Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-01-09
WHAT PEARY HAS DONE.
One Thing that Contributed Largely
to His Recent Success.

to His Recent Success.
Though the latest effort to reach the
pole did not result quite as Peary him
self had expected, there are abundant
reasons for congratulating him and his
country on what he accomplished. To
have beaten his own :ecOrd by ITO
miles was a great thing. To nave sur
passed the achievements of Nansen and
Cagni was a still more crediraDie per-
Torrance and one which will enhance
his worldwide fame, says the New
York Tribune.
One influence which contributed
largely to his recent success was his
ability to venture out on the floating
ice which covers the polar sea earlier
in the season than in any other cam
paign. In 1900 April was well advanc-
ed when he entered upon that critical
stage of his undertaking, and in 1902
he left Grant Land Cat Cape Hecla) on
April g. This year he was able to take
that step on March 1. Hitherto Peary
has been hampered by the necessity OF
ter quarters of his ship to the final
base of his operations (FOrt COnger),
several hundred miles to the north
ward. He was thus led to believe that
If he could effect a Judgment in that
neighborhood at the very outset he
would save time the following spring
and find the ice firmer than it would
be after the sun had been visible above
the arctic circle for weeks. His eXpec-
tations were only partially fulfilled, for
he found a disappointingly large num-
Der of crevices and leads in his path.
Yet he was unquestiOnably helped by
the fact that the Roosevelt succeeded
In pushing her way last summer to the
vicinity Of Cape Sheridan. She was
then at least fifty miles farther north
than the site of Greely's camp (Fort
Conger) and 300 miles from Cape Sa'
bine.
1t is evident, too, that the work OF
maintaining a supply of food for the
explorer and his dogs was better organ
ICED this time than on previous occa'
sions. When he started from Cape
Hecla in 1902 there was only one party.
1t embraced Peary, his faithful com
panion. Henson, and four Eskimo sledge
drivers. This year there were five OF
six parties, most of them being intend
ed only as temporary supports to the
explorers own. None of them except
Peary's and Henson's, which were sub
seuuently consolidated, seems to have
gone beyond latitude 81 :3S, but the sys'
tenn of cooperation which had been
adopted appreciably promoted the main
object of the expedition. Peary was
also favored, no doubt, by luck. He
encountered an amazing lot of diff
culties. but every now and then there
were compensations in the form of sur
prisingly firm ice Still, he would not
have taken the advantage Of these If
he had not been exceptionally vigilant
and daring.
The explorers ship received pretty
severe treatment, both while going
rorthward and returning. She lost
several propeller blades, two OF three
rudders and her rudder post, and was
otherwise badly injured. None of these
experiences, however, should cause sur
prise. Peary's other ships were IN
equal to the ordeal Of forcing a pas
sage from Cape Sabine to Cape Sheri-
dan. The Roosevelt was built espe-
cially for that task, and performed It.
Peary fully realized what he was about,
and the ship justified his confidence.
When It is remembered that he brought
her safely through her work and
brought back every one Of his men alive
it will be perceived that he has display
ed a marvellous combination of general
ship and devotion to his subordinates.
Despite the necessity for living large
part of the time on short rations, 1t Is
probable that all who have served I'M
der him during the last sixteen months
would be ready to do so again if the
chance were given them.