IN ARCTIC SEAS

Evening Star, Issue 16196, 18 August 1916, Page 6

IN ARCTIC SEAS

STEFANNSON EXPEDITION

NORTH-EAST OF ALASKA. COPPER FIELD DISCOVERED. NEW" ZEALANDER'S good work. Pme Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. : Australian and N.Z. Oabla Association. ~ NEW YORK, August 17. (Received August 18, at 8.55 a.m.) Part of the Stefannson expedition has returned to Nome, Alaska," including Jenuess, a New Zealander. The schoner Alaska left Bernard Harbor on July 13, and reached Herschel Island on July 23, 1915. • During 1915 a detailed survey of the coast lino was completed, the (? Mackenzie) River was explored for 75 miles, and the geology of the country was examined. Surveys were made east from Cape Barrow around Morebalp and the Arctic Sound by launch and canoe, the party returning by sled. As a result of this survey the Bathurst Island charts have been rectified, and over 150 islands have been charted.

The geological results were encouraging. A great copper field has been mapped.

Jonness spent from April to November, 1915, in sledging and packing with primitive Eskimos in the interior of Victoria Island. He has made an extensive ethnological and archaeological collection, and has secured phonograph Tecords of the folk lore of the Eskimos. [The locality- of the exploration work is in latitude. TOdeg N\, and extends along the Canadian coast, fronting the Beaufort Sea, eastward from the Alaskan boundary. The vessel Alaska sailed through Behrmg Strait from Nome, on the west coast of Alaska,] STEFANNSON'S DISCOVERIES. . PERHAPS ANOTiiR GREENLAND. NEW YORK, August 17. (Received August 18, at 11.50 a.m.) No official news is to hand of the northern section of the expedition, but Wilkins reported that one schooner had been beached at Cape Kellet, and another schooner was unable to proceed further north than the unnamed island west of Banks Island. The ship Polar Bear, under Captain Stefannson, unsuccessfully attempted a voyage to the west of Banks Island in 1915, being forced to return, and she wintered between Banks Island and Victoria Island. Plans were made to spend 1916 in obtaining more information of the land discovered by Captain Stefannson in 1915. The Stefannson party started oft" on their exploration in May, and intend to remain as long as possible, and spend the summer in the northern islands, rejoining the Polar Bear at Melville Island in the fall. It is expected that the Polar Bear will spend the winter of 1916-17 at Melville Island. The northern partv intended to return in 1916, but it is hardly anticipated that that will bo possible, owing to ths scattering of the parties. The explorers arc well supplied for two years.

The scientist of the southern party brought many tons of specimens. The remapping of the Bathurst Island region corrects the errors of Sir John rranuiin.

JJr Andersen reports that Stefannson may not return until 1918. After remaining with the Stefannson party, Wilkins made a trip over the ice and joined the southerners. Stefannson told him of a new land he had discovered, which might be described as another Greenland