Transcript of an article, "Our Friend Stefansson," from The Bulletin, 16 April 1925
Date16 April, 1925
abstractCorrespondence, newspaper articles, and other material related to the ill-fated 1921 expedition to Wrangel Island.
RepositoryRauner Special Collections Library, Dartmouth College.
Call NumberStefansson Mss-91: Harold Noice Papers, Box 1, Folder 3
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Canadian literature which has drifted my way suggests
that our late visitor Stefansson is a many-sided man. I would
call him nothing less than a hexagon, and he may be even an ir
regular crystal. The latest addition to my collection is an
article cut from a Toronto paper. It deals with the wanderer's
explorations in the deserts of Australia, he having gone there
to disperse the illusion that they really are deserts. A
misty impression is left that he succeeded, and that the Aus
tralian desert is now cleared up in some way like the sources
of the Nile. It is added that Stefansson hopes to go to the
African Sahara, and put it likewise in a new light which nobody
has heard of before. Another paragraph in another paper deals
with the expedition which the explorer led, or was on the verge
of leading, to rescue the Governor of Victoria, lost in the
treacherous wilds of the overland telegraph line near Horseshoe
Bend.
that our late visitor Stefansson is a many-sided man. I would
call him nothing less than a hexagon, and he may be even an ir
regular crystal. The latest addition to my collection is an
article cut from a Toronto paper. It deals with the wanderer's
explorations in the deserts of Australia, he having gone there
to disperse the illusion that they really are deserts. A
misty impression is left that he succeeded, and that the Aus
tralian desert is now cleared up in some way like the sources
of the Nile. It is added that Stefansson hopes to go to the
African Sahara, and put it likewise in a new light which nobody
has heard of before. Another paragraph in another paper deals
with the expedition which the explorer led, or was on the verge
of leading, to rescue the Governor of Victoria, lost in the
treacherous wilds of the overland telegraph line near Horseshoe
Bend.
Perhaps we got a wrong idea about our Arctic pilgrim
when he pervaded these parts in all his glory. Common im
pressions were:
when he pervaded these parts in all his glory. Common im
pressions were:
That he was the first man to demonstrate that white
men could live permanently inside the Arctic Circle. (The
largest permanent town in the Arctic is probably Hammerfest,
in Norway; population 3500: date of origin obscure, through
age.)
men could live permanently inside the Arctic Circle. (The
largest permanent town in the Arctic is probably Hammerfest,
in Norway; population 3500: date of origin obscure, through
age.)
That, caravaning through the frozen wilds, he came on
Eskimo tribes who had never previously seen a white man---
not even an explorer.
Eskimo tribes who had never previously seen a white man---
not even an explorer.
That he discovered the Polar regions to be no silent
waste, but teem with animal life, especially caribou and
musk oxen, and to be a prospective meat-exporting country.
A Sydney daily had an article on this future source of food
supply and fount of chops and steak.
waste, but teem with animal life, especially caribou and
musk oxen, and to be a prospective meat-exporting country.
A Sydney daily had an article on this future source of food
supply and fount of chops and steak.
That he demonstrated how the proper kind of Polar
explorer need not hump provisions along, but can graze at large
on the riches of the land.
explorer need not hump provisions along, but can graze at large
on the riches of the land.
One of the earliest comments on the Stefansson theory
which I have seen was published in the Montreal GAZETTE of
14/1/'22, after the distinguished gentleman had wound up his
last Polar affair.
which I have seen was published in the Montreal GAZETTE of
14/1/'22, after the distinguished gentleman had wound up his
last Polar affair.
"During the whole course of the expedition Mr. Stefans
son pursued a policy of wild extravagance. He has stated
that the expedition was planned to demonstrate the principle
of living by forage. How does he reconcile this with his
efforts from the first to have the Canadian Arctic Expedition,
1913-18, the best-equipped expedition that ever sailed?
