The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-02-23
sHead Of Greenland Expedition
Of Field Museum, Chicago,
/ Gives Interview to Ass0ciat-
ed Press-Much Progress
Already Made, He Says

Already Made, He Says
EDITORS Note-Thc Associ-
ated Press has interviewed
Radio Commander Donald h.
Macmillan, head Of the Green
land expedition Of the Field
Museum, Chicago, now wintering
at Bowdoin Harbor, Field Bay,
Northern Labrador. Questions
Y. ,ut to Commander Macmillan
concerning the expeditions
scientific work during the winter
d months, and the explorers
answer, framed in the following
dispatch, were transmitted be-
tween station WNP on the Bow
doin, the expeditions ship, and
station XIV, experimental sta
ton Of Massachusetts Institute
Of Technology at South Dart
mouth, Mass. A wave length Of
20 meters was used by COM
fnander MacMillan.)
Bowdoin Harbor, Field Bay,
Northern Labrador, Feb. 23.-(By
radio to the Associated Press
through Massachusetts, Institute of
Technology The Rawson Macmillan
Field Museum Expedition established
winter quarters and a permanent
scientific station at Bowdoin Harbor,
Northern Labrador, for the purpose
Of studying the meteorology. geol-
ogy, botany, zoology, and anthro-
pology in this region which is I'M
! known scientifically. Though the
\ winter months arc unfavorable for
svious reasons for studying many
!, the above subjects, yet we have
-, considerable progress and are
= iou.1 bringing in results which will
u scx great interest to scientists at
home.
Greatest Work
Our greatest work thus far has
been done in anthropology. Dr..
Duncan Strong of the Field Museum,
Chicago, is now living with the
Mascopie Indians, the first scientist
to enjoy this privilege. There is a
small but very interesting band liv-
ing in the interior Of Northern Lab
rador, between our station and the
/. George river. Little has ever been
written concerning their life, and this
little largely inaccurate. Two fam
! lilies are now in camp here at our
station, giving us an unusual op-
portunity for observation.
Our home, a fine large, comfort
able building with electric lights,
radio and motion pictures. Is the
mecca for all Eskimos. A few days
nfo we entertained SO over Sunday.
Hardly day passes without the
arrival Of at least one dog team.
From the natives our scientists are
learning much about the bird and
animal life; much that is contradlc-
tory to information given out by
or best authorities.
We have found sites Of many old
Eskimo villages which have never
been excavated. Also ruins of the
so-called Tuni race. Just who they
were no one as yet knows. Possibly
this race is confused with the Morse
men who, we have every reason to
Believe, visited this coast 975 years
ago. Having studied their houses
in Greenland in 1926, we have 4 good
knowledge of what we are prepared
to find in Labrador. The ruins
found thus far arc certainly not
Eskimo.
Natives Marvel at Motor Car
Our motor car, the first to be
seen on this coast, was used yester-
day on q 10-milc trip to carry our
small power boat over the sea ice
to the outer islands. Eskimos and
Indians gather around it i'll wonder
and examine every part of it. Dur
ing the last 10 years we have brought
to the Eskimos of Greenland and
Labrador the electric light, the tele
phone, the motion picture, the radio,
the airplane, the motorboat and now
the motor car. Night after night
they listen to broadcasts from New
York, Boston, Chicago and dozens
Of other places. Two years ago we
supplied radio sets to the governor
of Greenland. Last year we installed
radio sets in the homes of the Nora
Wan missionaries here at Main and
Hopedale. Now they listen in nightly
to brodcasts from their homes in
Germany and England. You can
imagine how much they appreciate
what the Americans have done for
them.
Our physician and surgeon, Dr.
+. X. Langford of Chicago, is Of
great help on a coast where there
IS not single doctor for 200 miles.
, lie has left today by dog team to
attend college 80 miles south.
Work is becoming more interest
ing every day. When the time comes
for leaving for home in September,
it will only be to prepare for our
return in 1929.