Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 January 1892 — A New North Pole Scheme. [ARTICLE]

A New North Pole Scheme.

A scheme for reaching the North Pole totally different to that proposed by Mr. Nansen has been originated by M. Ekroll, a Norwegian, who intends to put it to the tost in the summer of 1893. Having established a depot of supplies at Cnpo Mohn, on the east coast of Spitsbergen, he will start northeast across the sea to Peterman Land, the most northerly known part of Franz Josef Land. Five men only will accompany him> and they will have six small sledges drawn by dogs. \ln the very probable oase of their coming to open water the six sledges can be joined together with little trouble or timo and converted into ono huge boat for sailing or rowing. From Petermann Laud Mr. Ekroll will shape a straight course for the pole, but if the southern ico drift is to great for him to overcome he will retreat to his supplies on Spitsbergen. If, however, he reaches the pole he proposes to rotum by the east or west coast of Greenland, eking out his food resources by drawing on the provision depots left by previous explorers at Lady Franklin Bay or Scoresby Sound. How he will feed his dogs und how he can use them if he meets broken, hummocky ice w not explained. But, nevertheless, his invention of converting the sledges into a boat seems to bo of practical utility and a valuable addition to appliances for arctic work.