108 THE AMERICAN MUSEUM JOURNAL 
THE STEFANSSON- ANDERSON ARCTIC EXPEDITION 
N February 18 ietters were received at the Museum from Mr. 
VY. Stefansson and Dr. R. M. Anderson, who are now spending 
their second winter on the Arctic coast of North America. Their 
experiences are best related in their own words, although their ietters 
give only a hint at their lives. Mr. Stefansson writes as follows: 
HerscHe. Istanp, August 18, 1909. 
I arrived here this morning to find that there is opportunity to send out 
mails this evening, with no sure opportunity after that till December. 
*-* * * My last report to you was from Barrow in May. * * * * A day 
or two after the date of it I left Point Barrow, going east with two dog 
teams of five animals each, and three Eskimo. On one sled was the skin 
umiak, which we later found capable of carrying 3500 lbs. in smooth waters, 
on the other our camp gear and some ammunition purchased from Mr. 
Brower for use in the event of our supplies not arriving. When we reached 
Smith Bay we found that Dr. Anderson, with one team and two Eskimo, 
had commenced hauling eastward what stuff there was left in our cache at 
Smith Bay. For three days we worked together carrying our outfit forward, 
but on May 28 I detached three Eskimo with one sled to proceed as fast as 
possible to our other cache at Barter Island to take care of it during the 
spring thaws. * * * * On June 12 sledding operations were stopped some 

fifteen miles west of Colville by water on the ice,— travel resumed June 23 
by umiak in open water. June 26 to July 8 was spent on Colville River, 
much of time in camp with Colville Eskimo, some of whom I had not seen 
betore. + 4+ 
Kast of the Colville we were delayed an aggregate of five days by ice, 
strong head winds and some annoying, if not serious minor misfortunes. 
Arrived at and departed from Flaxman Island August 5, but were delayed 
two miles east of there two days; here were met by our whaleboat and 
{skimo from Barter Island and journey now proceeded more smoothly. 
August 18, myself and the umiak were picked up about twenty miles west of 
Herschel Island yesterday by Capt. C. I. Pedersen, schooner ‘‘ Challenge,” 
and brought here to-day, while Anderson and whaleboat could not be taken 
on and therefore follow. Capt. Pedersen expected to stay here two days, 
giving me ample time to write letters, but reports of whales take him out 
again to-night. 
The main energies of the summer have been taken up with getting east- 
ward; we still have hopes of getting as far as Cape Parry, which will put us 