The ships, the Karluk for the northern party and the Alaska
for the southern party, were equipped as fully as possible
from the very first. When more men were added more pro
visions were bought, and an additional vessel, the Mary
Sachs, bought in Nome to carry supplies in 1913. A
considerable amount of freight was shipped to Herschel
Island on the whaler Belvedere in 1913. Later, in 1914,
son pursued a policy of wild extravagance. He has stated
that the expedition was planned to demonstrate the principle
of living by forage. How does he reconcile this with his
efforts from the first to have the Canadian Arctic Expedition,
1913-18, the best-equipped expedition that ever sailed?
The ships, the Karluk for the northern party and the Alaska
for the southern party, were equipped as fully as possible
from the very first. When more men were added more pro
visions were bought, and an additional vessel, the Mary
Sachs, bought in Nome to carry supplies in 1913. A
considerable amount of freight was shipped to Herschel
Island on the whaler Belvedere in 1913. Later, in 1914,
-2- (Sydney Bulletin)
"the schooner North Star, with all the supplies of its
trader-owner, was bought, and another traddr named Duffy
O'Connor was bought out. In 1915 Stefansson bought the
large schooner Polar Bear, loaded with supplies, as well
as a smaller schooner, the Gladiator, in the same way, at
Arctic Ocean prices. The El Sueno was also chartered to
carry supplies. Large amounts were purchased from the
Hudson Bay Company and other traders at Herschel Island.
A large bill was purchased from the trading ship Herman in
1916, and in 1917 the Challenge was bought, and Hudson's
Bay Company stores, and the independent traders' stores
were bought in many cases. Practical results of 1917-18
were virtually limited to Storkerson's ice trip north of
the coast of Alaska. Bills ran to over half a million
dollars. "
trader-owner, was bought, and another traddr named Duffy
O'Connor was bought out. In 1915 Stefansson bought the
large schooner Polar Bear, loaded with supplies, as well
as a smaller schooner, the Gladiator, in the same way, at
Arctic Ocean prices. The El Sueno was also chartered to
carry supplies. Large amounts were purchased from the
Hudson Bay Company and other traders at Herschel Island.
A large bill was purchased from the trading ship Herman in
1916, and in 1917 the Challenge was bought, and Hudson's
Bay Company stores, and the independent traders' stores
were bought in many cases. Practical results of 1917-18
were virtually limited to Storkerson's ice trip north of
the coast of Alaska. Bills ran to over half a million
dollars. "
This exploration de
luxe was certainly a case of the
explorer "living off the country," but any stay-at-home pen
sioner or Tite Branacle could have done it in the same sense.
explorer "living off the country," but any stay-at-home pen
sioner or Tite Branacle could have done it in the same sense.
In 1922 there appeared a pamphlet "by D. Jenness,
Victoria Memorial Museum, Ottawa," in which the writer not
only commented on the heroic finance of the explorer, but
alluded to another matter:---
Victoria Memorial Museum, Ottawa," in which the writer not
only commented on the heroic finance of the explorer, but
alluded to another matter:---
"There is another side to this question of living
off the country....It involves the destruction of entire
herds of caribou and musk oxen---males, females, and young.
On Melville Island, one of the largest islands in the North,
where musk oxen are still found, Mr. Stefansson and his
companions killed, on their own estimate, about one-tenth
of the total number of musk oxen (400 out of an estimated
4000)....The musk oxen have already been almost exterminated
on the mainland of America and in Greenland. On Victoria
and Banks Islands they were destroyed by the Eskimos prior
to 1913, and the only places where they remain in any num
bers are Ellesmere Island and a few smaller islands ad
jacent to it. The caribou, too, have seriously diminished
in numbers, Their extinction round Coronation Gulf is well
within sight now, although in 1913 they could be counted
there by thousands. "
off the country....It involves the destruction of entire
herds of caribou and musk oxen---males, females, and young.
On Melville Island, one of the largest islands in the North,
where musk oxen are still found, Mr. Stefansson and his
companions killed, on their own estimate, about one-tenth
of the total number of musk oxen (400 out of an estimated
4000)....The musk oxen have already been almost exterminated
on the mainland of America and in Greenland. On Victoria
and Banks Islands they were destroyed by the Eskimos prior
to 1913, and the only places where they remain in any num
bers are Ellesmere Island and a few smaller islands ad
jacent to it. The caribou, too, have seriously diminished
in numbers, Their extinction round Coronation Gulf is well
within sight now, although in 1913 they could be counted
there by thousands. "
The vague impression which came to us during Stefansson's
stay here, that he was in some way the original discoverer of
the innumerable caribou and other food supplies and prospective
food exports in the Arctic, fades in the light of these remarks.
