To cross the Arctic Ocean and life in the great white world

              EVELYN BRIGGS BALDWIN'S FAMOUS LECTURES TO CROSS THE ARCTIC OCEAN AND LIFE IN THE GREAT WHITE WORLD
DEC 14 1908

ALL ABOUT ICE BERGS GLACIERS THE AURORA BOREALIS Etc.


Figure


HUNTING THE SEAL WALRUS REINDEER POLAR BEAR


ELELYN BRIGGS BALDWIN, Arctic Explorer
North Greenland,   Spitzbergen,   Franz-Josef Land
NORTH GREENLAND, Meteorologist, Peary Expedition, 1893–1894

SPITZBERGEN, Andree Balloon Station, Etc., 1897

FRANZ-JOSEF LAND, Second in-Command and Meteorologist, Wellman Expedition, 1898–1899

FRANZ-JOSEF LAND, Organizer and Leader of the Baldwin-Ziegler Polar Expedition, 1901–1902, Etc.

MANAGEMENT
J. B. POND LYCEUM BUREAU
METROPOLITAN LIFE BUILDING,   23RD STREET AND 4TH AVENUE, NEW YORK




SUBJECTS

1.
TO CROSS THE ARCTIC OCEAN. Illustrated with Stereoptican Slides.
2.
LIFE IN THE GREAT WHITE WORLD Illustrated with a large Polar Chart and an intensely interesting Arctic display—mounted specimens of the Eskimo dog and seal, models of canoes and sledges, fur garments, hunting implements, etc., etc.—all made and used by the northmost tribe of people in the world.


EVELYN BRIGGS BALDWIN AND HIS ARCTIC EXHIBIT




Partial Program, Illustrating Life in the Great White World.

1.
Original message left by Dr. Nansen in the winter hut, Franz-Josef Land, as found by Mr. Baldwin in 1902.
2.
Nansen and Johansen's famous stove or blubber lamp as it was found in the winter lair, in 1902.
3.
Strips of walrus hide used in the construction of Nansen's and Johansen's hut.
4.
Block of the Andree balloon house, Spitzbergen.
5.
Sandbag from Andree's famous ballon.
6.
Andree's placards.
7.
Varnishing pots, Andree ballon.
8.
Acidulated muslin, Andree balloon.
9.
Pigeon food, Andree pigeon cote, Spitzbergen.
10.
Large felt-soled slipper, Andree ballon.
11.
Rope cut in order to free Andree's ballon, July 11, 1897.
12.
Relics, Hall Expedition.
13.
Eskimo lamp.
14.
Eskimo lamp wick.
15.
Eskimo match-bag of bird-skin.
16.
Eskimo ivory knife.
17.
Eskimo hammer.
18.
Eskimo drill (nee-gy.)
19.
Eskimo matches.
20.
Flint.
21.
Walrus tusks.
22.
Specimen of Eskimo dog (Kla-yu.)
23.
A fur seal—baby specimen.
24.
Specimen of seal.
25.
Model of Eskimo sledge.
26.
Model of Eskimo kyak (canoe.)
27.
Pemmican.
28.
Hardtack.
29.
A snow bunting's nest
30.
Eskimo lady's duck-skin muff.
31.
Eskimo lady's eiderdown muff.
32.
Seal-skin (natural color)
33.
Seal-skin boots (man's.)
34.
Seal-skin boots (woman's.)
35.
Seal-skin coat.
36.
Seal-skin trousers.
37.
Seal-skin net-sha.
38.
The Governor's seal skin coat.
39.
Polar bear-skin trousers.
40.
An historic knife.
41.
Reindeer-skin coat.
42.
Bird-skin shirt.
43.
Fawn-skin shirt
44.
Dog-skin socks.
45.
Seal-skin socks (man's)
46.
Seal-skin socks (woman's)
47.
Reindeer-skin socks.
48.
Eskimo girl's doll boots.
49.
Mitts.
50.
Pood-lums.
51.
North Greenland tree.
52.
Whalebone.
53.
Eskimo fish-spear.
54.
Hoodoo hoe, (very funny)
55.
Ook-sook flipper.
56.
Souvenir block of Dr. Nansen's vessel, the Fram.
57.
Large water color chart of the North Polar regions.




EDITORIAL COMMENTS
From the Atlantic to the Pacific.

