Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-05-15
BY TELEGRAPH.
sounD ron ras noara POLE.


New YoHK, NAV lS.-The Times says,
Civil EnginseR Robert E. Pea1y Of the
navy. Who has been gfansed an eighteen
months leave Of absence for the purpose
Of making m expedition toward the north
pole. has been in the city perfectiog his
plans and procuring his outnt. A reporter
talked With him II the Astor House and
learned that the expedition will leave in .
few weeks. probably before June /, start
ing from ST. johns, N. f., in one Of thu
whaling ships that cruise between that port
and the mediterranean towns Of Greenland.
Six men, including Mr.. Peary. viii COM
pose the expedition. Each one Of them has
bad experience in this direction and each
knows full we'll the enormous difficulties
that confront him. Mr.. Peary himself has
had experience Of incalculabls value in q
trip Of this kind. In 1886. while on leave
Of absence, ne made hasty trip to the in
terror Of Greenland on lice due east from
Disco bay, which 10 50 degrees 80 minutes
north latitude. Moreover. be Is native OF
Maine and has spent all his winters in
rigorous climates.
From ST. Johns" he said, Eve will go
TO Whale Sound, which is - far north IS
any Of the whaling feet can take US. We
will make Whsle Sound our base Of sup.
plies, remaining there all winter. As soon
IS spriog begins l and two others Of the
party will push into the interior By sledge.
and when we have reached . point sutfi-
GENTLY far from the coast We will push
north rs fast and as far AZ we can go.
There is the whole thing in nutshell.
"Safe? Why, it is safer by far thsa
travel in Montana and remote districts Of
the Western United States, because there's
nothing rugged about the country. There
are no pfecipices to fall from. and il per-
chance one stumbies he falls upon TIE
sof,est kind Of cushion Of snow.
when once We scale the glacier. we
reach an elevation Of 5000 feet, where
every thing is covered with dry snow.
spent some time on this ground in 1886 and
know it By heart. From the point where
We hope to mount this glacier, in 3 direc.
ton due north, the surface of the snow is
ueb,oken. II is as firm and white as mar
BILE. These facts being established, l be.
lieve that small party of men. with grit,
snowshces and provisions. can reduce the
difficulties Of arctic travel to = minimum"
In answer to q question whether his plan
had ever been attempted before. Mr.. Perry
said that Dr. Hayes had entered Greenland
in 1880 near Smiths sound, ascending the
glacier to hsishs 1 5000 feet, and that
Nordenskjold mac attempted it at almost
the same place in 1870. Neither Of these
attempts met with success, although 3
second visit of Norienskjold in 1883 es-
tablished beyond doubt that . smooth
plain Of hard and dry snow existed in
the iuter:c-. stretching far toward
the north. Mr.. PeAfys personal ex-
perience veriaes this fact. He be.
lieves that bis party can travel At least 90
many miles day Is did the men of Hayes,
Greedy. and Lcckwood's parties, who made
Is miles on the average. At that rate he
thinks it possible for his men to cover 100
miles in sixty-five days, reaching q point
about 200 miles north Of SO degs. "a
north, which is Loekwoods furthes, point
Lieut. Lockwood. it will be remembered,
travelled 1869 miles in sixty DAYS and expert
enced tt temperatures as low as 40 degs, below
zero.