Show explorers to chart arctic WV wilderness T ideene SS geological survey men to fill in blank spot on map nenana benana alaska through the bitter weather of lato late winter la in tho tl to arctic circle and the peril of nn an unsettled unknown region a party of the united states geological survey headed by dr philllp S smith la Is bound for or the remote colville river basin this probably la Is the most ba hazardous mission ever undertaken by this branch of the government service tile the purpose la is to fill in a big blank spot on the map of alaska containing square miles of unexplored wilderness and also to determine by mineralogical tests the scope of nn an oll oil bearing structure known to exist between point barrow on the arctic coast and the colville basin territory uninhabited according to gerald fitzgerald topographical engineer with the party the barren stretch Is uninhabited except along the arctic shores where isolated 0 bands of eskimos eke out a liv ing by the country la is devoid of timber but overlain by tu tundra moss save where streams cut the th e structure and reveal coal beds and oil 0 11 seepages see pages fitzgerald fetzgerald has penetrated far enough in the direction to learn that game apparently parent ly Is negligible except for ptarmigan and an occasional colony of beaver and muskrat without timber the party will be compelled to rely on exposed coal for fuel and lacking that on tile lie meager supply of gasoline and alcohol they can transport seek geek oil deposits before leaving here doctor smith said he expected to come out of the wilderness by way of tile the colville river to tho the arctic ocean he explained that tile the party would have to t o depend on being picked up by a stray whaling vessel and conveyed to tho tha regular lines of stear nar travel at nome it if no whaler appears tile the explorers will cast their lot with the eskimos until relief Is sent the region to be explored la Is believed to contain vast deposits of oil A lake laka filled with bitumen has hag been discovered near point barrow and the survey party will try to determine the origin of this oil and its commercial importance take dog teams and cances the expedition was wag organized with the care of a polar journey no surplus was carried either in men or material teri te rial alp doctor smith contracted with a company to transport his supplies to the hea headwaters daters of the agatna in tile the alaskan Ito Il ocklea ckles at this point the party la Is to plunge into the wilderness besides the dozen dog teams knockdown canoes were taken to be assembled and used when tile the streams are free from lee ice doctor smith hoped to reach tile the headwaters of tile the colville about may 1 so eo that the principal explorations pl orations could be made in the brief arctic summer the geologists and topographers ers in the party include dr J B mertle R K lynt and harry A talt tait four aids aid complete the personnel |