COVERY OF Hi
POLE
DESCRIBED
ry
PEARY
Notice to Publishers.
' The following account by Command
er Robert E. Peary of hit successful
voyage to the north pole was issued
on September 10 by the New York
Timet Company t the request of
Conomander Peary and for hie protec
tion, as a book only, copyrighted and
teKp06ed for tale before any part of It
was reproduced by any newspaper
In the United States or Europe, In
order to obtain the full protection of
the copyright laws. The reproduction
of this account, in any form, without
permission, is forbidden. The penal
ties for violation of this form of copy
right Include Imprisonment for any
person, aiding or abetting such viol
tion. This article lo copyrighted In
Great Britain bv the London Times.
Copyright, 1909, by the New York
Timet ComDsrv. This narrative Is
also copyrighted as a newspaper arti
cle by the New York Timet Company.
REPORT OF THE DISCOVERY OF
THE NORTH POLE by Robert E.
Peary, Commander U. S. N., Copy
right, 1909, by the New York Timet
Company,
' Peary , Denies Cook Claim.
Battle Harbor, tabrador (via Marconi
wireless, Cupe Kay, N. I'M. Sept. lO.-Do
not trouble ubout Cook's story, or at
lompt to expluln any discrepancies In his
statements. The affair will settle Itsolf.
lln has not been at the pole on April
El, 1908. or at any oflier time. He has
simply handed (be public a gold bruk.
These statements art made advisedly.
and I have proof of them. When he
makes a full statement of lilt journey
over his Signature to some geograulUqal
society, or other reputable body. If that
statement contnlns the claim that he nas
reached the pole, I stiall be In a poal
Hon to furnlah material that mny prove
distinctly Interesting reading for the pub
lic. ROBERT IC. PEART.
Battle Harbor. tabrndor (via Marco
ni wireless, Cupe Rny, K. F.). Sept. 9
The ateamrr Roosevelt, bearing the
north nolar expedition of tho I'eary
Arctlo club, parted company with tho
F.rik and steamed out of Ktah ford late
tn the afternoon of August IS. IMS,
Netting the UHiial course for Cape Sa
bine. The wentlur was dirty, with
freNh southerly winds. We had on
hoard 2'J Eskimo men, 17 women, and
10 children, 22C dogs, and some forty
odd walrus.
Wo encountered the Ice a short dis
tance from tho mouth of the harbor.
but It was not closely packed, and was
necntlatcd by tho Roosevvlt without
serious difficulty.
Find Much Water.
As we neared Cape Sabine the wenth
er cleared somewhat and wo passed by
Three Voort Island and Cupe hflblnu,
easily nmklnK out with the naked eye
the house at Hayes harbor occupied by
me In the winter of 1901-02.
From Cupe Sabine north there was
so much water that we thouKht r set
tinsr tho luff salt before tho southerly
wind, but a lltllo later appearance of
lea to tho northward stopped this.
There was clean open water .to Cape
Albert, and Trom there scattered Ice
to a point about abreast of Victoria
Head, thick weather and dense Ice
bringing us some ten or fifteen miles
.wav.
From here we drifted south somewhat
and then got aslant to the northwnrd
out of tho current. We worked a little
further north and stopped again for
some hours. Then we again worked
westward and northward till we
reached a series of lakes, coming to a
top a few miles south of the Wind'
ward's winter quarters at Cape Dur
vllle.
From here, after some delay, we
lowly worked a way northeastward
through fog and broken lee of medium
thickness through one night and the
forenoon of the next day. only emerg
Ing Into open water and clear weather
off Capt Fraser.
Strike Ice and Fog.
From this point we had a clear run
through the middle of Kobeson channel
uninterrupted by either Ice or fog, to
Lady Franklin bay. Here we encoun
tered both ice and fog. and while
working along In starch of a pructl-
oablo opening were forced across to
tha Greenland coast at Thank God
Harbor.
The fog lifted there and enabled us
to make out our whereabouts and we
steamed north through a series of leads
past Cape l.upton, and thence south
ward toward Cupe 1'itlon. A few miles
off that cape we were stopped by Im
practicable Ice. and we drifted back
south to Cape Union, where we stopped
again.
Ship Forced Aground.
