156 REVIEWS 



Now if it could be demonstrated that food suitable to sustain indefinitely 

 both men and dogs could be secured anywhere in the polar sea [italics are mine] 

 then obviously journeys over the ice would cease to be limited either in time or 

 distance. Any part of the polar sea would then become accessible to whoever 

 was willing to undergo the supposed hardships of living on meat exclusively, 

 using nothing but blubber for fuel, and remaining separated from other human 

 beings than his own traveling companions for a period of years. 



To demonstrate the feasibility of this .... was the main task of our 

 expedition. 



We think Mr. Jenness' criticisms along this line may be set at rest 

 by the statement of Admiral Peary, made in the last public address before 

 his death, when, in presenting Stefansson to the members of the National 

 Geographic Society for the award of the Hubbard Gold Medal, he said : 

 " Stefansson has evolved a way to make himself absolutely self-sustaining. 

 He could have lived in the Arctic fifteen and one-half years just as easily 

 as five and one-half years. By combining great natural, physical, and 

 mental ability he has made an absolute record." This statement is to 

 be weighed as not only that of the greatest of polar explorers, but one 

 the plan and technique of whose sledge journeys has been based on the 

 notion that food was unobtainable on the frozen sea way from the coasts. 



Stefansson's expedition, officially known as the Canadian Arctic 

 Expedition, carried probably the most elaborate outfit and scientific 

 personnel of any that has ever gone to the arctic. It sailed originally 

 in two ships, the "Karluk" for the geographic (exploring) work, and the 

 "Alaska" for the more detailed scientific work of the southern party 

 in the neighborhood of Coronation Gulf. Later the small vessels 

 " Mary Sachs " and "North Star " were purchased for special work. The 

 expedition was fortunate in having the intimate and cordial personal 

 interest of the Prime Minister of Canada, Sir Robert Borden, who has 

 supported the commander of the expedition in all the trying incidents 

 which developed. In the introductioij to The Friendly Arctic, written 

 in October, 192 1, he says: 



The results accomplished by this expedition would have been impossible 

 if Stefansson had been a man of less resource and courage. His commanding 

 intellectual powers, remarkable faculty of observation, capacity for keen 

 analysis of facts and conditions, splendid poise and balance, and immense 



physical strength and endurance made great results possible The 



thanks and appreciation of the Canadian Government have been conveyed 

 to him in a Minute of Council. 



With the "Karluk" were carried off most of the sounding appara- 

 tus, the sledge chronometers, and the men of especially adventurous 



