Page:Proposed Expedition to Explore Ellesmere Land - 1894.djvu/12

13 Land, and On Bennett Island. Coal-mines have been found in Lady Franklin Bay, on Melville, Prince Patrick, and Bennett islands. Traces of permanent Eskimo settlements were found as far north as the 82d degree. In the palmy days of the Spitsbergen fisheries, the Dutch for many years maintained a village, called Smeerenberg, on the north shore of Spitzbergen, close to the 8oth parallel. In all the regions thus far explored, communication within a radius of 150 miles has been found practicable, and it is not probable that the unknown Arctic area differs greatly from the known. Peary's superb achievement has revealed a new method of rapid travel, which may perhaps be applicable elsewhere than in Greenland. Above all, the gain from even the briefest experience has ever been most decided. To mention only one example: Lockwood and Brainard in 1883 accomplished in 6 days a distance which it had taken them 22 days to accomplish the year before.

On the other hand it is certain that many Eskimo settlements have been abandoned, owing, no doubt, to lack of food. McClintock doubted whether even Melville Island, with its wealth of animal life, could permanently support a party of white men. Even on the basis of McClintock's record of 1,030 miles in 105 days with 10 men and 2,280 pounds at starting, a depot sufficient for 5 men for one year could only be established 100 miles from the base by the labor of 15 men on three trips, if sledges were the only conveyance.

On the Greely expedition a steam-launch was used with great advantage and almost perfect safety in the tidal crack between the fixed land ice and the floating ice. The launch was lost when the party ventured out of the tidal crack. If such a launch should prove equally serviceable in other localities, the problem of Arctic communication would seem to be solved.

The Board of Managers of the National Geographic Society having (in its endorsement dated December 8, 1893) recommended the formation of an advisory committee, and the names of Commodore Melville, Dr. Mendenhall, and General Greely