INTRODUCTION 



By GENERAL A. W. GREELY 



Among the many explorations of the unknown regions 

 in recent centuries, none have been more fascinating and 

 engrossing than those for discovery within the polar cir- 

 cles. Despite man's utmost endeavors a veil of mystery 

 has hitherto enveloped the immediate vicinity of both 

 geographical poles. In consequence there have been of- 

 fered to the world various hypotheses. Some declare that 

 they are located on an ice-clad ocean, others that they are 

 on glacier-covered plateaus. Again the polar regions are 

 declared to be the abodes of great herds of polar and 

 hibernating animals, while their opponents assert that 

 even the white polar bear shuns the highest latitudes. 

 While for the most part the polar countries are believed 

 to be uninhabited, except in the lower parts of the Arctic 

 circle, there are those who have thought it possible that 

 there are habitable areas, where unknown tribes and 

 strange peoples, live, far separated from the rest of the 

 world. 



These and kindred polar topics have, for the past four 

 centuries, engaged the attention of the learned and the 

 adventurous, of the scientist and the man of imagination. 

 From time to time there have appeared volumes describ- 

 ing not only the actual inhabitants of the Arctic circle, 

 but also fanciful or semi-serious accounts of imaginary 

 tribes. Indeed there have been so-called scientific books 

 by American authors that argued the non-existence of 



