ARCTIC EXPLORATION 53 



from Banks Island, seems so likely to me and is so well accepted by many 

 expert geographers and mathematicians, I would divide the remaining great- 

 est problem in the North into two separate problems — namely, the explora- 

 tion of this land area and the exploration of the adjoining area beyond, 

 between the Pole and Bering Strait. 



The eyes of the scientific world are on the projected expeditions which 

 have for the geographical part of their work a search for this uncharted land. 

 The Crocker Land expedition, 1 under the auspices of the American Geo- 

 graphical Society and the American Museum of Natural History, has been 

 announced for more than a year, having had its activity deferred by the 

 deplored death of George Borup, its prospective leader. An announcement 

 is now definitely made that the Stefansson expedition reported some months 

 ago as likely to proceed on polar investigations under the auspices of the 

 National Geographic Society and the American Museum of Natural 

 History is to proceed with most liberal support as an expedition of the 

 Canadian Government. 



The Scott tragedy, which has made men's names imperishable and 

 brought the heroic in human nature strongly to all people, has set an empha- 

 sis upon expeditions about to enter polar work. Mr. Stefansson will carry 

 not only a well-equipped expedition into the vastness and bleakness of the 

 North, but also with it the thought and warm heart of the world left in the 

 comforts and comradeship of civilization. 



In personality and from training and experience, he is especially fitted 

 'for this work, his courage and control of untoward circumstances have been 

 proved in the six years he has already put in on Arctic investigations, and 

 he has shown executive ability and judgment in his plans for organization 

 of the new expedition. I am glad that in addition he has some of the quali- 

 ties of a dreamer. For the greater work of life requires the man to whom a 

 vision can come with such allurement that he must follow its leading through 

 all obstacles and many years, goaded always to express the irresistible 

 power within him in the accomplishment of that vision. And when I 

 recall that to these characteristics he adds the hardy qualities that come from 

 his ancestry of the North and to these still again the authority of science 

 from his training as an ethnologist, I can but congratulate the scientific 

 world and the Canadian Government that Vilhjalmur Stefansson has 

 stepped forth to do a man's work in Arctic exploration. 



As I said regarding the Crocker Land expedition, I would that my years 

 were fewer that I also might penetrate again into the enchanted solitudes. 

 I can hear the yelping of the dogs, the shouting of the drivers and forward 

 rushing of the sledges, as after days of weary travel across the ragged sea 

 ice, every man and dog spurts for the shore of that untrodden land lying a 

 few yards ahead in the brilliant Arctic sunlight. 



1 See Peary on Crocker Land Expedition in American Museum Journal for May, 1912 

 — Editor. 



