Rocky Ford enterprise., 1895-09-26
PEARY'S SAFE RETURN.
HE HAD SEVERE EXPERIENCES.
Himself and Two Companions Nearly
Starved In the North Lsnd-NothipR q
Important Discovered.


st. Johns, n. F., Sept. 22.-The Peary
relief steamer Kite has arrived here
with Lieutenant Peary and his compan-
ions from Greenland on board.
When the Kite reached Whale sound
on August 3, Lieutenant Peary, Hugh
J. Lee and their colored servant, Matt
Henson, were found waiting for it.
The party had only ten days previously
returned from their great overland eI-
pedition which had proved a compara-
tive failure. Lieutenant Peary and the
other two started late in March and
made their way to Independence bay,
which Is the most northerly point Of
Greenland, which he had reached on his
previous expedition. Independence
bay was reached early in the month of
June, but there were not enough men in
the party to accomplish any bold adven-
ture. They We're further deferred from
any great undertakings by the INSULT
cheney of their food supply, an obstacle
which was foreseen last year. All
three of those who participated In the
Journey were greatly reduced from the
lack Of food, and were obliged to aban-
don the attempt to make further prog
rees. In this respect this years work
was but repetition of last years fail
ure, although the weather experienced
was much much more favorable this
year than last. Nearly all the dogs that
were taken on the expedition died and
the remainedr had to be shot because Of
the lack of food for them.
The Kite experienced splendid wealth
er in the north and started to explore
the west side of Smith sound, after pick
Ing up Lieutenant Peary and his COM
panions, and discovered many new har-
bors. She traversed the whole coast
visiting Jones' sound, Cape Sabine and
Littleton island. Perhaps the most I'M
portant discovery of this trip was two
meteorites of large size and almost of
pure iron which We're taken on board
the Kite. A meteorite weighing about
forty tons was found, but it was impos-
sible to bring 1t home. Many sensa-
tional stories are current among the
crew of the Kite as to the ext-emities
which Peary, Lee and Henson were re-
duced by hunger. Adding to these
stories which the explorers refuse TO
either confirm or deny, they were al
most starved and were forced to eat seal
meat and other refuse in order to pre-
serve their lives. Peary and his COM
panions have but little to say in regard
to their experiences. The overland ex-
k>~H~.osA
learned, was not only as unsatisfactory
as had been anticipated, but came very
near resulting fatally to Peary and the
other two.
They started late in March on this
journey, and after reaching Independ-
ence bay We're unable to proceed more
than few miles along the coast just
beyond their former stopping place.
They reached the top of a mountain and
were unable to proceed further on ac-
count Of the precipitous nature of the de-
scent. During the trip an unexpected
contingency arose, owing the the fact
that Lieutenant Peary was unable to
locate his cache of last year. He was
unable to discover any marks indicating
1t, and was compelled to continue his
journey without the ample food supplies
which he had reckoned on. The three
men, Peary, Lee and Henson, went at
once on short rations. outstanding as
much food as possible, but before many
days their suiferings became intense
and Lee broke down altogether The
strain had been so great on him that it
bcame necessary to place him on Il
sledge, which the other two drew.
His illness gave further cause for
alarm because of the fact that adequate
medical supplies were not on hand and
1t was feared during the first stages that
he would die from exhaustion. But he
rallied eventually. All three owe their
lives to the shooting of eight musk OK
en-, but during the journey they had to
sacrifice the weaker dogs and feed the
flesh to the Others for it was necessary
to sustain some of the animals as long
as possible to enable their supplies and
instruments to be brought along. Out
of the sixty-nine dogs which started
only one returned alive and all five
sledges were abandoned during the two
days just prior to the return of the par
ty to Anniversary Lodge. Their safe re-
turn they look upon as almost miracle,
as during those two last days hardly a
particle Of food passed the mouths of any
Of them, and the struggle TO reach their
home was one of ever-increasing suffer
ing. When the relief expedition reached
Anniversary Lodge the Peary party
were showing marked evidences of their
terrible experiences.
Lieutenant Peary was extremely nom
committal In regard to the expedition
generally and all of the party declined
to express an opinion on the work done,
nor would they state what new discoy-
cries had been made. The Kites cruise
after finding Peary was not prolific of
results, or II 1t was. not much is being
said of the nature of the discoveries. A
number OF walruS ana seal were shot for
museum specimens. and Professor
Dyche made an unusually large collec-
ton Of birds at Holstteinburg. The
two meteorites which were found are of
large size, one weighing about three
tons. The great iron-stone reported by
Sir John Ross which was also come up-
on. could not be got off owing 10 its un-
wieldly size and enormous weight. 1t
is believed by the members of the arty
that the expedition could have made a
point much further north in the Kite,
as there was open water as far north as
could be seen from Littleton island. Dr.
Kane's winter quarters, the most ex-
treme point visited by the Kite after
taking off Of the Peary party.
Fear Mob v olenc..
Nashville, Tenn, Sept. 23.--At Gains
boro, near the Kentucky line, a conflict
has arisen between Tennessee and Ken