The Holly chieftain., 1922-06-22

under government auspices to explore the Arctic.
After drifting through the Northwest passage his
vessel Maud had propeller blade smashed In
the Ice off the northeastern Siberian coast. So
the Maud was taken TO Seattle for repairs. The
sturdy vessel thoroughly reftted in Lake
Union Seattle's freslwater lake. And that's how
II happens that Amundsen's second start Is from
America.
Amundsen visited Washington before his start
and evidently established friendly relations with
Uncle Sam. 1--WE want to find out what is In
the Arctic circle" he said there. ut Is believed
that the Information which may be obtained from
a thorough inspection of the territory around the
pole will be of value to science"
II am going to retire from the exploring busi.
ness when this trip is finished" he said II have
been engaged In making explorations ever since
was twenty-one years old and think 1t Is about
time to rest little bit The life is a very hard
one and makes great demands upon strength and
vitality At any rate. have been at 1t for
good many years and have had about enough"
Jules Verne has nothing ROald Amundsen
as the Norwegian outlines his plans for exploring
the roof OF the world. His expedition will not be
like those which have preceded 1t. Its vision
will not be confined to few miles on either side
of the ship but from the air 1t will be able to
take In at glance objects 200 miles away
1t VIII not be for years cut off from touch with
the outside world, leaving friends and relatives
to wonder If the northland had smashed in its
icy fist the hardy adventurers who encroached on
every day with all the world.
1t viii not have spent years charting merely
narrow strip, but, with the aid of aviation will be
able to chart 100000 square miles, sketching
the currents of the air as well as those of the
sea. He hopes to accomplish with his aIrplanes
In n fiveyears voyage what would take n score
of years. millions of dollars and many lives If
only ship and dog sIeds employed
Now. here's another view of the expedition
based upon the additional fact that yIlhjalmur
fha (Na,,
headed for the Arctic Capt. G. D. Petersen the
"Lone Wolf of the Arctic" skipper of the whaler
Hermann. thinks there's something doing beside
science in these two expeditions. Captain Peder-
sen was in San Francisco just before Amundsen's
departure from Seattle He said he was anxious
to sail, so as to get n rlng-side seat under the
aurora borealis. From that vantage point he
wants to watch what he says is hstory's great.
est international marathon across the top of the
world In which the untold riches of the north.
land will reward the victor.
Principals in the international race to the pole
will be Roald Amundsen, discoverer of the South
Pole, who'll represent Norway, and Vilhjalmur
Stefansson, who'll carry the flag of Great Britain
They'll start ns soon as the Ice will let them
Amundsen from Seattle with a ship equipped with
airplanes and radio, Sefansson from Wrangel
island with the old-fashoned equipment of dog
sled.
The two explorers tell the world they'll shut
themselves Off from civilization and risk their
lives In Arctic icepacks for the glory Of discovery
and scientific achievement
But "Wolf" Petersen says there's more than
that in the expedition. He sees race for yast
treasures hidden behind the Ice barriers
He says the explorers are seeking for Norway
and England great radium mines vast Gil fields
md coal deposits, fossil ivory, diamonds, areas
of fertile land where reindeer thrive
~ cannot believe" Petersen says, that Eng
land and Norway have gone to this great expense
purely for exploration purposea
''For l myself have seen oil ooze from the
ground and form lake near Point Barrow--oll
so pure that natives burn 1t In lamps without
refining!