THE STEFANSSON EXPEDITION AND 

 OTHER ARCTIC EXPLORATIONS 



By A. W. Greely 



Major-General, United States Army, Retired 



IT is interesting to note the great variety of Arctic plans that have engaged 

 the attention of geographic travelers since the attainment of the North 

 Pole has ceased to be a polar quest of primary and overwhelming 

 importance. Polar exploration is not dead, it has been reborn in spirit and 

 revivified into daring and persistent action. 



During the year 1912 at least a dozen schemes of exploration were 

 launched, of which more than one-half assumed definite form as to organi- 

 zation and in their equipment. In view of the recent and unexpected dis- 

 covery of Nicholas Second Land, it may be of interest to the readers of the 

 American Museum Journal to have set before them the aims and opera- 

 tions of the principal Arctic expeditions, eight in number, which are now 

 being carried forward, or were recently accomplished, through the efforts of 

 seven separate nationalities. 



Three of these parties took the field during 1912, two devoting their 

 energies to Greenland, while the third was in the nature of a preliminary 

 voyage around Spitzbergen. The German polar expedition for the making 

 of the northeast passage around Asia in 1913 was commanded by Lieuten- 

 ant Schroder-Stranz who sailed in the "Herzog Ernst " for preliminary explo- 

 rations to the northeast of Spitzbergen. Failing to push north along the east 

 coast owing to heavy ice, he finally succeeded in reaching Treurenberg Bay, 

 where his ship was beset and frozen in. Death and disaster were the fate 

 of the party, with no additions to geographical knowledge. 



The two expeditions for the crossing of Greenland were more fortunate, 

 both in action and in results. The Swiss expedition, under Dr. A. de Quer- 

 vain consisted of three Europeans, two Eskimo, four sleds and_ twenty-nine 

 dogs. Without accident they crossed the inland ice from Disco on the west 

 coast, to Angmagsalik on the east coast. The highest point in their route 

 was 2,550 meters, about 8,370 feet. 



Captain J. P. Koch, Royal Danish Navy, already distinguished in the 

 field of exploration, wintered 1912-1913 on the inland ice of the east coast 

 near Cape Denmark, in about 78° north latitude. Starting April 20 this 

 year with five horse-drawn sledges his party crossed to Proven, a short dis- 

 tance to the south of Upernivik. The highest point attained on the glacial 

 ice cap of Greenland was about nine thousand feet. Although Greenland 

 has been previously crossed by Nansen, Peary and De Quervain an eminent 

 geographical authority says : " Koch's crossing is probably the finest achieve- 

 ment of all, owing to the great width of the inland ice at this latitude." 



The present year of 1913 has been a year of beginnings among the Arctic 

 explorers, among whom it is to be said Commander Wilkitzky is not classed. 



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