We lay for some time In a lake of
. water, and then, to prevent being drift
ed south again, took refuge under the
north shore of Lincoln bay. In nearly
the Identical place where we hud our
unpleasant experiences three years be
fore. Here we remained for severval
days during a period of constant and
at times violent northeasterly winds.
Twice we were forced aground by
the heavy Ice; we hud our port quar
ter rail broken and a bole stove In the
bulwarks, and twice we pushed out In
an attempt to get north, but were
forced back each time to our precari
ous shelter.
Heavy Running Ice.
Flnully on September 2 We squeeird
round Cape I'nlon and tnude ta.it in a
. shallow niche In the Ice, but after soma
liours we made 'k'tiother shoit run to
Black cape and hung un to a grounded
bit of Ice. At la I. a little after mid
night of September 6. we passed through
extremely ueuTy i mining ice into a
stream of open water, rounded Cape
Rawson ana p-isseu i upe BluTldun.
Within a quarter of an hour of the
same time we arrived three years before
even s. m.. Septemtier -w reached
the open water extending beyond Cupe
Sheridan.
Wo steamed tip to the end of it and It
appeared prucllcnbie at hint to reach
porter bay, near C.ipe Joseph Hcnly,
which I had for my whiter quarters, but
the outlook being uwat infactoi y, I went
back and put tne itooseveit into the
only opening In the tloe, being burred
close to the mouth of the Sheridan riv
er a little nortli of our position three
years prior.
Put Up for Winter.
The season was further advanced than
In HiOS: there wus mute snow on th
ground and the new he Inside the floe
berst was much thicker.
The work of discharging the ship was
svrMiinenced st once and rushed to com
pletlon. The supplies and equipment we
ledged across Ice and sea and deposited
en shore. A house and workshop were
American Explorer's Own Story
' Dash
built of board, covered with s.tlls, and
lltteil with stoves, und the ship was
snug for winter In shoal water, where It
touched bottom at low tide.
The settlement on the stormy shores of
(he Arctic ocean wus christened Hub
hurilvllle. Hunting parties were sent out on Sep
tember 10 and a bear was brought In on
the l.'th and some deer a duy or two
later.
Prepare for Sledge Trip.
On September 15 the tull work of trans
ferring supplies to Cupe Columbia wus
Inaugurated. Marvin with Dr. od-
kuII and Ilorup and the Eskimos, took 18
sledgn loads of supplies to Cupe Uelknap
and on tha 27th the sumo party started
wl:h louds to Porter bay.
The work of hunting and transporting
supplies wus prosecuted continuously by
the members of the party and the Eski
mo until November 6. when the sup
plies for the spring sledge trip hud been
removed from winter quarters und de
posited at various places from Cape Co-
lun to Cupe Columbia.
Tlie lutter part of September the move.
ment of the ice subjected the ship to a
prts.'iuro which listed It to port soma
eight or ten degrees, and It did not re
cover till the following spring.
On October 1 I went on a hunt with two
Eskimos across the Held and Puss buy
and the peninsula, made the circuit of
Clernunts Murkham Inlet, and returned
to the ship In seven days Willi li musk
oxen, a beur and a deer.
Ijiter In October I repeated the trip.
obtaining five musk oxen, and hunting
parties sue u id some w fleer.
Supplies Moved to Base.
In the February moon Bartlett went to
Capo llecla, Goodsull moved some more
supplies from Hncla to Cape Colan, and
Boiup went to Mark ha in Inlet on a hunt
ing trip. On February 15 Hartlett left
the Itoosevitlt with hU division for Cupe
Columbia und Purr buy.
uoodsull,' Ilorup, MucMUlan and Han
sen followed on successive days with
their provisions. Marvin returned from
Cupe ilryant on Februury 17 and left for
(.'upe Columbia on February 1. 1 brought
up the rear on February 22.
The total of all dlvlalons leaving the
Itooseveit . wus seven . members of the
party, 19 Eskimos, HO dogs und 23 sledges.
Make Ready for Dash.
By, February 27 such of the Cupe Colan
depot us wus needed hud been brought
up to Cape Columbia, the dogs were
rested and double rationed und hurnesscd
and the sledges und other geur over
hauled.
Emir months of northerly winds during
the fall und winter Instead of souther
ly ones, as during the previous season
led me to expect less open water than
before, but a great deal of rough Ice, und
1 was prepared to hew a road through
the Jugged Ice fur the first hundred min
or so, then cross the big lend.
