Evening star., 1909-09-12
FISHING STEAMER taft
OFFERED TO GIVE AID
Crew of Roosevelt Looks Thin and
Tired.
SHIP IN CURIOUS SHAPE
Musk-Ox and Reindeer Heads Dry
ing in Rigging-Eskimo and
Animal Skeletons
in Hold.

ST. JOHNS. n. F., September lac
cording TO Capt. Nielsen of the fishing
steamer Taf. which arrived here tonight
from Battle Harbor. Labrador, Com
mander Peary's steamer Roosevelt was
badly damaged by ice in the north and
may not get to North Sydney before Sep
tember -.
The Roosevelt struck a rock while en-
tering Battle Harbor. She was fast for
six hours, but was not seriously damaged.
The Taft left Battle Harbor early yes
terday morning with cargo of fish for
wholesale merchant in this city. She
was in port last Wednesday when the
Roosevelt arrived from Indian Harbor.
Stopped to Take on Coal.
The Roosevelt put in to take on a sup
ply of coal and also to give Commander
Peary an opportunity to send details Of
his far northern trip to the United States
by way of the wireless station at that
port.
Capt. Nielsen says that when entering
Battle harbor the Roosevelt encountered
fishing schooner at anchor in the chan
nel and that, in attempting TO feel her
way by, the steamer struck a rock and
was held fast for six hours until the ris-
ing tide enabled Capt. Bartlett to back
off.
While the Roosevelt was stranded Capt.
Nielsen went aboard to offer his assist
ance. He was thanked by Commander
Peary and Capt. Bartlett. who decided
that they would be able to work the
steamer free at high water.
Peary Tells Of Exploit.
Capt. Nielsen says that Commander
Peary and Capt. Bartlett showed him
| over the ship and told him that the pole
had been reached. When Capt. Neil
sen asked Peary If he was certain that
he had found the pole the commander
declared:
"Oh. got there. You may rest as
sured of that
When the commander of the Taft asked
Peary what he thought of DR.. Cooks
claim, Peary replied that Cooks Eskimos
had assured him that Cook scarcely went
out of sight of land.
Capt. Nielsen says that Peary appeared
to be thoroughly convinced of his own
success. Nielsen declared tonight that
he fully believed Peary's report.
Nielsen further said that the Roosevelt
was badly battered and that her hull
showed the bruises made by jagged pieces
of ice. He said that the oakum was
dropping from her seams when she
reached Battle Harbor and that Peary
engaged twenty men there to assist the
crew in giving the ship a complete over
hauling. cleaning and painting.
At Sydney by September IS.
He also said that when he left Battle
Harbor yesterday it was the intention of
Peary and Bartlett to run the Roosevelt
to Assize Harbor, where she would re-
main for ten or twelve days. so that the
men would not be hampered in their
work by stormy weather. Capt. Nielsen
said that the expedition expected to reach
Sydney about September D.
The crew of the Roosevelt are all
well. but look thin and tired. Accord
ing to Capt. Nielsen. the most worn
looking member of the expedition is
Commander Peary himself
Nielsen was Informed that the Peary
party underwent severe hardships in
their night and day marches during
the final stages of the dash to the pole.
The expedition encountered bliZZardS
and, reports Capt. Nielsen, was obliged
to kill dogs for food. Prof. Ross Mar
vim was drowned and an Eskimo was
lost.
The party journeyed over four hun
dred miles on sledgeS over fair ice con-
ditions, although at one time Peary and
several of his men had a narrow escape
| from being carried away by a breakup
of an ice foe The Roosevelt was
moored in latitude $3.50 during the
winter.
Trophies in Rigging.
Capt. Nielsen said that the rigging Of
the Roosevelt presented a curious sight
About forty musk OK heads and heads
of reindeer were suspended 10 dry. On
the deck are twelve dogs, the last Of
nearly two hundred taken poleward.
Above the deckhouse are kennels con-
tanning foxes and other animals which
Commander Peary is taking to the United
States. In the hold of the vessel is a
large supply of skins and furs, number
of Eskimo skeletons and bones of strange
animals.
When the ship reached Battle Harbor
her bunkers held only five tons of COAL At
that place she took on board sixty tons to
carry her to Sydney.
The crew and explorers are dressed in
semi-arctic attire. All were anxious 10
hear news from the outside world. little
of which they obtained AT Indian Harbor.
the first port entered after the Roosevelt
left the frozen north.