Taconic (AGC 17) - Naval Cruise Book

Page 32 text:

e distant west coast hich led to the h b Th 1. b th t e Cherous slopes w , .6 lt, for t e snow ecame be aneizixmierdliaitlely-e Tiasel became extremeleyl daltffnlight when. the temnerature Sggt during the day, and they had tohtraxow They replenished their water would sink to a minus 408 and harden gl 0 Sow Jud melting it lwlth the heat of SUPPIY by filling their canteqns Wlt snd the rugged terrain added to their their bodies. Hunger, snow. blindness. 215 feet they came upon the f1a't cent- almost unbelieveable sufferings. At 8,00 nd skis could be used. Flnally, ral plateau, where travel became easierha sighted the grass and the brown after 351 miles of torturesome ordeal, t eyf Greenland' their goal. It was soil that characterizes the western coasg 3 attempts, the first Cr9SS1UE,0f September 15, 1888. After.mang'hun:uglsccEg:. liollowing expeditions whicll sitill: th ' de, aving . Q ' h re in a s u y o seegk lxfeclcuaep tzaihlemweatger conditions of the northern hemisp e the great ice cap of Greenland. .AERIALAVIEW or norxrxr: GLACIER Green1and's icecaps and glaciers make up f . . cult terrain in the world. 4 A view of the tsgprfigustgi Itlluxeitkixtzrtliizecl alnd .d1ff1' North Greenland, reproduced above, would convince anyone that N e G acler 9f party accomplished no mean feat. I ansen and his Modern ex lorers utilizing aircr ft ti - algle to reac: .tuhecir 'gozllls and czbtain athe'irpl:i1at'acl:v?tlh1Bcorngihcetigblgslelsgv:flggeltm re ir o r t ' P caan was qu e e 1 s ven urers into the frozen wastes of the ice

Page 31 text:

THE COAST LINE -OF GREENLAND, GRIN AND FORBIDDING ' The ice cap of Greenland has its own peculiar histpry, for it attracts explorers and scientists in the same way that Mt. Everest attracts mountain climbers. One of the first scientists - explorers to attack it was A.I. Nordenskiold, who sought proof and data for his 'Glacial Epoch Theory'. It was his idea that, ages ago, Europe and North America were covered with an ice cap in much the same manner as Greenland is now. He made his first trip to the ice cap in 1870 to obtain a firsthand impression of this 'wonder' and to cross over the cap if he could. After one month of travel by sledge, the terrain became impassable by that means and they proceeded on foot. They did manage to climb to an altitude of 2,000 feet, but were forced to return after having penetrated only 35 miles. V Fridjof Nansen, a young adventurer, heard of the great ice cap from Norden- skiold, and decided to undertake its dangerous challenge. He procured trans- ealer which was to take them to the east coast of Greenland. The captain of the ship, however, came upon some excellent waters after a month's delay enroute, Nansen and his party of five decided to head for Greenland in their small boat. ,After being caught in d t l'mb u on a solid ice pack. From here they a storm, they were force o c 1 p were carried out to sea and it was not until late August that they finally portation on a Norwegian s for seal hunting and arrived on the east coast of Greenland.

Page 33 text:

The lskimo Natives of Northern Greenland have develo ed a way of life esp- ecially adapted to the conditions around the shores o!,the Arctic Ocean and ad'acent waters. Their survival to the present da is vivid evidence that the !Eshimo has grappled bravely with the Arctic and has adapted his life to its conditions with considerable skill. Living a normal life, and getting most of their food by hunting and fishing, the Es imo has proved that native vit un- aided by machines can solve the problems of the Arctic. The Eskimo culture and economy is curr- ently in a state of change, reacting to increased contact with Europeans and Americ- ans. Although they have taken advantage of some of the comfo- rts offered by the pr- oducts of modern mach- ine civilization, they retain much of their original culture and most of their old cus- toms.