Bartlett Leads the Way.
On the lust duy of February Hartlett,
with his pioneer division, accomplished
this, und lils division got away due
north over the Ice on Murch 1. The rest
of the parly got away on llarllutt's
ti nil, and 1 followed an hour later.
The purty now comprised seven mem
bers of the expedition, 17 Eskimos, 133
dogs und IS sledges. One Eskimo and
seven dogs had gone to pieces, '
A strong easterly wind, drifting
snow, and temperature in tne minus
marked our depurture from the camp at
Cupe Cislumblu, which I had christened
Crane City. Hough Ice In the first march
damaged several sledges and smashed
two beyond repair, the teams going buck
to Columbia for other sledges In reserve
there.
Pass British Record.
We camped ten miles from Crane City.
The easterly wind and low temperature
continued. In the second march we
passed the llrltlsh lecord made by Mark-
hum In May, IS,-S2.20 und were stopped
by open water, which hud been formed
by wind after Hartlett passed.
In this murch we negotiated the lead
and rt ached Hartlett's third camp. Ilorup
had gone buck from here, but missed his
way, owing to the faulting of the trull
by the movement of the Ice.
Marvin came buck nlso for more fuel
and nlcohol. The wind continued, form
ing open water all about us. At the end
of the fourth murch we came upon
Hartlett, who had been stopped by a
wide lake of open water. We remuined
here from Murch 4 to March 11.
Gets Glimpse of Sun.
At noon of March 5 the sun, red and
shuped like a football by excessed re-
(lection, )ust raised Itself ubove the horl
son for a few minutes and then disap
peared again. It was the first time 1 had
seen It since October 1.
I now began to feel a good deal of
anxiety because there were no signs
of Marvin and Ilorup, who should have
been there for two days. Beside, they
had the alcohol and oil, which were In
dispensable for us.
We concluded that they iuid either lost
the trull or were Imprisoned on an is
land by open water, probably the latter.
Fortunately, on March 11 the lead was
practicable and, leaving a note -for Mar
vln and ilorup to pusn on arter us by
forced marches, we proceeded northward.
The sounding of the lead gave 110
fathoms.
Iurlng this march we crossed the
elglity-fourtn parallel ana traversed a
succession of Just froten lends, from t
few hundred yards to a mile In width
This march was really simple.
On the fourteenth we got free of the
leuds ami came on decent going. .While
we were making camp a courier from
Marvin came and Informed me ha was
on the march In the rear. The temper
ature was 9 below sero.
The following morning, March 15, I sent
Hansen with his division north to pio
neer a trail for nve matches, and Dr.
Uoodtell, according to the program, start
ed back to Cape Columbia.
MacMillan Turns Back.
At night Murvln and Borup came spin
nlng In with their men and dogs steam
Ing In the bitter air like a squadron of
battleships. Their arrival relieved m
of all anxiety as to our oil supply.
In the morning 1 discovered that Mae-
Mllluns foot was badly frost bitten. The
mishap had occurred two or three days
before, but MucMillun had said nothing
about It tn the hope that It would come
out all right.
A gluiwe at the Injury showed me that
the only thing wus to send htm buck to
Cape Columbia at once. The arrival o
Murvln und Borup enabled me to spare
sufficient men and dogs to go back with
him.
On leaving the camp the expedition
comprised 16 men, 12 sledges and luO dogs
The next march wus satisfactory as re'
aids dlstunue and ths chaructvr of the
to the Absolute
Goal of Centuries Reached
Travel, Smooth Ice and Mild Weather
Helping Sensations of Intrepid
Commander at Climax of
His Life Vork.
going. In the latter part there wexo
pronounced movements in the ice. both
visible und audible.
Some leads were crossed, in one or
Which Korup and his team took a bath.
arid we were .finally stopped by an lin-
nractlcable leud opening In front of us.
We i-amned -fif a temperature of Go de
grees below, .,; ' "'. , .- ,.
At the end of two short' marcnes we
came upon' Hansen ana .nis puny in
camp. : mending- their sledges. We de
voted the remainder of the uay to over
hauling and mending sledges und break
ing up our damaged ones for material.
Make Forced Marches.
