Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-02
PEARY.s SITUATION.
Why DR.. Sharp Thinks q Relief Expedition
should BE Sent


THERE WAS A SORT OF ANALOGY BE-
Il tween the chill sharp air Of Wednesday
night and the landscapes that were thrown on
tie screen at the National Museum in the
course of a lecture upon the coast Of Green
land. They we're icescapes rather than land
scapes for they Gwelt largely in bergs and
foes and glaciers, and it was but here and there
that glimpse was given of the ragged rocks
and cliffs tina, form the edges of the great field
Of inland ice that covers the entire surface OF
Greenland.
The lecture was on the subject Of Peary and
the west Greenland expedition, delivered by
Prof BENZ. Sharp. VI. D., Phi. d., of the Acad-
envy Of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, who
accompanied the west Greenland expedition Of
1891 and was a member OF the party that took
the venturesome Lieut.. Peary to his present
camp on Gsrliner's bay.
The object of Prof. Sharp's talk, which was
listened to with intense interest by an audience
that completely filed the hall, was to point out
the character of the western coast of Green
Land and to give an idea of the conditions sur
rounding Lieut.. Peary and his small band of
explorers. lie also spoke briefly Of the neces-
sity of expedition IN the coming summer
for the RELIEF OF Lieut. Peary, project that
has Just been preached in Philadelphia and Is
now attracting great deal of attention on the
part of the scientists OF that city.
The lecture consisted mainly. however, OF the
exhibition Of about fifty lantern slides of views
of Greenland and its life. Prof. Sharp an
nOunccd that he was provided with fully
seventy-five slides all interesting. but that his
time would not permit his showing all of them.
The views shown described the character of the
coast of Greenland on the route OF the hlte
which transported the west Greenland expedi-
ton on It's way last summer. This expedition
Prof. Sharp explained. was quite distinct from
that of Lieut. Peary. although the Kite took
the latter and his party to their place of camp
ing for the winter, merely, however, as a matter
Of economy
THE KITES VOYAGE.
The real expedition with which Prof Sharp
was Connected, and which was sent out by the
Philadelphia Academy, consisted Of a journey
from Disco bay up the coast, past Upernavik,
across Melville bay to Whale sound ON the
shores of which Lieut. Peary and his outfit
were landed. The voyage occupied from July
8 to August %. and was made without a mis-
hap, except the accident to Lieut.. Peary at the
landing. whereby he broke his leg.
The way up the party encountered a great
deal of Ice, and the entire passage of Melville
bay was attended Dy great difficulties. The
vessel was in the ice most of the time The
scenes shown by Prof sharp covering this part
of the trip were very beautiful They showed
the wonderful play of colors in the ice and
gave very realistic representation Of the land
scape of this part of the world.
portraits. life scenes and groups of both natives
and explorers. 4 very good view Of the Peary
party was shown, taken before the start north
ward on the Fourth of July. Prof. Sharp spoke
without either manuscript or notes. and talked
gracefully OF the terrible condition of things
encountered in Greenland and the difficulties
Of exploration.
TIE PEARY EXPEDITION.
Concerning the Peary expedition he said
that there was no reason why Lieut. Peary
should not accomplish the objects on which he
started out lie had a good house at Gardi-
ners bay and enough provisions to last him
and his entire party for over year. The
broken limb was mending nicely when the
Kite left the bay. and there was every prospect
that by May, when the start over the inland ice
Is to be made. the Plucky officer will be suffi-
GENTLY strong to brave the hardships of the
trip.
His plan was 20 start Just az soon as the long
night of the arctic winter has lifted and to
plunge into the interior and endeavor to strike
the great plateau of inland ice that he hopes to
utilize highway to the northern tip of
Greenland There was nothing in view at
present to throw encouragement upon the
plan The only danger. and il was a great one
was that Peary would be unable to get back TO
Upernavik. the most northern settlement in
Greenland. after he had returned from his ice
trip To the north
When the Mite sailed away last summer and
left the brave band of seven men and one
woman on the coast at GARDENERS bay Iieut
Peary gave the commanding officer of the ex-
pedition a packet for delivery to the academy
upon his return When Philadelphia was
reached again this packet was opened at a
meeting of the academy and it proved to be
report from the lieutenant of his operations
and plans up TO the time of being left on the
shores. He stated therein that lie intended to
Start north over the Ice on the LIST of May and
that he hoped to return in time to begin his
southwark passage toward home between the
LIST and 18th of the following August He
would travel IN his two whale boats and trusted
70 nnd suficient open water between Gardi-
ners bay and Cpernavik, a distance Of COO
miles. without difficulty. He would stop at
number of points on the coast mentioned and
identified with great care in the report and
there build cairns for the preservation of
letters tnas might serve as an index to his
movements in case Of trouble and a search
Once at pernHvik 1t mattered little whether
or not he found a vessel TO convey him south
ward TO tie United States or to Europe as he
would then be out of danger aud in the midst
OF community where he could obtain food
and shelter during the long night In all the
report there was not one word Of desire that
any aid be sent to him
Prot. sharp said that when he left Peary moth
ing had been said about an expedition to help
him home. but there seemed to be n tone in
the ad1entdrers manner that indicated n hone
mat something OF the sort would be under
taken The lecturer went on to say that in his
opinion, ana That OF other arctic explorers
particularly Commodore Melville. August i
or 10 would be too late to start south in whale
boats, especially with small q party as that
OF Pearys The passage across Melville bay is
very dangerous. as the most fierce gales sveep
across II with great frequency during the fall
and winter. and an open boat but partly
manned, would be in extreme danger There
was every reason to believe that while Pesry
might &c able without extraordinary trouble to
pass this winter and even TO make his trip across
the ice 20 the most northern point of Green
land he would not have strength enough left 10
get his party across the space Of 600 miles 10
lpernayIk, or. II he should not venture IN make
the passage southwark next fall, food enopoh
10 Sustain him throughout another winter.
RELIEF EXPEDITION
IL was eInphatically the opinion Of the lee
turer that relief expedition should be organ
Ied for the purpose of bringing Lieut.. Peary
nome after he had accomplished his man
OBJECT OF exploring the great sea of inland ice
I've thought that steps should be taken at once
To organize such an expedition and that the
start northward should be made soon after the
opening OF travel In the spring. With the aid
OF the memoranda Of the cairns that Pearv
proposes To build en- his way southvard il
would be comparatively easy to trace the party
In case the ship should reach Gardiner's bay
after Peary had started back The relief party
would stop al each point mentioned on the way
up and thus much time and travel might be
saved
IL Il