The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-09-13
The I'eary Expedition.

in the arduous explorations that took him
to North Greenland fifteen months ago.
Under his leadership. one OF tho smallest
parties that ever entered Arctic waters.
with II mcagro Quilt costing only q few
thousands OF dollars. has accomplished re-
suits which. IN geographical value and in
%tcrcst. will coinpare with those OF the most
famous and effective expeditions. Lieut..
PEARY has placed his name among the fore
most Of Arctic explorers.
Not one OF tho gloomy ~prcgnost:ca-
lions that followed his serious acci-
dent n year ago has been fulfilled. He re-
covered tho use of his broken leg with un-
expected rapidity. aud in October last he
was already walking with n cane and had
begun his explorations. Like DR.. HAYES.
he found plenty Of reindeer for his winter
meat supply. and decrskins. Tho good
natured Arctic Highlandcrs throngcd TO his
camp. giving him such aid as they could.
and Il fine opportunity TO pursue his ethno-
logical researches. Not even his proposed
reconnaissance during the fall in the direc-
ton OF Humboldt Glacier was defeated
by his accident. though perhaps the s!edge
party. If hc could have led it In person.
would have achieved a farther northins.
All the dogs required were easily procured
from thc'nntives. The sun arose after tho
long winter night with tho little party of
seven souls well. strong, enthusiastic. and
ready in all respects to undertake the great
slctlgc journey on the unttied ice cap Of
North Greenland.
Lieut.. PEARy has proved the truth and
value Of the theory lie originated. that
the way to find and map the north coast OF
Greenland was to use the great leo cap Of
the interior as Il highway. This SUPPOSE
tion. though based upon his own earlier ex-
pericnce in slcdging on the inland ice. was
not approved by some Of the leading au-
thorities. Tho theory, however. has now
become a demonstrated fact. PEARY and
.AsTRtP. with their dog teams. have tray
cll"d over six hundred miles northeast on
this Ice cap. and AVE seen the Arctic Sea
along 4 hitherto unknown coast line. PEARY
has proved that LOCKWOOD Il B~RAINARD.
when they attained S3o 81 n. Lat. in May.
1882. had practically reached the most
northern point Of Greenland. IL indeed the
islands they saw were not north Of the
highest portion Of the mainland.
1t seems probable. from the condensed re-
por: which Lieut.. PEARY has sent to The
StS. and which we published yesterday.
that the mainland coast reaches its
most northern point west Of MLeigs Fiord.
and that from that point 1t trends nearly
southeast. For four days PEARY parallelcd
the coast line he had discovered in
II southeast direction. When he started
homeward from Independence Bay, he was
about two hundred miles southeast OF the
point reached by LOCKWOOD. The east
coast, sighted by LAMBERT in the seven
tcenth century. is. approximately. 200
statute miles. IL little east Of south OF indie
pendcnce Bay: and Cape Bismarck. further
south. discovered in 1870. is about $50
miles from the point where PEARY turned
back. He can now supply the data neccs-
sary for mapping. approximately. this
northern and northeastern coast line,
and he has proved that Greenland docs
not extend as far north by about II hundred
miles rs was thought probable.
In rendering this service to geography
Lieut.. PEARY has accomplished probably
the most brilliant feat Of sledge travelling
Oh record. From the time he struck the leo
cap on his return trip. until he reached Nc
C0rmick Bay, he averaged. as nearly as can
now be computed. twenty-three miles n day.
although for fourteen days no struggled
through soft snow and was shrouded in the
clouds at NJ elevation OF 5000 feet
above sea level. When no emerged
from the mist he mado thirty miles
II day until no reached Mccormick
Bay. The general average OF five
OF tho leading slcdgo expeditions In
Arctic regions is 1874 miles. and we are not
aware that PEARY's fent has been surpassed
by any expedition. unless it be that Of Dr..
RAE. hundreds OF miles further south In the
Hudson Boy region. PEAIY has proved his
claim that the inland Ice Is tire royal road
to tho far north; INC there 10 little doubt
that. If future attempts are made upon tho
North Pole. tho explorers will utilize the path
pEAHY has broken TO get within striking
distance OF that elusive goal.
The explorer saw abundant animal life
along tho coast line he traced. No OK
plorer on land has yet passed north OF the
haunts OF the musk OK. or often escaped the
keen quest Of the mosquito. Lieut.. PEARY
has ascertained the northern limit OF the
Ice cap. and on his journey toward the Pole
he skirted the inner edge OF the great lords
and mighty glaciers which we have known
only in their western portions. He has as.
certained many facts that will improve tho
mapping Of the eastern shores OF the great
channel leading north to the Arctic Sea
through Smith Sound. He Is tho first to
fully explore the wide arm OF Bafin's Bay
known as Inglefleld Gull. which penetrates
far inland: and along Its coasts he discov-
and named twelve glaciers and three
mountains; and among the most interest
ing features Of his labors are his studies OF
the Arctic Hlghlanders. about two hundred
and fifty In number. He made them a spe-
cial object OF scientific investigation. and
the results cannot fail to be OF interest.
No earlier journey In these northern lati-
tudes has been mado at q cost of less than
five to ten times the sum which PEARY de-
voted to his enterprise. 1t was reserved for
him to pilot an expedition into the farthest
north at a cost Of q few thousand dollars.
and to equal II not surpass In the extent
OF knowledge won the most expensive en-
terpriscs. public or private, which the United
States n Great Britain have supported In
those regions. His achievement ranks with