The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-02-11
THE PEARY LECTURES.
They Have Delighted Both Young and
Old in This Town-A Story of Surpass-
ing Interest Well Told and illustrated
With Some Very Excellent views.

lieutenant Peary scored a signal sue
cess in the two lectures which he dellv-
cred in this city yesterday. The story OF
his deeds in the land of the musk-ox had
already made profound impression up
on the minds of both the young and the
adult, and there was a widespread de
sire to hear the explorer and see his
dogs. Upon the juvenile element OF the
population, the dogs exercised an attrac-
ton particularly strong: and during the
triumphal progress of the CANNES
through the streets, previous to the af-
ternoon lecture, there was upon the
sidewalks large attendance of small
boys, with liberal sprinkling of elderly
and dignifed citizens, who came out
solely to take care of some particular
small boys.
@City Hall was filled with school chill
dren at the afternoon lecture, and it is
high tribute to the lecturer that he sue
ceeded in keeping that wriggling mass
of humanity upon the subject in
hand.
The evening lecture was attended by a
large audience composed of older peo-
pie, who were much delighted with what
they saw and heard.
Hon. William Henry Clifford intro
duced the explorer with few appro-
pirate remarks on the periis of venturing
into the regions of eternal ice. and the
conspicuous and peculiar success of
Lieut. Peary's expedition. He referred
to Lieutenant Peary as one of the sons of
Maine, reference which drew from the
audience round of applause.
Lieut.. Peary was very cordially re-
ceived as he stepped forward to begin
his lecture. He is above the medium
height. spare in figure and slightly ner-
vous in his bearing, with frank and OPP
en- countenance, and good voice. AS a
speaker he does not assume any orator.
ical airs. He tells story of something
done, and the telling, like the doing, is
done in substantial and direct manner.
He began by very pleasant reference to
the fact that it was just 20 years ago
next July that he stood upon the same
platform as graduating student of the
Portland High School. He attributed
not little of his subsequent success to
the fact that he came of Maine stock and
had Maine education.
After brief chronological diary of the
expedition, which left New York in
June. '9l, and consisted of seven per-
sons, one Of whom was Lieutenant Pea
RVS wife. the lecturer plugged into the
midst Of his Arctic subject.
A map of the western hemisphere in
troduced the audience to the scene of
the explorations. Another map of the
Polar regions showed the line along
| which Peary moved from the west and
eastcoas of Greenland along it's north
ern extremity. Greenland and the
| islands near it come nearer the pole than
any other land.
Greenland is one of the most unique
portions of the globe. So great is it and
SO peculiar are its characteristics that it
| deserves to retain the name of the
ssGlacial Continent" Along its coast is
an irregular ribbon of rocks, fiords, etc,
| while within this ribbon-like belt lies
| the inland ice, which has filled in all the
valleys, covered the mountains, and in
general completely obliterated the face
Of the landscape. The entire journey
made over this ice was about 1900 miles
| in length. The dogs dragged the provi-
sions, while ,Peary and Astrup walked.
| The entire route lay from 5000 to 5000
feet above the sea level. Other sledge
expeditions have been on the ice at the
coast. A profile view of a section OF
| Greenland illustrated to the audience
how the ice cap of the interior lies high
above hills and valleys. There are no
means of determining the thickness OF
! the ice cap, but Peary thinks that at
places it is a
Mile and Half Thick.
The coast line of the region around
Whale Sound is simply a series of dis
connected mountains, surrounded by the
waters of the sea, the ice of the snow
cap, and the glaciers.
After this preliminary description of
Greenland the lecturer gave a short
sketch of the upward trip of the Kite to
| the sapphire summer seas of the Arctic.
| The little house at Mccormick bay, 30
miles nearer the North Pole than ever
a house was built before, was shown as
the first picture in the series relating
to the work in Greenland. The location
of the cottage was sufficiently desolate
in appearance to justify all expectation
as to Greenland.
About the fist thing done after they
| had become settled W S to find hired
man and woman, of the Eskimo race.
the former to hunt, and the latter to tan
SKINS. A picture of the Eskimo family,
with Mrs. Peary in the foreground, shows
Mrs. Peary with sunshade over her
head. This was necessary, SO warm and
bright was the sun.
With the Ekimo hunter they were able
to get the walrus, that huge arctic. sea
animal, which weighs upwards of 1000
pounds, and is equipped with magnifi-
cent tusks which it uses with wonderful
facility. One day their boat was sur
rounded by enraged walrus and only, the
active and constant use of fine Winches-
ter rifles kept the Infatuated beasts from
reaching the boat. Mrs. Peary reloaded
the rifles while the men fired.
The views of the glaciers were most
magnificent and were applauded very
| frequently.