The semi-weekly messenger., 1902-09-23


Peary Arctic Clubs relief steamer
Windward. with Lieutenant Robert E.
Peary on board. arrived at North sgd
ney at SIS this morning from Green
land.
Lieutenant Peary did not succeed in
reaching the pole but he announces
that he made important discoveries
When Peary stepped from the Wind
ward TO the wharf no one would have
supposed that he had braved the rigors
OF a winter in the Polar regions. His
face was bronzed but he looked the pic
ture of health.
Mrs. Peary and her daughter, who
had gone with the Windward TO meet
him. looked well, although the former
is just recovering from a recent ILL
ness.
DR.. Diedrich was on board and quite
well. AS far as can be learned. the diff
ference between him and Lieutenant
Peary has not been patched up. Dr.
Diedrich declined TO say anything fur
ther at present than that the difficulty
between him and Lieutenant Peary had
not been settled.
Lieutenant Peary recovered ana
brought back the instruments and Il
brary abandoned by the Greedy expedI-
ton. He also brought numerous and
rare specimens of natural history.
Lieutenant Peary sends to the Arctic
Club the following report of the opera
tionS of the expedition since August 19,
1901:
Left at Erick harbor, on the Ellsmere
coast August 29th. The party reached
Payer harbor September 18th, crossing
ID hsar ltvz a1rr
by boat, then walking across Befort
Pim About a week later my Eskimos
began to fall sick, not one escaping. BY
November 18th six adults and one child
were dead, nearly all the others very
weak but out of danger.
EARLY in January Eskimos came
across from Anvilak, bringing news of
the ravages of a fatal epidemic through
the tribe. Word was sent back by
these scouts for as many Of the survi-
VorS as could to come to me and by the
end of the month they began arriving.
In February large depot of dog-food
was established near Cape Louis Napo-
leon, some sixty miles north of Sabine.
On March 3rd my advance party Of six
sledges in charge Of Hensen left for
Conger. March six started with the
main party of eighteen sledges, leaving
Percy in charge at Payer harbor.
''Conger was reached in twelve
marches, arriving within an hour or
two of the advance party. My support
ing party of ESkimos returning from
Conger brought down instruments,
chronometers and Arctic library. Eight
marches more took us to Cape Hecla.
The north end of Robinson channel
was all open across to the Greenland
coast, lakes of water extending north
ward as far as could be seen from Black
Cape and Cape Ransome. From Hecla
another supporting party returned.
April 1st started northward over the
Polar sea with Henson, four Eskimos
and six sledges. Old foes covered deep
with snow and intersected with rubble
ridges and lanes of young ice were en-
countered from the moment we left the
ice foot.
The same kind of travelling. except
the lanes of young ice, as found by the
English expedition of 1876.
After six marches open leads, foes
in motion were encountered. Two ma
tives were sent back. AS we advanced
the foes became smaller, the pressure
ridges on a grander scale, and the open
leads more frequent. Each days march
was more perilous and our general
course DETECTED west by the character
of the ice. Finally at S417 N, latitude
northwest of Hecla, the Polar pack be-
came impracticable and further enorts
to advance were given up. New leads
made our return in some respects more
trying than the advance. Hecla was
regained April 18th and Conger May
3rd. Leaving Conger May 9Th cape
Sabine was reached on the 18th A few
days later went north as Tar as cape
Louis Napoleon to complete the survey
of Bobbit bay returning the f1rst or
June A proposed trip across Ellsmere
land was prevented by open water In
Buchanan bay.
THE ice broke up earlier than in
1901 and Payer harbor was blockaded
almost continuously.
The Winward bored her way through
the ice and entered the harbor the
morning Of August 5th and got out
again the same afternoon with scarcely
fifteen minutes to spare before the har-
Dor was closed by the Ice. Forcing our
way across Smith sound. my Eskimos
with their belongings we're landed in
Ughfield gulf. Several days were de-
voted to hunting walus, then the Wind
ward started south, reaching and 1eav-
ing Cape York the afternoon Of Au-
gust 29th.
Calling at Godhoun, Greenland and
Cape Haven. Raffinland, the Windward
arrived ct Chateau bay, Labrador. Sep
tember 14th and sent desoatches- The
summer voyage has beea without mis-
hap and the Windward, with her en-
gines has made as good time as the
larger and more powerful ships that
have been going north the las; years.
The year at Payer harbor was passed
comfortable though an anxious strain
caused by the ravages OF disease among
my faithful people was not HEht. Food
was abundant and our supply Of musk
OK and deer meat continued throughout
the year. The northern sledge trip in
the spring was arduous but not marked
by special exposure, suffering or danger
more than is necessarily inrident 10
serious arctic work.
Equipment and personnel xere satis-
factory and further advance was We
toed by insuperable natural conditions.
The Windward has on board the instru-
ments, chronometers and Arctic library
abandoned by the Greely expedition and
numerous specimens Of natural history.
bear. musk OK, reindeer ard walrus
skins.
The skeleton of a two ho-ned Mar
whal. a rare Arctic specimen. also living