The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-10-08
DELAYED IN THE ARCTIC.
Whereabouts of Lieutenant Peary
and the Wfpds@ard Unknown.


NEW YORK, Oct Where Lieutenant
Peary is. aDi what he is doing, are topics
which Arctic explorers here are at pres
ent discussing with UNUSUAL interest and
great eagerness for news. Peary left his
northern base OF supplies. Etah. early in
the season. and began an overland journey
to reach the Pole. The Windward. with
Mrs. Peary on board. sailed for Etah in
July, and, according to precedent, should
have returned from the north at least
week ago.
Various explanations are advanced to ac-
count for the delay. Those who believe
that there j. little or no cause for anx-
iety and that news of the expedition is to
be expected every hour. point out that the
Windward is very slow ship. She made
uncommonly poor time on the voyage out
from London, and il Is probable that to
ccme down from Disco and Baffin's Bay
will take her much longer than the usual
record for the trip. Although the usual
date for returning is between September 10
and October ], il is pointed out that the
windward is not under charter. She is the
property of the Peary Arctic Club. need
not sail south until her commander chooses.
and there would be no great trouble get
ting into Sydney any time up to Novem-
Der /.
But there is disturbing factor in these
calculations which gives rise to the opin-
ion that Peary's delay may mean some
thing serious. The Windward's engines
were in bad shape when she left for the
north. 1t was necessary to stop ship and
repair them at sea during the first stage
OF the voyage. II the engines have again
broken down it may have become neces-
sary for the Windward to return under
sail This process would be slow, and as
the winter ice thickened. would grow more
and more dangerous. If 1t were not for
this knowledge of the weakness in the
vessels engine room, Arctic men would
make little account f~the delay in hear
ing from Peary. He had spent two years
in making preparations for the present
expedition and he is a man, every one
agrees, who should be unusually apt TO
compete successfully with the difficulties
of Arctic exploration. The situation was
summed up in an interview with Albert
White Worse. Mr.. worse said:
There are four or five ways by which
Arctic men are accounting for Pearys de-
lay. First, Mr. Peary may have come
back late to Etah, and so kept the Wind
ward waiting for him; second. the Wind
wards engines may have broken down and
she may have been forced to come back
under sail; third. he may have stopped at
Elsmere Land to rescue Stein and his par
ty Stein is very imperfectly equipped TO
face a winter II the Windward does not
pick him up he will be in great danger.
Fourth, Peary may have stopped off along
the coast Of Danish Greenland. This seems
unlikely, but as the Windward is not under
charter it is possible. Peary is the kind Of
s.xI.N 1T f- ~f.-
jects have been accomplished. There Is
still another possibility, of course that for
some reason or other Peary has decided to
spend a third winter in the north II he
did not succeed in reaching the Pole he
may have decided to move his base of
provisions farther north than Etah. In
this case he might have used the Wind
ward to transport his supplies across
Smith Sound and up as far as Lady Frank
lin Bay.
at is believed, however that this years
experience will prove the decisive one of
his career. That he will be able to tell
when he returns whether he can reach
the Pole or not. II Peary did not reach
the Pole this year the chances will be
against him. There Is something about
the Arctic region that CRATES upon the
temper and nerves OF a man. year of it
uses up a great supply of his enthusiasm,
a second year is apt to take all that he
has left And without enthusiasm no man
can do anything up there. Peary could do
no more than any one else, but third
winter would be against him.
''Peary could have no object in keeping
the Windward up there. Mrs. Peary is on
board and the baby. He has fifty tons of
provisions. Nobody knows what he has
accomplished in this sledge journey. He
is wonderful man. with courage and per-
sistence beyond anything. Probably the
news will come in a few days"