The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1899-09-15
BACK FROM ICE LAND
Peary Relief Returns From
the North.
TEN MONTHS OF EXPLORATION
A SledSe Journey of Fifteen Hum
dred Miles RepOrted-FOrt COnEer
Was Found as Greedy Left 1t,
Even to Remains of Meal.


dred Miles Reported-Fort COnGer
Was Found as Greedy Left 1t,
Even to Remains of Meal.
BRIGUS, N. F., Sept. 1.-THE Peary.
Harmsworth steamer Windward, Cap
tain John Bartlett, from Etah, North
Greenland, Aug. 26, arrived here yester-
day, reporting all well on board. She
will be followed in 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
pagn. The Windward was icebound in
Altman bay, on the west side Of Kane
basin, about so miles north of Cape Sa-
bine, from Aug. Is, 1898, to Aug. z, 1899,
being in a 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 70 degrees f. below zero. All the
Windward's company, including the ten
LSklulO, were 6ASllpl HUM lllACSS, oSNi
dent or casualty Of any kind.
Lieutenant Peagy and the sledge par
ties were in the field almost continuously
from October, 1893, to August of this
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 Elesmere Land, the southern
portion of Grinnell Land. His sledging
journeys aggregated more than 1000
miles, not including several trips repeat
ed over portions of the track.
As soon as the young ice could bear a
sledge Lieutenant Peary made a careful
reconnaissance Of the coast line south
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 demonstrat-
ed to he a myth.
Lieutenant Peary found Fort Conger
exactly as Greedy left it. The table was
standing from the last meal and all the
other appointments had remained undls-
turbed for 16 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
tees to that effect. He brought away
and is sending home the original Greedy
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 letters
and papers of members of Greely's party,
all of which are to be forwarded to the
Peary Arctic club of New York. A con-
siderable quantity of provisions was also
found and protected for further emer-
gency.
He also pushed a reconnaissance be-
vond Fort Conger to Cape Beechy, find
ing practically the same conditions of ice
and sea as south of the former point.
Subsequently he made a second trip to
Fort Conger, and in all four parties from
the Wib1ward reached that point and re-
turned without other accident than that
to Lieutenant Peary himself as a result
~ of the winter work.
Four tons of provisions, two at Conger
and the others distributed between Cape
Sabine, Durville, Louis Napoleon, Frazer
and other points not more than 5O miles
anart have been deposited, and both ma
tives and whites engaged in the work
have been made so familiar with the
route and the caches that all risk to life
and limb along this path is practically
ended A boat is also cached at Cape
Louis Napoleon.
Lieutenant Peary's last sledge journey
was an overland exploration westward
from the winter quarters of the Wind
ward completely crossing Ellesmere
Land and connecting his work with that
of Lieutenant Lockwood of the Greely
expedition at the ford bearing the lat
ter's name on the western slope. Files
mere Land was found practically ice free
and to contain much game. The water
to the west of the coast, as far as coulc
be seen, was also comparatively clear OF
ice
His winter headquarters Lieutenant
feary has established at Etah, one OF
the eligible points on the east side OF
Smith sound. 1t is a mile or so north Of
Hayes winter quarters i'll 1861, five
miles south of Lifeboat cove, in which
the Polaris wintered, and six miles nortl
of Cape Alexander.