The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1907-02-11
THE DASH FOR
THE NORTH POLE
COMMANDER PEARY RELATES
STORY OF FROZEN NORTH-HIS
JOURNEY IN SLEDGES.

WASHINGTON, January 16.-Com-
mander Robert E. Peary told in a
graphic and interesting manner the
story of his last dash for the north
pole and how he succeeded in planting
the American flag within 200 miles Of
the earths axis, at the National Thea
ter yesterday afternoon. The lecture
was given under the auspices of the
National Geographic society for the
benefit of the society's research fund,
and the theater was filled to its capa-
city. His lecture was made doubly in
teresting by numerous stereopticon
views of the polar regions, which af-
forded the audience an idea of what
the neighborhood around the pole looks
like
The lecturer told how his trip was
made possible by the Peary Club and
of the pains and Gaze with which his
ship, the Roosevelt was constructed.
1T is the strongest vessel ever built"
he said.
cat noon of April 81" Commander
Peary said 1--WE had reached a point
which my observations showed to be in
81 degrees and 6 minutes north lati-
tude, the nearest approach yet made to
the pole. 1t is perhaps an interesting
illustration of the incongruity of hui
man nature that at this time, when it
might be thought that Emy feelings
should be those of exultation only,
they were, as a matter of fact, just the
reverse. While I endeavored to be as
thankful as possible for what I had ac-
complished, still the mere fact of break
ing the record fell so far short of the
splendid jewel to secure which I was
straining my life out that my feelings
We're of the intensest disappointment,
and this, combined perhaps with the
physical exhaustion resulting from our
heart breaking pace on half rations.
gave me the deepest fit of the blues"
Thus the commander described his
feelings at the time when he had set
the record for all arctic explorers. He
told how after a killing dash across
the arctic ice pack from the latter part
of February to April p he looked at
the drawn faces of his men, the skele-
ton shapes of his dogs and the scant
provisions on his sledges, and was
forced to turn back after cutting the
margin of endurance as narrow as pos
sible.
Had the winter of 1906 been a hard
one, and the ice pack closed in the
spring, it is the commanders firm con-
Viction he would not have had to turn
back when within 200 miles of the pole
and it is his belief that taking advan-
tage of the experience gained on this
last trip not only can the pole be
reached when the next dash is made
from the American side. but that the
one remaining unexplored strip Of
Greenland coast can be mapped at the
same time. The sledge parties should
start on the next trip from a point
much farther west than did his sledges,
and should aim not directly at the pole
but toward a point west of it, so that
the drifting ice will carry the party to
it.
1T Is not severely low temperature"
he said that is the obstacle to arctic
exploration. A sound man, properly
cared for and properly clothed, should
perate zone do the sudden changes Of
temperature to which We are subject
1t is the long winter night, a nerve
wearing experience, one which has
driven men insane, and thu nscesisty Of
carrying all provisions which make
Arctic exploration perilous.
Arctic exploration expeditions must
be made in two seasons. Through one
summer the explorer must drive his
ship as far north as possible, and then
establish his base near to land before
the six months night sets in in Oc-
tober From then until the last few
days of February, when the first glim-
merings of the arctic dawn are seen,
the explorer must live inert in a dark
ness that is relieved only once a month
by the pale light of the moon Then
when light comes for an hour or less
day he must start north by sedges.
This did. -Four parties set north,
each with Its sledges and dogs and Es-