The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-09-16

st. Johns. N. F., Sept. 15.-The
steamer Falcon. Captain Barrett. re-
turned this afternoon. bringing back
the whole personnel of the Peary ex-
petition of last year. except sLieuten-
ant Peary himself. Hugh Lee, COM
panion. and Matthew Henson, a col
lored servant, all of whom remain at
Bowdoin bay for another year. hoping
to accomplish the work of the expedi-
ton. which is still left unfulflled.
The story of the expedition itself is
very thrilling. The final incident o.
note was the birth of Mrs. Peary's ba-
by on. September II. 1898. a month after
the Falcon left last year.
The various scientific observations
were pursued all winter. The meteor
illogical observations were most sue
cessful. They were taken by Mr.. Bald
win.
On March last the main expedition
started across Greenland to Indepen-
dence bay. the farthest point north
reached by Lieutenant Peary on hiS
previous journey.
The storms reached their worst point
during the equinoXal gales in March.
The party was then in camp about fif-
ty miles from Anniversary Lodge, \
doin bav. The thermometer dropped
so degrees below zero and remained
for two days, while a gale blew abe
fifty miles an hour. The dogs perishe
in great numbers. After the storm the
whole party returned to Anniversary
Lodge. where they left three sick men.
Then the four healthy ones, Lieuten-
ant Peary, Ingraken, Clarke and Bald
win. started again and continued on
| fourteen days. But the dogs continued
J to die. and those left were unable to
drag the sledges and provisions.
The party were so weak from expos
ure and the time travelling was so long
as to render it impossible to reach In
dependence bay in time to accomplish
anything. Consequently Lieutenant
Peary returned to headquarters, which
were reached on April 20. The party
was absent about forty-five days and
only got 80 miles away. It started
with 90 dogs and returned with only
26. after having abandoned all the
sledgeS on the way. 1t covered only a
quarter of the distance necessary and
never made more than twenty miles in
any day. All had narrow escapes from
being frozen to death. Davidson was
sick for four months after his exper-
fence.
The party regained health. and 9TH
er explorations in the neighborhood
were made. Astrup surveyed the I'M
explored part of the coast of Melville
bav. and chartered 100 miles Of it.
Lieutenant Peary and his wife made
| a sledge journey to Olrike bay, 100
miles distant. Ingraken and DR.. Vim
cent tried to reach Kane'S winter quar-
tiers at Littleton island, but the ice
broke up. compelling them to return.
| The auxiliary expedition, which sail
ed from here July r., found the Peary
party all in good health and spirits and
glad of the opportunity to return home.
The Falcon, while going on north,
searched Carey island, Cape Faraday
and Clarence Head. but found no tra1
ces of the long missing Swedish explor--
ers. BiorliEg and Kalagenius. Their
death is now regarded as certain.
| Lieutenant Peary decided to remain
another year north and will try to
cross Greenland next year. Lee and
Henson agreed to remain with him.
Lieutenant Peary accompanied the Fall
con as far south as Cape York. where
he had discovered a magnificent iron
meteorite. which he wished to send to
the United States. The ice blocked the}
ship out from the land, and, therefore,
he was obliged to give up the attempt
to send the meteorite.