The Western news., 1907-12-25
ON THIN ICE.

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When Commander Peary, OH his lat
est trip north, left 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
metaphor can be used of polar work.
With small party, equipped with dogs
and sledges, he dashed ahead, having
several assisting parties engaged in
caching provisions and bringing up new
supplies.
Unfortunately, all the advance par.
ties were thrown back on ais 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 wei!
founded that no more supplies coulc
come across the lead to him.
Killing their dogs one by one as they
needed them, the party advanced to lat
ltude elghty-seven degrees, six minutes
when all were so 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. Il
that was uncrossable, they were doom
ed to speedy death.
| When they came to the lead, about {
week after turning back, they found i
open, and half a mile wide. For twt
days they skirted 1t to the eastward
part of the time during a terrible
storm. Nothing was in sight in any
direction but ice and snow and thi
black water, slowly widening until i
extended two miles from the Ice flo'
they were on to that which stretched
toward them scores of miles from th'
northern end of Greenland.
At last scouts reported skim OF lc'
forming to the eastward. The who'll
party hurried thither. Yes-there wa
ice across the lead, but so soft ant
thin no man could step on It withou
going through. At any moment 1t Nigh
break up. Peary tied on his snow
shoes and essayed to step cn the ic
with them. 1t bore him momentarily
but he could not stand still.
This was the only hope of life. Hast
lily snowshoes were tied on-and yer.
tightly, since life depended on them
and then the weary, worn-out part,
stepped gingerly on the Ice and begal
soft-footed run for the opposite side
The three remaining dogs with the sin
gle sledge scurried with them.
1t was heart-breaking race, say
Commander Peary in his account o
the voyage. No one dared stop or eve
lift his snowshoes. Even as they scut
fled the ice swayed and gave wit
them. A single misstep might mea
death.
Once Commander Peary stubbed
toe into the ice and stumbled, an
thought he was lost but he fortunatel
recovered. A moment later he hear
a similar splash from the rear, bu
dared not turn his head.
"Who Is it," he called, but no on
answered. The CLASSY ice swelled an
fell away. the snowshoes seemed t
grow every moment heavier; but at las
the two miles We're passed, and the
stepped upon the firm ice of the Greer
land foe.
Then Peary turned to see who ha
been lost, but his party was entire
The other stumber had also save
himself. But an Eskimo, pointing bac
at the Ice said "If the chief ha
been with us he would be down ther
now!" The chief engineer weighe
over two hundred and thirty-fiv
pounds.
Even with the lead crossed the part
was not safe; but at last they reache
the Greenland coast, and there, Will
their last remaining dog worried a bu
musk OK and kept the herd from fiet
ing, Peary, so weak he could scarcel
stand, killed enough to furnish fooC
on which the party ate continuously fc
three days as they marched along til
coast toward their ship.
His Profession