The next morning I put Murvln In the
lead lo pioneer the trull, wltn instruc
tions lo make two forced marches to
bring up. , our average which hud been
rut down by the lut two) snort ones.
Murvln curried out hlB Instructions Im
plicitly. A considerable amount of young
Ice assisted In this.
At the end of the tenth march, lutltude
85.23, liorup turned back In command of
the second supporting party. Having trav
eled a distance equivalent to Nmuon's
distance from litis far to his furthest
north.
I was sorry to lose this young Tale
runner, with his enthusiasm and pluck.
He hud led lils heavy sledge over the
floes In a way that commanded every
one's admiration and would have mudu
his father's eyes glisten.
Changes His Plan.
From this point the expedition com
prised 20 men, 10 sledges, .and 70 dogs. It
was necessary for Marvin to tako a
sledge from here, and I put Bartlett
und his division in advance to pioneer
the trull.
The continual daylight enabled me to
make a moderation here that brought my
advance and main purtles closer together
and reduced the likelihood of their be
ing separated by open leads.
After Hartlett left camp with Hender
son and their division, Marvin and I re
mained with our division 20 hours long
er and then followed. When we reached
Hartlett's camp be broke out und went
on and we turned In. By this arrange
ment the advance party wus traveling
while the main party was asleep, and
vice versa, and I wus In touch with my
advance party every 24 hours.
Moves Expeditiously.
I had no reason to complain of the
going for the next two inarches, though
for a less experienced party, less adapt
ble sledges, or less perfect equipment It
would have been an Impossibility.
At -our position at the end of the sec
ond march, Marvin obtained a satisfac
tory sight for latitude In clear weather,
which placed us at 85.4S. The result
an reed sullsfactorlly with the dead reck
oning of Marvin, Bartlett and myself.
Up to this time, the slight altitude of
the sun had mude It not worth while to
waste time In observations.
On the next two marches the going Im
proved, and we covered good distances,
n one of these murches a lead delayed
us a .few 'hours. w unsiiy terrieu across
ths Ice cakes.
Makes Record Run.
The next day Hartlett let himself out
evidently, for a word, and reeled oft 20
miles. Here Marvin obtained anothei
atlsfactory sight on latitude, which gave
the position as .: (or beyond the furth
est north of N arisen and Abruxzl), and
showed that we had covered 0 minutes
of latitude In three marches.
In these three marches we had passed
the Norwegian record of 86.14, by Nan
sen, and the Italian record of M'H, by
Cugnl.
From this point Marvin turned back In
command of the third supporting party
My lust words to him were: "Be care
ful of the leads, my boy."
The party from this point comprised
nine men. seven sledges, ana M) dogs,
The conditions at this camp and the ap
parently unbroken expanse of fairly level
Ice In every direction reminded me of
Cagnl'a description of his furthest north,
Danger Is Encountered.
But I was not deceived by the appar
ently favorable outlook, for avalluble
conditions never continue for any ills
tnnce or any length of time In the arc
Uo regions.
The next march was over good go-
Ing, but fur the first time since leaving
land we experienced that condition, fre
quent over these b 4iekls, of a busy at
mosphere. In which the light Is equal
everywhere. All relief Is destroyed, and
it is impossible to see for any distance.
We were obliged in this march to make
a detour around an open leud. In the
next march we encountered the heaviest
and deepest snow of the Journey, through
a thick, smothering mantle lying In the
depressions of heavy rubble Ice.
Temporarily Discouraged.
I came upon Bartlett and his party,
fagged out and temporarily discouraged
by the beartracklng work of. making
road.
I knew what was the mstter with
them. They were simply spoiled by the
good going on the previous marches. I
rallied them a bit, lightened their sledges
and sent them on encouraged aguln.
During the next march we traveled
through a thick hare drifting over the
Ice before a biting air from the north
east. At the end of the march e came
upon the isplain camped beside a wide
open lead with a dense blin k water sky
northwest, north and northeast.
The next murch was also a long one,
It was Burtlett's lust hit. He let him
self out over a series of large old tlors,
steadily Increasing In diameter and
covered with hard snow.
Wind Helps Out.
During the last few miles I walked
inside him or tln ndvajior. Jle wus sol
emn and anxious to go further, but the
program was for him to go back from
here in command of the fourth sup
porting party, and there were no sup
plies for an Increasu In the main purty.
