The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-04-21
Book OF Great Arctic Explorer
Who Went Farther North Than
Other, Just Out.
THRILLING STORY OF PERL
For. Many Days Peary and His
Little Party Faced Deatl,
Constantly.
NEAREST TEE POLE. BY r. +.
Peary. u s. ~ Doubleday. Page
and Company OF New York, pub

I'earf, u. -. NJ. pOuDttuaS, IdBc
and Company of New York. pub
fishers.
The Introduction to this. one of the
most important of the spring publica-
items includes the address made By
President Roosevelt on his presentation
% the Hubbard medal of the National
Geographic Society to Commander
Robert T. Peary. at the annual ban
quot Of the society December 10, 1906.
and Pcary's response on that occasion
to the President
In concluding his remarks, the Presi-
don, said to Pcary; You. the man
whom we join to honor tonight. you.
wto for month in and month out. year
in and year out had to face periis and
overcome the greatest risks and diff
ficultics with resting on your should
ers the undivided responsibility which
meant life or death to you and your
followers--you had to show in addi-
ton what the modern commander with
his great responsibility does not have
to show. You had TO show all the moral
qualities in war, together with other
qualities You did n great deed,
deed that counted for ali mankind.
deed which reflected credit upon you
and your country.
Peary closed his reply to the Prcsi-
dent thus: AS regards tho belief cx-
pressed by some that the attainment
OF the North Pole possesses no value
or interest let me say that should nj;
American. first of all men. place the
stars and Stripes at that coveted spot.
there IL not an American citizen at
home or abroad, and there are millions
of us. hut what would feel a little
yrn n hpinty
I'm American; and just that added in
crement of pride and patriotism to mill
liens would of itself alone be worth
ten times the cost of attaining the
Pole.
For three centuries the world has
dreamed of solving the mystery of the
North. Tonight the stars and Sirius
stand nearest to that mystery, point
Ing and reckoning. And, God willing,
I hope that your administration may
see those Stars and Stripes planted at
the Pole itself"
For between those two great cosmic
boundaries, the Panama canal and the
North Pole, lie the heritage and the
stupendous future OF that giant whose
destines you guide to-day, the United
States of America.
The frontispiece is color picture
showing the point OF elevation where
Peary planted the United States flag In
the neighborhood of the North Pole. the
region o eternal SNOWY The sledge with
the dogs outlined clear against the blue
white background; the little group of
eight men. fur-clad. looking down upon
them, and above everything else. the
vivid color Of the star-spansled banner,
asserting Its claim and the power OF
the nation 1t represents The picture
IS the keynote of what follows in the
book.
The book opens with the departure OF
the ship Roosevelt from New York on
July 16, 1905. for 17tah. A description
of the personnel of the party on tho
Roosevelt and their environment. in
GLIDING the furnishings Of Peary's quar-
tiers. Illustrated with excellent photo
graphs. is followed by an account Of the
voyage to Etah, the taking on there of
natives and supplies, and the resumption
of the trip from Etah to Cape Sheridan,
A dramatcss story of grinding ice floes
and the Roosevelt racing through mar
row channels after being several times
forced aground, brings the explorers as
FAR as Cape Sheridan on their way.
Chapter third recounts the autumn pre-
parations for the arctic winter at Fort
Sheridan: the damage done to the Roose-
welt by an ice foe, tho loss OF the dogs
from poisoned whale meat, and then,
on. November 1st, the beginning of VIM
TEN
Christmas, with graphaphonc per-
formance, the distribution OF Christmas
gifts and the bringing In supplies from
the inland by the Esllimos sent out by.
Peary. rs we'll as the preparations for
the northward move in the spring,
transports the reader through "the great
night and to the end of the fourth
( chapter.
The trail next leads thxeugh the
NTH chapter, from Sheridan to the
Big Lead, by way of Cape Hecla to-
ward the ice of tho Polar Sea, and tho
goal desired.
From the Big Lead to 81 degreo G
minutes north latitude, through gales
of wind, cracked leo foes and open
leads, the little party push on. Here
Peary says:
''As can perhaps be Imagined, was
moro than anxious to keep on, but
as | looked at the drawn faces of my
comrades, at the skeleton figures of
my few remaining dogs at my nearly
empty, sledges, ana remembered the
B