The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1907-12-27
ON THIN ICE.


~~So-~o~~-~.~~
When Commander Peary. OH his lat
est trip north, lett his winter quarters
at Cape Sheridan and set out on his
dash for the POLE" he virtually burn
ed his bridges" behind him, If so warm
a metaphor can be used of polar work.
With small party, equipped with dogs
and sledges, he dashed aheaG, having
several assisting parties engaged IL
cachihg provisions and bringing up new
supplies
Unfortunately, all the advance par.
ties were thrown back on his by COM
Ing upon an open lead" or river OF
unfrozen water in the Ice, which they
could not pass.
Sending some back, and waiting
many days, during which his enlarged
party made dangerous inroads on the
supplies, he at last got across on thin
ice with eight men, with short supplies,
and with conviction that proved well
founded that no more supplies could
come across the lead to him.
Killing their dogs one by one us they
needed them, the party advanced to lat
Itude eighty-seven degrees, six minutes
when all were 80 weak and the supplies
so scant 1t was evidently certain deatt
to go farther; then they turned back
At that moment perhaps Peary alone
realized what the retreat meant. They
had almost no supplies, and the oper
lead was between them and relief. l.
that was uncrossable, they were doom
ed to speedy death.
When they came to the lead, about
week after turning back, they found
open, and half mile wide. For tw'
days they skirted 1t to the eastward
part Of the time during a terrible
storm. Nothing was in sight In an.
direction but Ice and snow and thi
black water, slowly widening until
extended two miles from the Ice flo
they were on to that which stretches
toward them scores of miles from tn
northern end Of Greenland.
At last scouts reported skim OF &c
forming to the eastward. The Who'll
party hurried thither. Yes-there wa
Ice across the lead, but 90 soft an
thin no man could step on It withou
going through. At any moment 1t Nigh
break up. Peary tied on his sno'
shoes and essayed to step en- the &c
, with them. 1t bore him momentaril!
cfo nd
This was the only hope Of life. Has
lily snowshoes were tied ou-and yer
, tightly, since life depended on them
. and then the weary, worn-out part
stepped gingerly on the ice and bega
soft-footed run for the opposite sid
The three remaining dogs with the sill
t gle sledge scurried with them.
It was a heart-breaking race, say
Commander Peary in his account
the voyage. No one dared stop or eve
: lift his snowshoes. Even as'they scu
: fled the ice swayed and gave wit
them. A single misstep might mea
> death.
Once Commander Peary stubbed
: toe into the ice, and stumbled. ar
:. thought he was lost; but he fortunate
9 recovered. A moment later he heal
= similar splash from the rear, b1
dared not turn his head.
g "Who is it?' he called, but no Of
r answered. The CLASSY Ice swelled al
|. fell away, the snowshoes seemed
l. grow every moment heavier; but at la
the two miles were passed, and tn
n stepped upon the firm ice of the Gree
t land foe.
0 Then Peary turned to see who HI
been lost, but his party was entil
l. The other stumber had also saw
a himself. But an Eskimo, pointing ba
II at the ice, said: IF the chief b.
# been with US he would be down the
now!" The chief engineer weigh
II over two hundred and thirty-fi
o pounds.
D. Even with the lead crossed the par
IS was not safe but at last they reach
5 the Greenland coast. and there, VIII
II their last remaining dog worried q b.
i musk OK and kept the herd from fl
ing, Peary, 80 weak he could scarce
. stand, killed enough to furnish foo
. on which the party ate continuously
three days as they marched along
coast toward their ship.