Is
lands they found somewhat different
! conditions since the year before, for
the Eskimos had become converted In
measure, even though Missionaries
had labored with them for fifteen
years. They could not fully under
stand the new conditions on account
| of their curious superstitions, but it
became sort Of a fashion. The ex-
pected ship with supplies did not ap-
near and Stefansson tried to get eX-
ira supplies from Whaling ship, but
they could not spare but a very little
! and they tried to discourage him
from continuing his journey, but he
had seen an abundance of caribou and
fish on his previous trip, and the
only thing he had to worry over was
| the scarcity of tobacco and matches,
which the Eskimos demand. He was
told by the "Police" stationed there,
that if he and DIR. Anderson would
discharge the nine Eskimos, already
engaged for the trip and live all win
ter near the Barracks, they would be
supplied with matches and enough to
eat, and they could not understand
that they had not come for the pur-
pose of spending the winter at Her
shells island, so there was nothing
else to do but 90 west to Point Barrow
4
They went in two boats and thus car
ried out one of his favorite maxims
"Better be safe than sorry" He took
with him two families who were con-
slant companions for all the time he
was gone. Nat-ku-si-ak, an expert
enced hunter and guide, 1i-av-in-irk
with his wife, Mam-a-yauk and their
daughter, No-ga-sak, were more cul-
tured than in generally found, and
were invaluable in helping him master
the language. He came near being
drowned at Point Barrow, but was
saved by one of his men. He bought
small "sloop" here and put Sterker
Storkerson Can cd friendN in CON-
mand, but so much time had beer
taken up that they found they would
have to stay all winter IT Smith
/ Bay-the most desolate place on the
coast.
The ethnologist has this advantage
over other scientists" who GO to the
: Polar regions, that he has rood fed
~ Investigations wherever he is not