New York Tribune, October 25th 1908.
DRIFTING IN THE ARCTIC.
Washington dispatches last week mentioned a project of Evelyn B. Baldwin for reaching the vicinity of the North Pole.  He would go up through Bering Strait, force his way into the pack ice north of Siberia, make fast to a big flow, and drift with a current which is known to exist in the Arctic Ocean.

The plan has merit.  It is essentially the same as the one Nansen followed in 1893–'96, and the Norwegian adopted it after the discovery of wreckage from the Jeannette on the shores of Greenland.  The exact route followed by the relics of De Long's unfortunate expedition is somewhat conjectural, but the course was generally westward.  When Nansen thrust the Fram into the ice near the New Siberian Islands his faith was vindicated, though after drifting more than a year he perceived that he would not pass directly across the pole, as he had thought might be possible.  Hence he left the ship with a single companion and travelled over the ice to a point 135 nautical miles nearer his goal.

Though Nansen did not accomplish all that he had in view, his experience is encouraging.  Without any excess of vanity or confidence other explorers may hope to be more successful.  It might be possible to get further north than he did before surrendering entirely to the drift.  In that case Nansen's record could be beaten—perhaps without leaving the ship.  Nansen's failure does not completely disprove the accuracy of his calculations.  In making the experiment it would be necessary to secure a whaler with a stout hull, like the Fram, and also to find a navigator with experience in Arctic seas and Arctic ice.  With due diligence the hunt for both ought to be successful.

Mr. Baldwin was the first leader of the expedition subsidized by Mr. Ziegler.  Subsequently his patron saw fit to transfer the command to another man.  Concerning the justice and wisdom of that act it would hardly be fair now to express any opinion, as Mr. Ziegler is not alive to defend himself.  It is due to Mr. Baldwin to say, however, that in planning his Arctic campaign he showed much originality and good generalship.  The interest in his latest plan which has been manifested by Rear Admiral Melville, one of the surviving members of De Long's party, ought also to tell in Mr. Baldwins favor when he seeks financial backing for the new scheme.



Washington, D. C. Post, October 25th, 1908
CROSS THE POLAR SEAS.
Will the north pole ever be reached by man?  Explorer Evelyn B. Baldwin, commander of the Baldwin-Ziegler polar expedition in 1901, thinks that no man will ever cross the polar region unless he drifts across on an ice flow.  And that is the plan he has in mind for his next expedition.

Baldwin's plan is a novel one, and the theory upon which it is based is exceedingly plausible.  Wreckage from the Jeannette, which went to pieces off De Long Island, in the Siberian Sea, was subsequently picked up on the southeastern shore of Greenland.  It could only have got there by drifting through the loose ice and comparatively open water area that lies directly across the polar circle.  From this and other indications Baldwin concludes that a floating ice field, starting from a point in Bering Strait north of 73 degrees latitude, would likewise drift with the currents across the polar area, and in the course of about three and a half years reach the open sea somewhere between Greenland and the coast of Norway.  His idea is to build a hardy ship on one of these ice floes, establish a camp of portable houses, with a plentiful supply of logs for fuel and casks filled with oil and provisions scattered over the floe, and drift with it.

By this method Mr. Baldwin believes many of the hardships of arctic exploration would be overcome.  Should the ice floe be broken into smaller pieces, there would still be the ship, with enough logs and casks of food left to support the adventurers.  A group far larger than the ordinary exploration party could find roomy quarters on the ice floe.  Once comfortable on their floating field, they could endure the hardships of the perpetual arctic winter as easily for three and a half years as for a shorter period.

Such an expedition would be of almost inestimable scientific value.  Mr. Baldwin has no intention of undertaking it for the mere glory of endeavoring to dash up to the pole and then dash back again.  His plan includes a party of scientists, naturalists, and artists, who will have on their long voyage full opportunity to study the magnetic forces of the earth, the aurora borealis, the secrets of the deep northern seas, and all the phenomena of that vast area where the voice of man has never broken the primordial stillness.  But it is a daring plan, and one to daunt the heart of a man less courageous than Mr. Baldwin.




Richmond, Va. News Leader, October 26th, 1908.
BALDWIN'S VENTURE, AGAIN.
When the project of Evelyn B. Baldwin for reaching the North Pole by utilizing an ice floe as a drifting conveyance was first broached, many of our contemporaries were inclined to treat it lightly as Utopian and some to sneer at it as wild.  But since more particulars of the scheme have been published and the arctic experiences and observations of other explorers have been recalled, we find that most of these contemporaries are changing their tune and viewing the question of practicability from the serious standpoints.

