"Under Northern Lights" the truth about the Eskimo: Sydney R. Montague, lecturer: Arctic explorer: adventurer

              Under Northern Lights
THE TRUTH ABOUT THE ESKIMO
SYDNEY R. MONTAGUE

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Lecturer: Arctic Explorer: Adventurer

Former member Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Five years, one hundred and ninety-two days of R. C. M. P. service.
Two and one-half years in the Eastern Arctic, living with Eskimos.
Fourteen months with the R. C. M. P. Hudson Straits Air-Ice Expedition.

IMPORTANT — Mr. Montague has a wonderful stage display of authentic Arctic explorer clothing and equipment.




SYDNEY R. MONTAGUE 
Under Northern Lights
Life Within the Shadow of the North Pole
SYDNEY R. MONTAGUE was born in London, England.  He was an early traveler.  Before the first anniversary of his birth his parents brought him to America, settling in Boston, Massachusetts, from whence he moved to Montreal, Canada.

After two years spent ranching in Wyoming, Mr. Montague, led by the spirit of adventure which was his birthright, he entered the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.  His early work with this notable organization consisted of exhibition riding and horse patrol in the Peace River Country.  Later he was assigned to service in the Arctic regions, and was one of ten men selected for Government service in Baffinland, that vast territory beyond the regularly traveled routes, said to be the largest police district in the world.  Of these ten men sent, but two returned to civilization.

During this period, Mr. Montague learned that if he was to exist in this country he must adopt the Eskimo's manner of living, in fact, go native, and rely upon the judgment of these primitive little people whose very physical existence is one long battle with the harshest elements.  Eating their food, living, traveling and hunting with these people.  He has learned to speak their language fluently and has acquired from first hand experience a vast store of Eskimo folklore, picturesque tribal legends and a vivid picture of that great barren expanse known as the Arctic.  With another officer he founded a new post, Base A, Port Burwell, on Ungava Bay off Hudson Strait.  While there, he traveled for 18 months in capacities of navigator and interpreter with the Hudson Strait Air-Ice Expedition, covering the Arctic by dog team, aeroplane and aboard the Ice-breaker Montcalm, studying ice conditions and charting unfrequented territory.  The objective of this expedition was to ascertain the feasibility of a grain route from the Canadian West through the waters of Hudson Bay to the Atlantic.

Some of the life experiences of this daring man, gathered from Ungava Bay on the north coast of Labrador, to the farthest known northern habitation of man some three or four hundred miles south of the North Pole, is the subject of Mr. Montague's lecture.  He tells of the rare ore, pitch blende, containing radium, which is to be found in large deposits in the Far North, as well as silver and other rich minerals in undreamed of quantities, which lie awaiting the time when men will surmount the difficulties of transporting them from their native beds.  The greatest resources of the world are in control of a small population of little brown people who are, for the most part, greatly misunderstood, and of whom Mr. Montague speaks.



An unusual lecture demonstration of that land of ice and snow by a man whose personality radiates the virility of the country and its people.


Bureau of Lectures
University Extension Division
University of Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin





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School Assembly Comments

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Program of unusual interest and was received with enthusiasm.  I was pleased with the program and feel sure that in this one assembly the children got more of the real spirit of Arctic regions than they could obtain from hours of study.

V. F. Shafer, Superintendent Freeport Public Schools, Freeport, Illinois.

Rarely have we had a speaker who so completely held the close interested attention of our students.  Your personality, informal method of presentation and first hand knowledge and experiences made an appeal to our 2200 young people to a very unusual degree.  I especially commend the high moral tone of your talks.

C. W. Jarvis, Principal Central High School, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

You had something to relate that they cannot find in books.  They were thrilled by your graphic descriptions of their everyday life.  This was an important lesson in the study of geography of North America.  I believe they will remember your talk as long as they live.

S. O. Severson, Principal Folwell Junior High School, Minneapolis, Minnesota.



The Press

Verdun, Quebec
Mr. Montague had no difficulty in holding the undivided attention of his hearers as he recounted some of the stirring incidents of his own personal experience and explained many details of Arctic life among the Eskimos, whom he referred to as one of the world's finest and hardiest races of whom all Canadians should be proud.
Most interesting to see is the Arctic wardrobe Mr. Montague carries and which he wore, also the home-made harpoon the Eskimos made and which he too learned to make and skillfully use.



Chicago Daily Tribune (Lecture Before the Adventurer's Club)
Member of Royal Mounted Police thrills hearers.  All evidence of law and order was omitted from the interesting—in fact, thrilling talk given by S. R. Montague.  The guests privileged to hear this envoy from the Arctic gained more first hand information in an hour than could be gleaned from fifty books, and they would have listened gladly for hours longer to one who spoke from a store of personal knowledge and experience.


Walkerton Herald
The illustrated lecture by S. R. Montague, formerly of the Royal Northwest Mounted Police, on the subject, Patrolling Arctic Canada proved a most thrilling and instructive event, and showed how the map is being rolled back in the great northland of the Dominion.  This was Mr. Montague's second appearance here within a year and like on his previous visit, he carried his hearers with him on a travelogue into the great white spaces of the Arctic zone.


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A. H. ANDERSON PRINTING CO.,STREATOR, ILL.