The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-02-01
Preparing to Bring Peary Home.

= The expedition which will start for Nc
Cormick Bay early next summer. under
command Of Prof. HE1PRIN. to bring home
the PEARY expedition. will not cost large
sum Of money. and 1t will insure tho safe
return OF the party II Lieut.. PEARY has the
good fortune to come back in time from his
journey on the inland ice. II this ice cap
extends to the north end Of Greenland, and
il. as is inferred from the known trend OF
the east and west coasts. the island does
not reach beyond north latitude $50. the
accomplishment Of Lieut.. PEARYs purpose
will probably involve round trip Of about
1900 miles Of sledging. He hoped to make
this journey within eighty days. and. start
ing as early In May as possible. he will
doubtless strain every nerve to complete
his explorations and return to his camp
late in July.
Suppose. having reached the north end OF
Greenland. or having attained the farthest
north he can make. he Is not able to return
to his camp In July ? The relief vessel could
hot safely delay its start for tho return
voyage more than two or three weeks In
August. The Yantic. which was not fitted
for Arctic seas. steamed south from Little
ton Island during the first week of August.
and it is possible that with stanch boat
like tho Kite. commanded by an expert Ice
navigator. the return might be delayed
until Aug. %. But no risks should be taken
that might involve tho relief party in the
necessity OF wintering In the far north.
If Lieut.. PEARY does not return to his
camp early in August next. all that can lie
done will DO to leave a years supply OF food
at Mccormick Bay and at least two or three
persons to man the station. 1t may be that
next seasons experience will convince him
that another year spent in the work would
h.ve good results. The relief party will.
Of course. BIO prepared to inform him
whether lie can expect aid for such an OK
tension OF his plans. His original purpose
was to spend two winters at his camp. He
expected to return to his base too late
safely to undertake the journey south next
summer His purpose was to devote the
second winter to putting the results OF his
work IN shape. and early in the following
summer to retreat To south Greenland In a
bont. or to 80 aboard one OF the whalers at
Cape York. 1t is hardly to be expected that
any assistance will he promised for another
years operations. A third expedition is
likely to be undertaken only In the i'm
probable contingency that the sledge party
does not return In time to come home next
summer.
The relief expedition will 60 north In tho
confident hope that 1t will return with the
entire PEARY party. We know nothing
that justihes any belief or expectation that
disaster has overtaken the expedition or
will befall IL. Success in Arctic travel has
been largely matter OF luck; but PEARYs
scheme OF exploration has eliminated many
elements OF uncertainty which travellers
depending upon ships or sledge journeys
over humnocky field leo have had to face
Tho party which last summer clambered
up the basaltic rocks behind PEARY's house
to the great inner ice cap found there the
conditions he had hoped to meet: "A dry