Bartllett Did Good Work.
When he left I felt for a moment
pangs of regret as be disappeared In
of His Thrilling
Apex of the Earth.
By Marvelously Swift
the distance, but It was only momen
tary. My work was still ahead, not in
the rear.
Bartlett had done good work and had
been a great help to me. Circumstances
hud thrust the brunt of the pioneering
upon him Instead of dividing it among
several, as I had planned.
He had reason to take pride in the
fict that he hud bettered the Italian
record by a degree and a quarter and
had covered a distance equal to the
entire distance of the Italian expedi
tion from Franz Josef's land to Cagnt's
farthest north.
I had given Bartlett this position and
post of honor In command of my
fourth and-lust supporting party, and
for two reasons: f'rst, because of Mi
magnificent handling of the Itooseveit;
soond,kbct:use he had cheerfully stood
between me und many trifling annoy
ances on the expeditions.
Then there was a third reason. It
seemed to me appropriate in view of
the magnificent British record of arc
tic work, covering three centuries, that
it should be a British subject who
could boast that, next to an American,
he had been nearest the pole.
Ready for Final Effort.
With the disappearance of Bartlett V
turned to the problem before me. This
was that for which I had worked for 32
years, for which I hud lived the simple
life; for which I had conserved all my
energy on the upward trip; for which
I hud trainee myself as for a race, crush
ing down every worry about success.
In spite of my years, 1 felt In trim-
fit for the demands of the coming days
und eager to be on the trail.
As for my party, my equipment, and
my supplies, I wus In shape beyond my
most sanguine dreams of earliest years.
My party might be regarded as an
ideal, which hnd now come to realization
ns loyal and responsive to my will us
the lingers of my right hand.
Men All Tried and True.
Four of them possess tho technique of
dogs, sledges. Ice, and cold as their herl
tuge. Two of them, Hansen nnd Ootam,
were my companions to the farthest point
three years before. Two others. Kginwuk
und Sigloo. were ,ln Clark's division
widen had such' a harrow escape at that
time, and now were willing to go any
where with my Immediate purty, nnd
willing to risk themselves again In uny
supporting purty.
The fifth wus a young man who had
never served before In any expedition.
nut wno wus, ir possible, even more
willing and euger than the others for
the princely gifts a boat,' u rllle, a shot
gun, ammunition, knives, etc., which I
hud promised to each of them who
reached the polo with me: for he knew
that these riches would enuble him to
wrest from a arubborn father the girl
whose image filled his hot ygung heart.
All Followed Him Blindly.
ah nan Diina commence so long as
I was with them, and gave no thought
for the morrow, sure that whatever hap
pened I should somehow get them buck
to land. But I dealt with the party
equally. 1 recognized that all Its Im
petus centered In me. and that whatever
pace I set It would make good. If any
one played out, I would stop for a short
lime. ,
I had no fault tq And with the condi
tions. My dogs were tho best, the pick
of 122 with which we left Columblu. Al
most all were powerful males, hard uS
nails, in good tlesh.'tiut without a super
fluous ounce, nnd. 'What wus butter yet.
they wore all In good spirits.
My sledges, now that the repairs were
completed, were In good condition. My
supplies were ample for 40 duys, and.
with the reserve represented by the dogs
themselves, could be made to last 60.
At a little after midnight of April 1
after a few hours of sound sleep, I hit
the trail, leaving tha others to break
up camp and follow.
As I climbed the pressure ridge bark
of our igloos I set another hole In my
belt, the third since I started. Kvery
mun and dog of us was lean und Hat
bellied us a board and as hard.
Fine Morning for Start.
It was a hue morning. The wind of
the lust two days had subsided, and the
going wus the best and most equable
of any I had had yet. The noes were
large and old, and clear, and were sur
rounded by pressure ridges, some of
will oh wre almost stupendous.
The biggest of them, however, were
easily negotiated, cither through some
crevice or up soma huge brink. I set
a good pace for about tun hours.
Twenty-five miles took me well be
yond the eighty-eighth parallel.
While I was building my Igloos a
long lend forward by tho east and
southwest of us at a distance of a few
miles.
Few Handicaps Are Faced.
