Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-07-03
BRAVE MRS. PEARY
Will Command Expedition to
Relieve Her Husband,
The Lieutenant Has Been Four Years
in the Arctic Regions.
Confidently Expected That He Has Lo-
Gated North Pole.

Boston. July 1.-The Peary Arctic
steamer Windward will sail out of New
York harbor. tomorrow bound for the
North to bring back the Peary expedi-
ton, after its four years stay in the
Arctic. during which it is confidently
expected that Peary has found the
pole.
The Windward will be commanded
by Mrs. Robert E. Peary, wife of the
famous explorer, and this trip marks
the first time that a woman has gone
to the Arctic in command of an expedi-
ton. PrOvisioned for two years. fitted
out to meet all the rigors of a soiourn
in the great cold, the Windward is as
fit to undertake the task of bringing
the explorer back TO civilization as she
was when she went after Nansen in
1872, or on the Jackson Harmsworth
expedition in 1881.
Mrs. Peary will be accompanied b
Capt. Samuel Bartlett and the crew
which has accompanied her husband on
several of his former trips.
The Windward's first stop will be at
Sydney. Cape Breton. Thence she will
so to Drisco and Upernavik, North
Greenland. and then across the dread
ed Melville bay to Etah, where is To-
Gated Peary's base of operations, and
where it is hoped that the explorer will
be found. At Etah Drs. Kane and
Hayes made their winter quarters in
1851.
If Peary is not found there. the
Windward will go to Cape Sabine.
Ellesmere Land, the scene of the ia
nous rescue of of the survivors of the
Greedy Arctic expedition by the relief
expedition commanded by Admiral
Schley If Peary has accomplished all
that he hoped to when he was left in
The Arctic four years ago it is expected
that he will be on his return to Fort
Conger which is 400 miles north of
Cape Sabine, by Aug. 20. If he has not
reached Cape Sabine when the Wind
ward arrives, the vessel viii wait there
for him.
After leaving Upernavik the last of
this month nothing further will be
heard from the Windward until late
in September, when it is probable that
news of her, taken to Upernavik by
Esquimaux. will be brought by Il DAN
ish war vessel which touches at that
point once q year.
1t is hoped that if all goes well the
WinWard will reach home some time in
October, bringing the explorer and data
Of the greatest geographical interest.
whether or not it furnishes proof that
to America and to United States
naval officer belongs the credit of pene-
tarting the farthest north and bring
ing back the greatest geographical
prize. the discovery of the pole.
Matt Henson, Peary's only attend
ant besides the few Esquimaux who
made UP his marty when he started on
the final dash for the pole, will come
back also and it is expected that
some news will be brought of DR.. Deid-
rich. who left the Peary party after a
disagreement with the explorer to go
On 4 search of his own.
Mrs. Peary will take with her the
medals and honors conferred on her
husband by the ROYAL. French and
American Geographical Societies in
recognition Of his work in the polar re-
3ions. She will also take the news to
him of his promotion from the rank of
lieutenant to that of commander in the
navy, of which he as yet knows moth
ing.
Mrs. Peary has been spending the
days before her departure at the home
Of Albert Operti, chairman of the Arc
tic Club of New York, which has seen
10 the fitting out of the Windward with
new boilers and other necessaries for
the present trip. Mr.. Operti was
the guest Of Lieut.. Pcary during
two years in the Arctic in 1895
and 1897 as official artist and special
correspondent of the New York Herald.
Soon after the rescue of the Greedy
survivors Mr.. Operti was commissioned
by the war and navy departments to
paint two pictures, "Farthest North
and THE Rescue Of Greedy and these
pictures are now in the Capitol at
Washington. The paintings contain
portraits of Admiral Schley, com
mander of the relief expedition: Chief
Melville. who commanded the jean
nette expedition and IL other portraits.
Mr.. Operti visited Cape Sabine, where
II members of the Greedy party starved
to death. the winter quarters of Drs.
Kane and Hayes at Etah and the scene
of the loss of the Polaris.
Up to the present time Mr.. Operti.
who was commissioned to paint the
two pictures mentioned in 1888 by Sec
rotary Chandler has been unable to.
collect from the government the pay
for his work Lately Senator McComas
of MARYLAND. has interested himself i'm
the matter, and the prospect now IS
that the artist win receive that which
lie his dlle +s.s.t4