St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-09-28
RED TAPE AND DESPOTISM
INDUCED In, They Claim, With
Grave Consequences to
the Men.
FED ON STALE SEAL MEAT.
Severe Criticism Also in
Regard to Mrs.
Peary.

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 27.-Slnce the
return of the Peary expedition from
North Greenland, on Tuesday last,
there have been stories of dissatisfac.
tion on the part of the members con-
corning Peary's conduct of the enter
prise and the quality and quantity of
the food he compelled them to eat. The
interview had with Mrs. Peary in
Washington, in which she said she was
at loss to understand the complaints,
has caused much discussion here, and
this afternoon the members of the
party held conference at the Bingham
house to consider the advisability of
making statement of their reasons for
dissatisfaction. The conference was
held behind closed doors, and lasted
several hours. At its conclusion the
members declined to state what had
been decided upon, further than that it
was not the intention to make answer
70 Mrs. Peary's statements at this
time. The party has not yet disbanded
however. and further consultation
may be held tomorrow.
w. L. Swayne. who was one of the
party and who went out with Peary as
private secretary, said: "We are under
no contract with feary. AS regards
dissatisfaction with his management,
the only agreement that exists was
made by US aboard ship while we were
returning to Philadelphia. We then
agreed that we would say nothing unless
Mrs. Peary opened her lips. This she
did yesterday. l consider myself at
perfect liberty to speak. AS for my
contract with Peary, it has been broken
by him repeatedly during the course of
the expedition.
''He agreed that we were to be treated
as gentlemen. For one thi ng. l can
say that Lieut.. Pea ry himself certainly
Did Not Act as Gentleman
among gentlemen. l see Mrs. Peary
has something to say about the food.
Let me give you our menu during the
last two months of our stay, while we
waited for the relief party. This menu
was the outcome of Peary's arrange
me MS, and was due to insufficient pro
visioning in the beginning:
''BreakfaSt-COrnm meal muSh, Sprin-
kled by Peary with sugar and sparing
hand; bacon, with all the fat fried out
of it: an occasional spoonful of Boston
beans out of a can; coffee.
Lunch - Boiled seal meat, tasting
like stale mutton favored with coal oil !:
corn bread; tea.
"Dinner-Reindeer meat, when we
could get it, seal meat when we could
not; beans occasionally; and - don't
omit this-one-half slice of white
bread; coffee.
"On Sunday evening, as special
treat, we had for dessert one can of
tomatoes among the party. What Peary
and his wife had we do not know
They lived apart. and nos one of
us was ever during the whole
time invited to their quarters.
Peary treated us TO lot of red tape
and autocratic rules that had serious
consequences sometimes. ! am lame
on account of 1t. He would order some
of us to go seventy-five-mile sledge
journey to procure food for his dogs and
only give us an hours warning, when
half day could have been accorded
The hour did not suffice to dry our fur
stockings, and we ran the risk of frozen
feet. My toe. which lanes me, was
frozen in just that way. And one thing
that l can add, no Arctic expedition can
ever succeed with woman along to
hamper it,"
IL is understood that Prof. Chamber
lain, of the University of Chicago, who
accompanied the auxiliary expedition
as ge0logist, has secured valuable data
bearing on glaciers. Between July 5
and Aug. % he made a careful examin-
alton of fifteen glaciers, and he was
Lieut., Peary's guest at Anniversary
lodge for fortnight. The other MEM
lie went to seek.