Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-29

far as am concerned. But my executive
officer, Capt. Petersen, had been in the
arctics every summer for twenty-four
years. The captain of our steamer was one
Of the most experienced ice pilots in the
northern waters. So of eight or ten of
our other men, they had practically passed
their lives in hunting along the edge Of
the Ice. We had at our command more ex-
perience, 1 am free to say, than any other
expedition that ever went into the arctics.
1t was rather amusing to read the serious
criticisms of one great editor that we had
failed because We deserved to fail, being
tyros. We weren't inexperienced, as a
matter of fact, but IL We had been. I sup
pose every one that goes to the arctic has
to be inexperienced on the occasion of his
first visit. To say that a man deserves to
fall the first time, is a good deal like say
ing that when a young man marries he de-
serves to be unhappy because he has never
had experience In matrimony."
AT the time you were supposed to be
lest Were you anxious to have q relief ex-
pedition go out after your
No Need for a Relief Expedition.
I'VE never had any need for a relief ex-
pedition. At all stages of the campaign We
were able to take care of ourselves. On
my order and at my expense a sloop was
taken out to Spitzbergen with the mail and
with some articles of convenience in case of
a possible wintering. Even this ship was
not a necessity, for we had at Danes Island
everything needful for wintering had win
tering been necessary. i don't believe in
relief expeditions. and was very much afraid
that when the news of the loss of our
steamer reached civilization my friends
would go to the unnecessary expense of
sending out steamer. Offers of money
for this purpose were made by friends of
mine in Chicago, New York and elsewhere
and of course / feel grateful to them for
II, but fortunately Consul Aagasrd, our
agent in Norway, decided a steamer was not
needed. If it happens that 1 wish to do so
l may go to the arctfcs three or four times
more before 1 die-that is a splendid sum-
mer resort-and If / do / venture the pre-
dfctton no relief expedition will be needed
to fetch me back. You will remember
said last spring the only thing We felt GER
tain of was getting back this fall, and that
this end of the journey was of a great deal
more Importance to US than the other.
heart TO be proud of-our friends that have
stood by us and the fact that every mem
Der of our party returns alive and we'll"
And are you to lecturer"
mo. / never had any idea Of it. II Is not
ICY line. i am nothing but a newspaper
an 1 never had any expectation of maxi
ing money of arctic work. On the con-
tray. knew 1 should lose money, and a good
deal or 1t. But lost my own money, and,
st Fpose, a man has a right to do what he
pleases with his own. In London declined
a good offer to give a series of lectures, and
1 have j. st declined a similar offer in this
WI thc spree COullnB over, AT the
request of 200 of my fellow passenger, 1 did
give an arctic talk, which raised a snug sum
Tor the beneft of the seamen's hospital"
And your plans for the future?'
Hopes to Go Again.
L hope TO make another trip to the
arctics, either next summer or in 1896 In
my opinion, what is known as the polar
problem will be solved in the next ten
years. Jackson, the young Englishman-we
met him in London last spring-fs a strong
bidder by the Francis Joseph land route,
though the latest news is that he, along
with Peary and ourselves. has found the ice
extremely unfavorable this year. and will
have to wait till next summer to reach his
proposed base of operations. He is a splen-
did fellow. and ought to win. Peary las
ragnihcent American pluck, and ] believe
he will yet accomplish what he set out to
do. Notwithstanding his bad luck of this
year.
The members of his party who have come
back to say unkind things of him would do
better, in my opinion, IL they kept silent un-
TIL he comes to defend himself Ii is SO easy
TO strike at a man two or three thousand
miles away. The bravest of all arctic ex-
pio-ers Is Dr. Nansen, who, 1 think, will
come out all right next year, without his
ship. probably, but with important discoy-
cries. he Is quite able to take care of him.
self, the critics and the sensation mongers
OF London to the contrary notwithstanding
In the modern method of arctic work there
Is little risk to life and even IL there were
more danger than there is, exploration
would continue just the same