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A GEOLOGICAL EXPEDITION TO SOUTHERN ELLESMERE LAND 1936-8

PLANS

The expedition consisting of one geologist
proposes to spend two years at the Police Detachment, Craig Harbour
of southern Ellesmere Land and extending our knowledge of the
Islands. The following points should be noted:

1. No geologist has worked on the coast between Craig Harbour
and Bache Peninsular.

2. The coast line is only very imperfectly mapped.

3. Reliable native information indicates the probability of
interesting geological discoveries, coal and fossils having
been seen in country at present supposed to be Archaean.

4. Little is known of the geology of the Sverdrup Islands.

1936

Craig Harbour would be reached in September
1936 and the rest of the year would be spent in doing geological work
in the vicinity of the Detachment and in laying a cache of dog-feed
as far north as possible on the east coast. A preliminary survey of
Mackinson Inlet will aslo be attempted.

1937

In the spring sledging season of 1937 a
trip will be made from Craig Harbour to Bache Peninsula, following the
coast as closely as possible and in doing geological work and
surveying.

The summer will be spent in work along the
south coast to the west and in laying a cache of dog-feed as far west
possible, in preparation for the sledge journey in the next spring.

1938

In the spring of 1938 a sledge journey will
be made to Axel Heiberg, Ringnes and North Cornwall Islands. The exact
route that will be followed cannot be decided upon as it will depend
upon game and ice conditions, but it will be probably via Bjorne
Peninsula (known to be good game country), Cape Southwest to Ringnes
Islands and back by North Cornwall Islands. The success of this
journey depends upon the use of game, such as bear and seal, for dog-
feed but under no circumstances will the outward journey be continued
beyond the limits of safety i.e. the country will not be relied upon
to supply food for the return journey.

The summer of 1938 will be spent in doing
local work near the Detachment and in surveying Mackinson Inlet in
more detail.

Robert Bentham,
University College
Nottingham.