Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-09-17
EXPLORER PEARY
Returns from the Frozen
North.
All the Members Of His Party in Good
Health.
Severe Storms Interfere With the Work oil the
Expedition.

.
main and auxiliary expeditions arrived, To-
day, on the steamer Falcon from Falcon
harbor, which they left on Aug. %. All on
board were we'll.
Mrs. Peary, her baby girl, Abnigito
together with an Esquimsu nurse, the first
of her tribe to come south of the Arctic
circle, returned with the party.
Peary, with Lee and Henson as volun-
teers, remain at the headquarters at Falcon
harbor to complete their explorations N, xt
season.
The expedition last fall and winter was
mainly devoted to preparations for the in
land ice journey to Independence bay,
which began on March 6, with a party of
eight men, II sledges and % dogs. Five
natives also assisted during the first two or
three days of the march.
On April Is Peary, Baldwin, En.rikin
and Clarke, with ~ dogs, arrived at Ami
versary Lodge-hsving advanced in 5, days
l34 miles-and there cached their remain
ing supplies and equipment, leaving Astrup,
Lee and Davidson iu charge, DIR. Vincent
having been previously sent back incapaci-
tated by illness or injury from further ser
vice.
Bad weather and succession of storms
eliminated on March 10, while 90 members
of the expedition were at a camp 40 miles
from Anniversary Lodge, at an elevation of
5000 feet. In the equinoctial storm, which
continued for four days, the temperature
averaged from As to 50 degrees below zero,
and the wind for "a consecutive hours blew
IS miles per hour.
The severity of the weather far exceeded
that sustained by any other Arctic exploring
party.
All of the explorers escaped serious
injury, except Davidson, whose left foot
was frozen, but has since fully recovered.
Many of the dogs were frozen solid, and
others had to be chopped out of the ice.
Messrs. Peary, Baldwin, Entrikin and
Clarke pushed on. and in II days were 50
miles farther. The maximum days march
was only Is miles, and, as the plague had
carried off many dogs, Entrikin being unfit
for travel, and the party so reduced by
hardships, the plans for the summer could
not possibly be carried out, especially as
only onefourth of the distance to Inde-
pendence bay had been accomplished. 1t
was therefore decided to return.
The dogs continued to die on the home
ward march, compelling the abandonment
of the sledge during May.
On the trip the party surveyed and
mapped a hitherto unknown coast line to
Melville bay for $50 miles.
Messrs. Peary and Lee were the first
white men to see, locate and measure the
historic iron meteorite near Cape York
Mr.. Entrikin and DIR. Vincent made a
sledge journey to Littleton island, and
would have reached kane's headquarters
but for open water.
Lieut., and Mrs. Peary made sledge
journey to dyke bay.
Lieut.. Peary accompanied the Falcon as
far as Cape York, hoping to send home a
but the ice made this impossible.
He left the ship Tuesday morning, Aug. 2S,
off Petowik glacier 80 miles north of Cape
York, in an open whale boat, with Henson
and crew of five natives, bound for Falcon
harbor, $50 miles distant, Lee had been in
charge during mis- absence.
When last seen, the boat was standing on
her course, under full sail with fair
wind.
A tidal wave on Oct. 81, 1898, destroyed
the launch and dories, and swept away
more than half the oil supply, of which q
poEtioh was subsequently TecONeTeu.
The burros, carrier pigeons and launch
Gen Wistar proved of little service to the
explorers.
The party at the lodge is amply supplied,
and provisioned for year, and will be sup
ported on inland ice next spring by the
natives.
The auxiliary expedition, despite the fact
that the ice was heavier and more general
than for many years, accomplished much
important work-all that was in any man
ner practicable.
Communication with Peary was not
opened up until Aug. | and Falcon harbor
was not reached until the goth. Carey
islands, Cape Fsraday and Clarence head
were thoroughly searched, and the death of
the Swedish explorers, Bjorling and X al
lestenius, established.
Relics were brought from Carey island,
and a skeleton, supposed to be that of a
sailor, yeas properly inferred.
DR.. Ohlin, the Swedish representative
With the auxiliary expedition, returns direct
from Disco to Copenhagen.
The ice prevented the proposed explora-
ions on Ellesmere land, but the auxiliary
party gathered much valuable scientific
ista, made careful study of many impor-
ant glaciers, and obtained much new val