Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-04
THE PEARY EXPEDITION
Will Relief Expedition Be Necessary Mex,
Spring?

VIII q Relief Expedition Be Necessary Next
Spring?
The question of a relief expedition for the
Peary expedition next summer is already be.
Ing agitated. DIR. W. E. Hughes. who repre.
sented the Philadelphia Press on the steamer
has this to say:
1t is the deliberate opinion Of all our party
and this opinion is Endorsed fully by all the
oncers OF the kite-that unless relief expe-
oinon be sent to Lieut.. Peary next summer he
ana his party will never be seen again alive.
Pearys position cannot help regarding az q
very serious one. Crippled as he is it will be
impossible for him to do any walking this fall
before the winter sets in, and it was Oh this
time that be depended for his preliminary re-
connoitering and establishing of depots of
food. Then no one can predict what will
be the condition OF his leg next
spring nor what effect the enforced
idleness will have on his health. 1t is not an
unheard of thing for a broken leg. even under
the best conditions, to refuse to bear its master
at the end OF eight months But, granting that
the leg is in serviceable condition, two still
more serious problems confront him-the food
supply and the retreat southwark.
Peary Ii supposed to have food supply for
sixteen months but, judging from the enormous
appetltes the arctic weather engenders and look
ing over what provisions he has, it is doubtful to
me II he has full ratons for more than half that
time. He evidently fears that his supply will
fall short from his extreme anxiety to obtain
game. Practically all the fish caught in the
straits of Belle Isle were preserved TOR his use
and all the ducks killed at Duck Island with the
exception OF few needed for specimens. I'm
fortunately, the warm. damp weather had rem.
dered the ducks unfit for food. and fear the
fish were in little better condition.
Even before we landed at Mccormick bay he
issued written request that no firearms be
taken ashore. giving as a reason that the firing
might frighten the game in the neighborhood
which request was religiousiy complied with
No dependence can, however, be pu,
on game in the country in which
he is placed. He cannot get anv OF
| the sea animals, except seals or possibly az
occasional walrus, for he has no appliances TO,
taking them except guns. In the winter bt
most unfortunate that he could not have gotten
an Eskimo hunter in Danish Greenland. TO,
with his assistance it would have been much
easier to capture game. He has very little Skin
clothing along, but this they may get from the
itnblu Eskimo or possibly even make them.
| selves.
1t would have shown greater forethought on
| his part had he come provided with an elabo.
rate supply of clothing suitable to Withstand
the rlgOrs OF an arctic winter. He probably
Aes iuei enough, 1Of nc mas alcOhOl and coal
oil OF his own, and we left him seven tons OF
coal from the ships store, all that we could
possibly spare after the sad depletion entailed
by our detention in Melville bay.
But the retreat south next summer is
the most serious problem Of all. Peary
expected to be able to make arrangements
| somewhere l do not know-with
the whalers to call for him next summer.
But, in addition to our not seeing any whalers
we have been assured by everybody that has
any knowledge on the subject that it would be
| simply impossible to get any Of the whalers to
go that far out OF their way. The only re-
source left is the whale boats to traverse SOC
miles Of ocean, filed with foes and bergs, often
shrouded with fog or swept by terrible storms
We're they all men seasoned to such work and
| accustomed to handling a boat in an angry sea
| it might be possible, but not easy. But with
| one OF them a delicate woman. most of them
| unaccustomed to boats and only two men Of
| more than average strength can it be dones
Capt. Pike, who came down from Cape Sa.
bine to Upernavik in whale boat, and who il
as good authority can be had, says not; thai
| it is sheer madness to attempt it.