INTRODUCTION 



With a good stanch ship, Etah, North Greenland, and 

 Cape Sabine on the opposite shore are attainable every 

 year. Leading west into the shores of Ellesmere Land 

 are Buchanan and Flagler Bays. Here I planned to 

 build our winter quarters, a distance of 375 statute 

 miles from our objective point. The ship, having 

 landed the personnel, supplies, and equipment, was to 

 return south with the intention of coming back at the 

 end of two years, or three years at the latest. 



During the waning light of the fall months, advance 

 depots of supplies were to be advanced over the heights 

 of Ellesmere Land into Bay Fiord and Eureka Sound, 

 our last being established at Cape Thomas Hubbard, 

 the most northern end of Axel Heiberg Land. Upon 

 the return of the sun in February, our advance toward 

 Crocker Land was to begin with the help of some fifteen 

 Eskimos and their 150 dogs, the teams traveling light 

 from food-station to food-station, thereby reserving 

 their strength for the arduous work of the Polar Sea. 



If Crocker Land did exist, then the work of explora- 

 tion and survey would be continued in the spring of 

 1915 and possibly 1916, depending upon the size and 

 character of the newly discovered land. Because of 

 approaching warm weather and the consequent disin- 

 tegration of the sea ice, a return to headquarters in 

 Flagler Bay by June 1st would be imperative. Here, 

 for the remainder of the year, work was to be carried 

 on in meteorology, botany, ethnology, geology, zoology, 

 seismology, ornithology, and terrestrial magnetism. 



If no word was received from us at the end of two 

 years, a relief-ship was to be sent in search of the party. 

 With the help of fresh meat, which I knew to be abun- 

 dant in the vicinity of our winter quarters, our pro- 



