The Portland daily press., 1891-05-09

point Of his next proposed landing. fall
goes well with his expedition. he will sail up
through Baffin Bay to Whale Sound, which
enters the bay lying Just south Of Prudhoe
Land, indicated on the map. Landing here.
he will seek the Ice fields back from
the coast and push northeasterly. 1t will be
noticed by the map that Hazen Land, on the
coast Of Lincoln Sea, Is the farthest northern
point Of Greenland, that the geograpners
know about. On this northern extremity of
coast are capes Kane and Washington. and
here Is the farthest point towards the North
Pole that man has reached. There, In 1882,
In the month Of May, Brainerd and Lock
wood, of the famous Greedy expedition.
raised the American flag. viewed with long
ing eyes the mysterious and inaccessible
wastes to the north, and turned back, having
gone nearer the pole than civilized man had
ever been before or has ever been since.
Although Lieutenant Peary's pathway
leads northward still farther than the point
reached by Lockwood and Brainard, his
intention Is not to seek the north .pole. His
object Is rather the delimitation Of the North
ern coas; Of Greenland, for Greenland is be-
lieved to be an island by geographers. Upon
the east coast adventurous mariners have
gone as for north as Cape Bismarck, and as
they turned about have.seen the coast stretch.
Ing farther north towards the Pole. Upon
the east coast Kane and Hayes and Greeley
have pushed up the narrow sound towards
Lincoln sea, and from the farthest point
which they could reach In those frozen soli-
tudes have seen the coast extending still
farther. The confguratIon Of the coast OF
Greenland from the point In hazea Land
where Lockwood and Brainard hoisted the
American flag around to Cape Bismarck In
King William land on the eastern coast, Is
entirely unknown. The solution Of this
mystery is one Of the objects Of the Peary
expedition.
The difficulties and dangers Of attempting
to reach these northern latitudes by vessels
has been sadly and conelusively demonstrat-
ed. But Lieutenant Peary believes that an
expedition may be made successfully and
with comparative ease over the great Ice
desert OF the interior. There will be no
danger from the sea, nor from the crush Of
the Ice. nor from the breaking Of foes and
the separation Of the party. There lis
season Of about six months lduriDg the Arc
tic summer when sledging may be prosecuted
successfully, and this will be the time taken
for the trip. The fury Of the storms which
at times sweep over the great Ice plateau Is
the greatest drawback to success, but In
Lieutenant Peary's opinion 1t constitutes no
danger whatever. Exposure to cold he con-
siders physical annoyance, not a danger.
The brilllancy and life Of the Arctic summer
are not to be surpassed, and he says there Is
no greater distress among the people Of the
Arctic regions than among the farmers Of
North Dakota.
Lieutenant Peary plans to have his expe-
dition. to consist of five or six persons, ar
rive this summer. In June or July, at Whale
Sound. near Prudhoe land, on the west
coast of Greenland. The remainder Of this
summer will be spent in putting up winter
quarters at Whale Sound. laying In store Of
meat, making reconnoisances Of the inland
Ice, and, II the season is favorable, In estab-
lishing an advance depot along the line Of
the advance. Next winter the expedition
will remain at Whale Sound, fitting up their
sledges, clothing and other travelling equip
ment, and In exercising the party in the use
| Of snow shoes and the skier, or long narrow
skates which are so useful in travelling over
Ice.
In the spring of 1892 four or five of the
party will start over the inland Ice and move
some distance north, leaving the remainder
| Of the party to keep the house at Whale
Sound. The advance party Will establish a
depot, and from this depot two or three OF
| the party will push ON with full sledges,
| while the remainder will return with light
| sledges to Whale Sound. The advance party
| of two or three will push forward proper
distance and then establish another depot Of
supplies, whence the final stretch will be
made to determine the northern coast Of
Greenland. This last stage Of the journey
will probably be made by two men. the
strongest Of the party 1t Is not expected
that they will have to 60 more than 200 miles
beyond the last depot.
Having accomplished the object Of the ex'
pedition the advance party will retrace Its
steps to Whale Sound, taking up the depots
as Ii goes, and at Whale Sound will await the
first opportunity Of returning to the United
States.
Provisions and equipment for two years OF
life In Greenland have been selected, and
the expedition will soon start. The trip
from Whale Sound to the point where the
northern terminus Of the island Is thought
to be is about 1.O2S statute miles. Lieuten
ant Peary thinks the expedition can make
eighteen or twenty miles day. The hare
dry snow In the interior OF Greenland Is no
hard to travel over
There will undoubtedly be many hardship
and dangers. however. Lieutenant Pearv'
former expedition in 1856 shows that tram,
over the great inland desert Is no holiday ex
peditiOn. At that time he was accompanied
by one companion. Christian MaIgaard, As
slstant Governor Of RItsnbeck. They had 1
sledging equipment consisting of nIne-foot
sledges, small jacketed alcohol stoves, nine
foot double-ended, ash alpenstocks will