Mr. Baldwin is no novice or amateur in arctic exploration.  He was the first leader selected for the expedition under patronage of Mr. Ziegler.  Subsequently, for reasons we do not know, Mr. Ziegler saw fit to confer the command on another man.  But it is the testimony of some of the most famous and successful of arctic voyagers that Mr. Baldwin, in planning his assault on the frozen zone displayed great originality and showed himself a master of those details necessary to be thought out in such a venture.  In this instance he has done the same and gives a reason, and a good reason, for each and every detail of his plan; also he gives good reason for his belief in the probability of success.

In a previous allusion to the scheme we stated in general terms that he designed establishing headquarters on one of the great ice floes in Bering Sea, which drift northward and westward to the coast of Greenland, would erect portable houses, scatter provisions, and oil and logs for fuel, over the floe, and trust to the currents to carry him and his party of naturalists and scientists and artists across the Pole.  One feature, however, was omitted.  He would not merely land on the floe, as might have been surmised from the first publications regarding his project, but would make his ship fast to the floe in order to fall back on it in case the ice should break up.

It will be recognized from this that his plan is essentially the one adopted, or, rather, originated and followed by Nansen in 1893–96.  Nansen proceeded on the same theory that Baldwin is now proceeding on and although the Norwegian did not accomplish all he hoped for and expected, and the theory did not materialize in his case, there is no reason, so far as known, why it should not in Baldwin's.  The Fram, after being jammed into the ice pack near the new Siberian Islands, drifted to a very high latitude, then drifted back to the point at which Nansen and his companion left her for their northward journey on foot.  Subsequently the Fram was carried further north than her first highest latitude.  Meanwhile Nansen and his companion traveled over the ice to a point one hundred and thirty-five nautical miles nearer his goal.  Nansen and Johansen left the Fram at 83 degrees, 59 minutes north; her highest drift was 85 degrees, 95 minutes north; Nansen's highest penetration was 86 degrees, 15 minutes north.

It is therefore possible that even if Baldwin's floe does not drift across the Pole, he may be borne further north than was the Fram and be able by a dash to attain the Pole on foot.  Nansen's experience so far from being discouraging is encouraging, and his failure by no means disproves the accuracy of Baldwin's calculations.  Still admitting that Baldwin will not succeed in solving the final mystery, the scheme has its merits for the organization of the party and the program for study and observation promises contributions to knowledge of arctic conditions in the line of magnetism, meterology and in other departments of the scientific domain that could hardly be secured otherwise.



Chico, Cal. Record, November 5th, 1908.
EXPLORATIONS IN THE ARCTIC REGIONS.
Scientists and daring and hardy explorers are daily evolving more feasible and obviously more wise and nearly successful methods for reaching the North Pole, and it is evident that some of them may soon attain the accomplishment of their great purpose, says the Grass Valley Union.

The latest plan has been thought out by Evelyn Briggs Baldwin, who has tried to enlist President Roosevelt in the aid of his plans.  He intends to enlist as a mode of travel one of the immense ice floes that drift from Bering Sea across the Arctic Ocean and eventually reach the coast of Greenland, which will consume about three years and a half.

He expects to take with him a party not to exceed twenty-five men, including scientists, naturalists and artists, and designs the establishment of a portable camp and the scattering of barrels of oil and logs, presumable to be used, if necessary, for fuel over the floe.  He believes that in this way it is not only possible to attain the goal of the pole, but also to ascertain scientific facts and make observations and photographs hitherto unobtainable.  Many will look upon the scheme as Quixotic and worthy only of ridicule, but two facts should be remembered before the subject is dismissed lightly: First, investigation has proved that these floes, starting south of Bering Strait, drift in a regular course across the Arctic, and it is known that portions of the wrecked Jeannette and drift casks started from that point have been picked up off the Greenland coast.  Second, the idea is endorsed by Admirals Melville and Schley, both of whom are exceptionally familiar with the Arctic conditions. The first wass with the Jeannette expedition and the latter rescued the survivors of the Greeley expedition.  Mr. Baldwin expects to do by traveling on a drifting floe what DeLong expected to do on the Jeannette, and he will not be in danger of having his transporting means crushed.  And after all, there is nothing more wild in the idea advanced by Baldwin than there is in the many dirigible balloon or airship plans that have been proposed by a number of polar expedition enthusiasts of late.

It is probable that the Baldwin plan will eventually be tried, for the lure of the pole seems to be such that when one man is attracted he in some manner is enabled to put his ideas into execution.