A few hours' sleep and we were on
the trail again. As the going was now
practicality horizontal, we were un
hampered and could travel as long us
we pleased and sleep as little as we
wished.
The weather was fine snd the going
like that of ths previous duy, except
at the beginning, when plckuxes were
required. This nnd a brief stop at an
other leud cut down our distance. But
we hud made 20 miles in ten hours and
were hulf way to th eighty-ninth
parallel.
Going Improves on Way.
Again there was few hours' sleep
and we hit the trail before midnight.
The weather and going were even bet
ter. The surface, except as Interrupted
by Infrequent ridges, was as level as
ths glacial fringe from Hscla toColum
blu. and harder.
We marched something over ten
hours, the dogs being ofton on the trot.
and made 10 miles. Near the cud of
ths inarch ws rushed across a lead 100
yards wide, which buckled Under our
sledges snd finally broke as the lust
sledge lett n.
We stopped In sight of the eighty
ninth parallel In a temperature of 40
degrees below. Again a scant sleep
and Successful
und we were on our way once more
and across the eighty-ninth parallel.
This murch duplicated the previous
one as to weather and going, i tie last
few hours It was on young Ice and oc
casionally ths dogs were galloping.
We made twenty-five miles or more.
the uir, the sky, and the bitter wind
burning the face till it cracked. It was
like the great Interior Ice gap of
Greenland. Kven the natives com
plained of . the bitter air. It was as
keen ns frozen steel.
A little longer sleep than the previ
ous one had to be taken here, as we
were all In need of It. Then on again.
I'p to this time, with each successive
march, our fear of an impussublo lead
hud Increased. At every Inequality of
the -ice t found myself hurrying breath
lessly forward, fearing that It marked a
leud, and when I arrived at the summit
would cutch my breath with relief only
to find myself hurrying on In the suiue
way at the next one.
But on this march, .by some- strange,
shift of feeling, this fear fell from me
cumpk-tely. The weather wus thick;" but
It gave me no uneasiness.1 . -. ,:
Before 1 turned in I took an observa
tion which Indicated our position as W
degrees 25 minutes. . ....
A rise In temperature to IS degrees be
low reduced the friction of the sledges
and gave the dogs the' appearance of
having caught the' spirits of the. party
The more sprightly ones, as they went
ulong with tightly curled tails, frequent
ly tossed their heuds, with short, sharp
barks and yelps. .
In 12 hours we had made 40 miles.
There was no sign of a lead ..In . the
march. ,
Pole Reached at Last.
I had now made my five marches, and
wus In time for a hasty noon observation
through a temporary break In the clouds
which Indicated our position as fS.il. I
quotn un entry from my Journal some
liours later:
The pole at lust. The prize of three
venfurles, my dream and goal for 20
.years, mine at lust. I cunnot brin; my
self to realize it.
It all seems so simple and common
plure. As Bartlett said when turning
back, when speaking of his being In
these exclusive regions, which no mortal
hus ever penetrated before: "It Is Just
like every day."
Of course I hnd my sensations that
made sleep Impossible for hours, despite
my utter fatigue the sensations of a life
time; but I have no room for them here.
The first 30 liours nt the. pole were
spent In taking observations; In going
some ten miles beyond our camp and
some eight miles to the right of It; In
taking photographs, planting my flags,
depositing my records, studying the hori
zon with my telescope for possible land,
nnd searching for a practicable pluce to
make a sounding. .
Ten hours after our arrival the clouds
cleared before a light breeze from our
left and from that time until our depar
ture In tho afternoon of April 7 the
weather was cloudless and flawless.
The minimum temperature during the
30 hours was 33 below, the maximum 12.
We hnd reached the goal, but the re
turn was still before us. It wus essential
that we reach the land before the next
spring tide, nnd we must strain every
nerve to do this.
I hud a brief talk with my men. From
now on it wus to be a big travel, little
sleep and a hustle every minute, .
We would try, I told them, to double
march on the return that Is, to start
and cover one of our northward
marches, mnke tea and eat our luncheon
In the Igloos, then cover another march,
eat and sleep a few hours, and repeat
this dully.
Double Speed cn Return.
As a mntter of fart, we nearly did
this, covering regularly on our return
Journey five outward marches In three
return marches.
