The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-12-17
PEARY'S DISCOVERIES
Beneficial Results of the Explorers
Labors in the Arctics.
Detailed Account of His Trips Into
the Frozen North and His Great
Service 20 Arctic Elk
pIorntion.

The greatest credit is due to that
indomitable explorer, Lieut.. Peary, for
his latest work in defining the geog-
raphy of the arctic regions. Al
though he has not yet succeeded in
reaching the north pole, 'or, indeed, in
travelling as far north as did Nansen
and Abruzzi, he has made a contribu-
ton to our knowledge of the arctic
regions which, in extent and useful
ness, compares favorably with the
work of any previous explorers, and
may be regarded as an ample return
for the risks and labors of his long sea-
son of exploration, says the Scientific
American. AS a result of his work
around the northern coast of -Green-
land, the geographical boundaries of
the great Island of the northern hemis-
phere are now defined with scientific
accuracy. The only break in the coast
line consists of a short length of I'M
surveyed land between independence
bay--so named by Peary at the time
of its discovery, nine years ago-snd
Cape Bismarck, on the east coast of
Greenland. Thus the explorations of
Greenland, which have been in prog
ress now for thousand years past,
are practically completed by Peary's
arduous labors and thoroughly scien-
tific methods. His work, stated in de-
tail, consists of surveying that portion
of the coast line of Melville bay on the
west of Greenland; a survey of the en-
tire northwestern, north and north
eastern coast as far south as Independ-
ence bay; and the accurate mapping
out of the channel which extends
through Smiths sound to the Arctic
ocean on the north coast of Greenland.
Peary has also travelled 2,400 miles on
the great inland ice cap, and has To-
Gated its extreme northern limits;
twice he has crossed Grinnell Land,
and he has also given us an accurate
location of its western shore to point
considerably south of existing sur
veys. 1t is true that other explorers
have travelled further north than he;
but their work, although of great sci
entific interest, and carrying perhaps
more of the elements of the spectac-
ular, has not given to the world such
considerable increase in its geograph-
ical knowledge as results from Peary's
latest travels.
Peary has also done great service to
arctic exploration by proving that his
theories as to the best method of trav-
cling are correct. He set out on this
last trip with the conviction that, if the
north pole is ever to be reached, it
must be done with the cooperation of
the natives and with the extensive use
of dogs and sledges. In his recent
work he has given practical proof of
the soundness of his theories. Early
in the next spring it is his purpose to
make final dash for the north pole"
which, if successful, will add greatly
to his well-earned fame. Should he
succeed in reaching it, he will confer
a double benefit upon arctic explora-
ton, since he will at once settle a
greatly overrated, but much consid-
cred question, and by so doing will di-
vert the energy of subsequent explor-
ers to the more useful work of map
ping out the undiscovered regions with
in the arctic circle and rounding out
to completeness our geographical
knowledge of the northern hemis-
phere