Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-08-29

He at first intended going alone, but
finally arranged with DIR. r. M. Ander-
son, q former classmate in the Uni
versity of Iowa, naturalist, to ac-
company him. They set out for the
Arctic by way of the Mackenzie river
with probably the smallest outfit ever
carried by explorers in polar regions,
How the Party Lived.
They left for the North in April,
1908, and returned in tie autumn of
1912, the four intervening years ,hav-
ing been devoted to a study of the
Eskimos on the northern coast OF
Canada eastward from the Mackenzie
delta and on Victoria Island. Eskimos
were found in practically all localities
they visited.
The most momentous achievement
of the four years, however, was the
actual demonstration of the sound
ness of Stefansson's theory Of Civ
ing off the country"
The expedition Of 19CS-12 was con-
fined principally to t':e mainland.
Stefansson and his parties had sub
sisted mainly on caribou killed inland
and seals obtained on the sea ice.
But Stefansson believed, that what
they had done on and near the main
land also could be done on the islands
hundreds of miles north Of the main
land and even out hundreds of miles
from any land. on the frozen surface
of the sea.
In this respect it was conceded by
explorers who had first differed with
Stefansson in regard to the possibili-
ty of living off the country that II
such possibility existed on the main
land, where caribou are to be obtain
ed, the same thing might be done to
limited extent on such of the is
lands as were known to contain carl
bou or polar cattle. commonly called
musk oxen" But when it came TO
the maintenance of life on the foes OF
Beaufort Sea, for instance, all polar
opinion was against him. The au-
thorities long considered the best on
polar exploration were unanimous in
the belief that the sea surrounding
the pole was devoid of life.
Peary had always provided himself
with sufficient fuel and food to sup
ply his party until it returned to its
base.
Stefansson is persistent if anything,
and was not to be turned aside by a
little thing such as the unanimous
opinion of all the authorities. He was
convinced that his theory was more
sound than the opposing belief. He
was successful again in interesting
the American Museum of Natural
History in his plans. Together with
the National Geographic Society, that
institution agreed to find funds for
the financing of another expedition
which should put StefanssoRs theories
to the$ test and complete also the
studies commenced by Anderson and
himself on their previous trip.
|. The amount of money at the dispos-
al of these two institutions, however,
proved to be inadequate; and as, the
territory to be explored was in North
ern Canada, and the adjacent islands
claimed also by Canada, Stefansson
thought that perhaps the Canadian
government might be induced to join
in the expense of the expedition. He
accordingly approached Sir Robert
Borden, then prime minister of Cana
da, with that end in view. Sir Robert
appreciated the value to Canada of
the undertaking. He accordingly sug-
gested that the Canadian government
would be willing to finance the project
in full if it could be arranged to have
the expedition conducted entirely un-
der the auspices of the government.
This proposal appealed to Stefansson,
as he is of Canadian birth, having
been born in Southern Manitoba in
1879, of Icelandic parents, who sub
lic iihS iulo
North Dakota when he was a child.
Thus it became known as the Cana
dian Arctic Expedition.
The Karluk, a 250-ton whaling ves-
sci, which had been used for a num-
Der of years in the Arctic, had been
purchased previous to the transfer of
the expedition to the government and
it also was transferred. On board
was gathered q large staff OF scien-
fists drawn from several European
countries, the United States and Cana
da and even as far away as Australia
Among them was Dr. Anderson, Stef-
ansson's former companion, who was
appointed second in command Of the
expedition. The Karluk sailed to
Nome. Alaska, 20 take on final sup
plies and equipment. Here two small
er boats, the Alaska and the Mary
Sachs, both of 30 tons, were pur-
chased, as it was the intention to di-
vide the expedition into TWO sections,
one under DR.. Anderson in the Ala ska
to work in the vicinity of Coronation
Gulf along the mainland; and the
other under the direct command or
Stcfansson himself to proceed as far