The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-12-01

whence Lincoln Sea stretches away to the
north. This channel, known by various
names in different parts, is only twenty
TO thirty miles in width except where it
broacen in Kane fBasin. 1t Is hard
road for sledges, and, as 1t is sometimes
choked with Ice throughout the summer,
It is on such occasions impassads by
steamers Peary made this trying jour
ney in the middle of the Arctic night.
during the winter of 1889, and thereby
added to his iaurels, already nnequalled
as a sledge traveller.
When he reached Fort Conger, on
March 20 last, he was only about nifty
miles from Lincoin sea. he Intended to
give the dogs few days rest and then
start with Henson and his best Esqui-
maux on his journey to or toward the
Pole, leaving the doctor and some native
hunters at the camp.
The explorer wrots In the letter he for
warded TO the Peary Arctic Club in Au
gust last year that his movements beyond
Fort Conger last spring would depend
upon the conditions he fouDd there. He
might pursue his original plan OF cross
ing the channel, following the North
Greenland coast to les terminus and then
making straight for the Pole; or, he
might follow mp the west side of the
channel to Cape Hecla and strike north
ward over the sea ios from that pint
His latest letter shows that he decided
to cross over to the Greenland coast, fol-
lowing practically ths same route that
Lockwood took when he recorded the
highest north, which was not surpassed
for thirteen years until Nansen made his
siedge journey over the SEA ice.
AT Fort Conger, Peary's real starting
point for the North Polar journey, he was
about $50 statute miles from the North
Pole. 1t Is useless to speculate upon the
chances Of his getting there. All that
d, hot he M n
dance OF supplies stored at Fort Conger
and al eight other points along the chan
mel route south of Conger. Ii he returned
safely from the slsdge journey over the
sea he had an abundance OF provisions
for the long journey still ahead OF him
before he reached his old camp at Etah,
where ne might expect to find the Wind
ward waiting to take him home. He
said that his feet had given him very
little trouble, and he felt like his old
self again, DIR. Kahn has said since
his return TO Europe that when Peary
passed Cape Sabine on his way north
last spring he was walking with per-
ceptible limp. However that may pe, he
made the difficult march to Conger all
right, and it was there that he wrote
that he was In excellent condition for the
work before him. Dr. Dedrick wrote
last year that Peary would always be q
little lame as tn result OF the injury to
his feet, but he proved that after ne
received that injury that he was still
capable of most unusual achievements In
the way Of hard travelling.
There Ia no occasion for alarm because
he did not return In time TO enable the
Windward 20 come home last fail. A
aturai inference from that fact Is that
he was not defeated In his purpose, at
least In the early stages or bis work. IL
10 not 20 be expected now that anything
further will be heard OF Peary's under
taking till next summer or fall; but 1t is
encouraging to know that his party came
through last winter In excellent conut-
ton, and that Peary was nearing the
threshold OF the unknown region last
spring In good health and spirits.