The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1899-09-14
BACK FROM ICE LAND
Peary Relief Returns From
the North.
TEN MONTHS OF EXPLORATION
sIedge Journey of Fifteen Hum
dred Miles Rcported-Fort Conger
was Found as Greedy Left IL,
Even to Remains of Meal.

BR1GUS. y. F., Sept 1.-THE Peary.
Harmsworth steamer Windward, Cap.
tain John Bartlett. from Etah, North
Greenland, Aug. 26, arrived here yestcr.
day, reporting all well on board. She
will be followed in q week by the Peary
Arctic clubs steamer Diana, Captain
Samuel w. Bartlett, also from Etah
The Windward reports that all ON board
the Diana were well at the time the yes
sells separated.
The two steamers met at Etah on Aug
II and worked in company under the
personal direction of Lieutenant Peary
in collecting supplies for the winter and
the equipment for next springs cam
paign. The Windward was icebound in
Altman bay. on the west side of Kane
basin, about 80 miles north of Cape Sa.
bine from Aug. Is. 1898 to Aug. ., 1899,
being in n sort of eddy undisturbed by
wind or current. The season was one OF
continuous calm, with very little snow,
the minimum temperature at the ship
being 20 degrees +. below zero. All tn,
Windward's company, including the ten
Eskimo, were exempt from illness, acci.
dent or casualty Of any kind.
Lieutenant Pealy and the sledge par.
ties were in the field almost continuously
year and have effected an extraordinary
amount of important work not only bear
ing on the future of his own expedition
but adding much to the geographical
knowledge of the coast line and the in.
terror of Ellesmere Land. the southern
portion of Grinuell Land. His sledging
journeys aggregated more than 1,50O
miles, not including several trips repeat.
ed over portions of the track.
AS soon as the young ice could bear
sledge Lieutenant Peary made a careful
reconnaissance of the coast line south
I west OF Altman bay and carefully defined
the lands and water between that point
and Cape Sabine. The coast line of Prin.
cess Marie bay and Buchanan strait
! heretofore unknown, was accurately de
| fined. and Hayes sound was dcmonstrat
! cd to he n myth.
| Lieutenant Peary found Fort Congel
| exactly rs Greedy left it. The table was
| standing from the last meal, and all th,
| other appointments had remained undis
| turbed for Ii years The buildings were
! in fair condition. though some of them
would not be serviceable much longer
| He took possession of all the property
| real and personal, in the name of the
! United States government and posted no
tces to that effect. He brought away
and is sending home the original Greely
records, the sextant of Lieutenant Beau
mont. r. n. of the Mares Markham ex
petition of 1865. recovered by Lieuten
ant Lockwood. and many private letter
| and papers of members Of Greely's party
all of which are to be forwarded to tn,
Peary Arctic club of New York. A con
siderable quantity of provisions was als'
found and protected for further emer
gency.
He also pushed reconnaissance be
yond Fort Conger to Cape Beechy, find
ing practically the same conditions of ic
and sea as south of the former point
Subsequently he made a second trip +
Fort Conger, and in all four parties from
the Windward reached that point and re
turned without other accident than tha
to Lieutenant Peary himself as resul
of the winter work.
His winter headquarters Lieutenan
Peary has established at Etah. one o
the eligible points on the east side o
Smith sound 1t is a mile or so north o
Hayes winter quarters in 1861, tiv
miles south of LifebOat cove, in whic
the Polaris wintered, and six miles mort
of Cape Alexander.