Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-12
LIEUT.. PEARY HOPEFUL.
His Own Description Of His Situation in
Letter to His Mother.

Letter to His Mother
The Portland Daily Press publishes the fol-
lowing letter, just received by Mrs Peary from
her son, Lieut.. Peary. the arctic explorer:
MCCORMACK BAY, GREENLAND.
July 80, 1891.
Dear Mother: Here am ashore in Green
land again, seated in my tent overlooking the
bay and experimenting the construction of
our home. wish you could view the scene.
The water Of the bay before me is as smooth as
glass. Cakes Of ice and icebergs dot the sur
face, and across the bay arise grand cliffs and
mountains, brown or black or purple with the
varying of lights and shadows. Above some
OF them can be seen the ice cap, smooth and
white as polished marble, and deep gorges
and valleys between them purple with warm
shadows. The site Of the house is on a mound
between two little streams, a hundred feet
from the beach. The earth of the mound
seems dark and rich. almost as good as the
soil at home, and all around the site OF the
house the ground ID covered with yellow pop
pies and purple and white flowers. Reindeer,
fox and rabbit tracks are numerous everywhere
on the shore, and one cannot go any distance
from the shore up any of the valleys, without
seeing one, two or three deer.
Last night drove Of white whales spurted
and grunted in the water close to the beach in
front of the tent for more than two hours and
head out OF the water and looked at US As Tor
BIRDS it is no exaggeration to say that they are
here in millions. never saw any thing like II
before Across the sound is q settlement Of
natives, and on Herbert Island, few miles
from us, Is a settlement Of nine or ten large
houses, some of them double, from which the
inhabitants are temporarily absent on a sum-
mer hunting excursion. Everywhere that we
have landed traces of natives in the shape OF
baited fox traps and seals and narwhal buried
under piles OF stone have been found and there
is every indication that we are in a region OF
abundance. am constantly interrupted &c
that my letter will be necessarily interrupted.
l will put down things as they occur to me.
Some of the academy party have already
been up on the inland ice and they find my
most sanguine expectations and prophecies
fully realized. Not crevasse or gully or gla
cier river to interrupt progress only a smooth
gently rolling marble surface stretching ava.
| to the interior. l long for the time when
shall be stretching out across it on my way Il
| the northern terminus.
JOS Mrs. Peary) enthusiasm only leads hel
| to more activity than / could wish. She i
| busy all the time.
As to my party, 1 am well pleased with il ant
4 feel very much confidence in the members
| They are all gentlemen far as l can discover
DR.. Cook feel very much confidence in. HI
is undoubtedly thoroughly posted IN his pro
fession; has a complete supply Of medicines
DC, and is patient, careful and unruftied to
degree. This have had opportunity to test sine
my aggravating mishap of three weeks ago.
was standing on the deck of the Kite when sh
! struck a piece of ice, which forced her rudde
around and banged the iron tiller against m
right Log SO hard as to cause q simple fractur
above the ankle. 1t is annoying, however, as
keeps me confined for the present, but tn
bones are already knitting together and by tn
time this reaches you shall be out again an
none the worse. inclose flower or two fror
the site Of our house, which will, think, recs
Ridcliff House. Goodbye unit
next fall. Yours, BERT.