Just as long ns we could hold the
trull we could double our speed, and
we need waste no time In building
new igloos every day, so that the time
we gained on the return lessened the
chances of a gale destroying the track.
Just above the eighty-seventh paral
lel was a region some fifty miles wide
which caused me considerable uneasi
ness. Twelve hours of strong easterly.
westerly, or nostherly wind would
make this region on open sea.
In the afternoon of the 7th we start
ed on our return, having double fed
the dogs, repaired the sledges for the
lust time, and discarded all our spare
clothing to lighten tho louds.
Sea 1,500 Fathoms Deep.
Five miles from the pole a narrow
crauk filled with recent Ice. through
which we were able to work a hole
with a pickax, enabled me to make a
sounding. All my wire, 1.J00 fathoms,
was sent down, but there wus no bot
tom.
In pulling up the wire parted a few
fathoms from the surface nnd lend and
wire went to the bottom. Off went reol
and handle, lightening the sledges still
further. We had no more use forj them
now. ,i
Three marches brought us back to
the Igloos where the captain turned
back. The last march was in the wild
sweep of a northerly gale, with drift
ing snow nnd the ce rocking under as
we dashed over It.
Little Trouble in Leads.
South of where Marvin had turned
back we came to where his party had
built several igloos while delayed bv
open leads. Still further south we
found where the captain had been held
up by un open lead und obliged to
eump.
Fortunately the movement of these
leads was simply open and shut, and It
took considerable water motion to fault
the trail seriously.
While the captain, Marvin, and as I
found iuter, Borup, had been delayed
by open leads, we seemed to bear a
charm and with no single lead were we
delayed more than a couple of hours.
Sometimes the Ice was fust and firm
enough to carry us across; sometimes
a short detour, sometimes a brief halt
for the lend to close, sometimes an Im
provised ferry on an Ice rake, kept the
trail without difficulty down to the
tenth outward march.
First Handicap on Return.
9
Igloos there disappeared completely
and the entire region was unrecognis
able. Where on the outward Journey
had neen narrow cracas, there were
now broad leads, one of them over five
miles In width, caught over with young
Ice.
Here again fortune favored us, and
no pronounced movement of the let
having taken place slm-e the captain
passed, we had his trail tn follow. We
picked up the old trail again north of
the sevmth Igloos, followed It beyond
the fifth, and at the big leud lost it
llnally.
Eskimos Wild with Joy.
From here we followed the captain's
trail, and on April 23 our sledges
passed up the vertical edge of the
glacier fringe, a little west of Cape
Columblu.
When the last sledge came up I
thought my Eskimos had gone crazy.
They yelled and called and danced
themselves helpless. As Ootah sat down
on his sledge he remarked, in Fskimo:
"The devil Is asleep or having trouble
with his wife, or we never should have
come back so euslly."
A few hours later we arrived at
Crane City, under the bluffs of Ope
Columbia, and, after putting four
pounds of pemmlcan Into each of the)
faithful dogs to keep them quiet, we
had, at last, our chance to sleep.
Sleep Finally in Safety.
Never ahull I forget that sleep at Capo
Columbia. It was sleep, sleep, then turn
over und sleep again. We slept glorious
ly, with never a thought of the morrow !
or having to walk and, too, with no 1
thought that them wus to be never a
nlgl'it more of blinding headache. '
. Cold water to a purched throat Is noth- I
Ing compared wllh sleep to a numbed, ("
fatigued train 'and body.
Two days we .spent here In sleeping and I
.drylng.qur clothes Then for the ship. ;
vnir uogs, use ourselves, nan noi oeen
fi'ungry when we arrived, but simply life-
leas, .with .fatigue. They were different
animals now', und the better ones among i
them' swept on with tightly curled tails I
and uplifbed heads and their hind legs !
trending the snow with pistonlike regu-
laWty. ' ' i
; Shocked by Marvin's Death.
'We renched Hecla In one march and ;
the 1 Roosevelt In another. When . ww 1
got Vo. the Itooseveit I was staggered by
the news of the fatal mishap to Marvin.
He hnd either been less cautious or lean
fortunate than the rest of us, and his
.death emphasized the. risk .to which we
all had been subjected, for there was not
one of us but had been In the sledge at
some time during the Journey.
The big lead, cheated of Its prey thre
'years 1 before, had at lost gained Its hu
man victim.
