64 Report of the President 



Crocker Land Expedition. — Plans for this enterprise 

 were going forward satisfactorily in every respect, the 

 personnel of the party was acceptable and financial support 

 seemed to be fully assured, when on 28 April, George Borup, 

 the leader of the expedition, was drowned while skirting the 

 shores of Long Island Sound near Crescent Beach in a canoe. 

 The details of the accident are unknown, but everything points 

 to the conclusion that he lost his own life in trying to save 

 that of his companion, E. C. Case of Hartford, Connec- 

 ticut. This lamentable accident deprived the Crocker Land 

 Expedition of its leader, and led to the postponement of its 

 start for a year. The loss to science in general and to the 

 Museum in particular through Mr. Borup's death is large. 

 Qualified by mental faculties to do scientific work of high grade, 

 particularly along exploratory work in charge of geography, 

 Mr. Borup was of a sunny disposition which made warm friends 

 for him wherever he went. He had personal courage and other 

 qualities that made him a natural leader of men. 



In the fall the expedition was reorganized. Donald B. 

 MacMillan, who had been co-leader of the original party with 

 Mr. Borup, was appointed its leader, and in conference with 

 him revised plans for the work were adopted. W. Elmer 

 Ekblaw, of the University of Illinois, was chosen the geologist 

 of the party and Ensign Fitzhugh Green, U. S. N., was chosen 

 for the cartographic and magnetic work, Mr. MacMillan 

 himself retaining charge of the anthropological and meteoro- 

 logical sides of the expedition. The active endorsement and 

 cooperation of the Navy Department are shown by the fact that 

 it "detailed Mr. Green for duty on the expedition," thus 

 retaining for him his full position in the Navy during his 

 absence in the arctic. The general handy-man, mechanic and 

 cook has been appointed, but the surgeon and a general 

 scientific assistant remain, to be selected. 



Plans are on foot for cooperating with the Government in 

 establishing a Weather Bureau station at the principal head- 

 quarters on Flagler Bay, which, if carried out, will entail an 

 enlargement of the scientific staff. The Crocker Land Expedi- 

 tion will start in July, 1913, and will cooperate with the second 

 Stefansson Expedition in completing the exploration of the 