It seems both tame hunting and tame exploring to pursue the cow,
whetherplain, musk, or fancy, on an island where she is so close
up against the advancing tide of civilisation as to be the hope
less victim of the census-taker. It suggests the unsportsman
like habit of shooting the sitting bull on its nest.
stay here, that he was in some way the original discoverer of
the innumerable caribou and other food supplies and prospective
food exports in the Arctic, fades in the light of these remarks.
It seems both tame hunting and tame exploring to pursue the cow,
whetherplain, musk, or fancy, on an island where she is so close
up against the advancing tide of civilisation as to be the hope
less victim of the census-taker. It suggests the unsportsman
like habit of shooting the sitting bull on its nest.
Still there is an episode in the career of the gentleman
who pulled this simple country's leg which left an enduring
mark. He had an inspiration to add to the British Empire
Wrangel Island, 100 miles north of Siberia. The alleged idea
was that it might serve a great purpose in connection with an
air service, or a bear service, or something. Wrangel Island
is a very considerable mass of frost-bitten rocks rising to an
elevation of 2300 ft. Under the auspices of the Stefansson
Exploration and Development Company, four enthusiastic
young men and a not so enthusiastic Eskimo cook-and-housekeeper
woman were landed in September 16, 1921, with promise of a visit
in six months or not much more.
who pulled this simple country's leg which left an enduring
mark. He had an inspiration to add to the British Empire
Wrangel Island, 100 miles north of Siberia. The alleged idea
was that it might serve a great purpose in connection with an
air service, or a bear service, or something. Wrangel Island
is a very considerable mass of frost-bitten rocks rising to an
elevation of 2300 ft. Under the auspices of the Stefansson
Exploration and Development Company, four enthusiastic
young men and a not so enthusiastic Eskimo cook-and-housekeeper
woman were landed in September 16, 1921, with promise of a visit
in six months or not much more.
-3- (Sydney Bulletin)
The visit didn't transpire till August 20, 1923. Then the
callers-in found one corpse, dead of hunger and scurvy, and
Mrs. Ada Blackjack, the cook-and-housekeeper woman, holding
her wits together sufficiently amid the horrors of the situ
ation to explain that the other three enthusiastic young men
had set half a year earlier over 100 miles of ice to see
if relief of any sort could be brought from Siberia or else
where. Their story ended there. When the insufficient
stores gaveout, they had endeavoured to "live on the country"
by shooting rocks or other scarce game. Not having a chance
to supplement their resources by large purchases from the
Hudson's Bay Company , which doesn't trade in those parts,
their luck was consistently bad.
callers-in found one corpse, dead of hunger and scurvy, and
Mrs. Ada Blackjack, the cook-and-housekeeper woman, holding
her wits together sufficiently amid the horrors of the situ
ation to explain that the other three enthusiastic young men
had set half a year earlier over 100 miles of ice to see
if relief of any sort could be brought from Siberia or else
where. Their story ended there. When the insufficient
stores gaveout, they had endeavoured to "live on the country"
by shooting rocks or other scarce game. Not having a chance
to supplement their resources by large purchases from the
Hudson's Bay Company , which doesn't trade in those parts,
their luck was consistently bad.
Having been added to the list of Australian pioneers,
Vilhjalmur Stefansson hasbecome a matter of local interest.
He will probably call here again on his return from explaining
and rehabilitating Sahara, and, if this country has not by that
time learned better how to look after its leg, he will find
the Town Hall basement swept and garnished for the mayoral
reception, and the Federal motor-car waiting.
Vilhjalmur Stefansson hasbecome a matter of local interest.
He will probably call here again on his return from explaining
and rehabilitating Sahara, and, if this country has not by that
time learned better how to look after its leg, he will find
the Town Hall basement swept and garnished for the mayoral
reception, and the Federal motor-car waiting.
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