The rest can be told quickly. McMillan
and Borup had started for the Green
land const to deposit caches for me. Be
fore I arrived a flying Fskimo courier
from me overtook them with Instructions
that the caches were no longer needed
and they were to concentrate their ener
gies on the Ideal observations, etc., at
Cape Morris K. Jesup and north from
there.
Return on Roosevelt Begins.
These Instructions were carried out anJ
nfter their return In the latter part olT
May McMillan made some further tidal
observations at other points. The sup
plies remaining at tho various cach"
were brought In and on July 18 the)
Itooseveit left Its winter quarters and
was driven out into the channel back of
Cape Nlnn.
It fought Its way south In the center
of the channel nnd passed Cupe Sablnn
on August 8. or IKt daye earlier than In
llli)8, nnd 32 days earlier than the British
expedition In 1S76.
We picked up Whitney and his party
and stores nt Etah. We killed seventy
odd walrus for my F.sklmos, whom I
landed at their homes. We met the
Jennie off Saunders Island and took over
Its -oal and cleured from Capo York on
August 20, one month curlier than la
1906.
Praise for His Aids;
As to the personnel, I have agflln been
particularly fortunate. Capt. Bartlett la
Just Hartlett tireless, sleepless, enthusi
astic, whether on the bridge or In ths
crow's nest or at the head of a sledge
d!vlslon In the Meld.
Dr. Ooodsell, the surgeon of the expe
dition, not only looked after Its health
nnd his own speclulty of microscopes but
took his full share of the field work of
the expedition us well, and was always
ready for any work.
Profs. Marvin and McMillan have se
cured a muss of scientific data, having
made nil the tidal and most of the field
work, and their services were Invaluable
In every way.
Borup Valuable in Many Wayi.
Borup not only made the record as to
the distance traveled during the Jour
ney, but to his aslstnnce nnd his expert
knowledge of photography Is due whnt
I believe to he the unequnled series of
photographs taken bv the expedition.
Chief Engineer Wardwell. also of
the Inst expedition, ntded by his as
sistant. Scott, kept the machinery up
tn a high state of efficiency and has
given the Roosevelt the force nnd pow
er which enabled It to negotiate appar
ently Impracticable Ire.
Mr. Unshoe, the mate, who was tn
charge Of the Roosevelt during the ab
sence of Capt. Bartlett and myself, and
Boatswain Murphy, who was put In
cbnrge of the station at Etah for ths
relief of Cook, were both trustworthy
nnd reliable men, nnd I count myself
fortunate In having hnd them In my
service.
Members of Crew Lauded.
The members of the rrew and the
firemen were a distinct Improvement
over those of our last expedition. Every
one of them was willing and nnxlous
to be of service in every possible way.
Connors, who was promoted to b
bos'n In the absence of Murphy, proved
to be practically effective.
Barnes, seamnn, and Wlsemnn and
Joyce, firemen, not only assisted Mar
vin nnd McMillan in their tidal and
meteorological observations on ths
Roosevelt, but Wiseman and Barnes
went Into the field with them on their
trips to Cape Columbia, nnd Condon
and Cody covered 1.000 miles hunting
and sledging supplies.
Supplies Left for Eskimos.
As for my faithful Eskimos, I have
left them with ample supplies of dark,
rich walrus ment nnd blubber for their
winter, with currants, sugar, biscuits,
guns, rifles, ammunition, knives, hatch
ets, traps, etc.
For the splendid four who stood be
side me at the pole a boat and tent
ench to requite them for their energy
nnd the hardship and toll they under
went to help their friend Peary to the
north pole.
But all of this the dearly bought
years of experience, the magnificent
strength of the Roosevelt, the splen
did energy and enthuslusm of my party,
the loyal faithfulness of my Eskimos
could have gone for naught but for
the faithful necessaries of war fur
nished so loyally by the members and
friends of the Peary Aretle club.
Thanks to Dead Friend.
And It Is no detraction from the liv
ing to ssy that to no single Individual
has the flno result been mors signally
due than to my friend, the late Mnrrie
K. Jesup, the first president of the'club.
Their assistance has enabled me to
tell the last of the great earth stories,
the story the world ian been waiting
to hear for 300 years the story of
the discovery of tho north pole.
ROBERT E. PEARY.
