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Taranaki Daily News, 23 September 1915, Page 4

STEFAXSSON'S EXPEDITION. The news that Stefansson's expedition lias been discovered in the Arctic Circle will bo received villi relief, since, of late, ' ■; of ever finding the members of the )dition alive had been almost yiven up. Following on his successful ex> •neriiUon of 1912, and in order to comobservations made at that time, Stefansson organised another under the auspices of the Canadian Government. This expedition, which included 14 scientists, set out in June, 1013, from Esquimau, Vancouver, with supplies for three or four years. H was intended to make for Herschel Island, and the Beaufort Sea, where Dr. Anderson, one of the scientists of the expedition, was to have been landed in order to study the "Blonde Esquimos," discovered byStefansson on his previous voyage, ami whom he believed to be the descendants of old Scandinavian sea rovers. The geology of Victoria Land, where indications of rich copper deposits had been found, jvas also part 0 f the investigations planned. It was, however, reported from Nome, Alaska, in August, 1913, that the Karluk, the principal ship of the expedition had been injured in the ice of Cape Barrow. Later, information was received stating that the ship, having become icebound in September, Stefansson and four of his staff and two Esquimos landed for a short hunting expedition, but during their absence the ice unexpectedly broke and the ship was carried away. Stefansaon and his companions made their

way over the ice to 'Point Barrow, where they learned that the two auxiliary ships of the expedition were safe. The leader then proposed to undertake some exploration of the Mackenaio Delta, and afterwards in the event of the Karluk not reaching Herschel Island, he planned to take the Mary Sachs, one of the auxiliary vessels, provisioned for two winters, to Banks' Island, en route for Patrick Jsland. But news was received that the Karluk had been.crushed l>y the ice and sunk north-west of Behring Strait on January 11th. In view of this disaster preparations were then made for the erection of a hut on the ice and the landing of stores. After an unsuccessful effort to reach Herald Island the party set out in three divisions to reach Wrangel Island, and part of the expedition arrived in February, 1814. Eight of the party, however, did not arrive, and have not since been heard of. Captain Bartlett, with one white man and four Esquimos, set out for the Siberian coast, reached it in the middle of May and crossed to Alaska, from where be secured the loan of a revenue cutter from the American Government and sailed to the rescue of the men on Wrangel Island, hut was unable to reach it owing to ice. Later, another ship, under the direction of Burt McConnel, a former secretary of Stcfanason's, rescued the party, hut was unable to reach Herald Island to find, if possible, traces of the lost members. This ship returned to Nome on September 13, 1914. It was reported by Captain Bornard, of the Mary Sachs, that bis vessel had been crushed and sunk by the ice in November, 1013. Until now nothing has been heard of Stefansson's party, or the others lost on the journey to Wrangel Wand. .. . ■ i art; i;