The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-09-18
Commander Peary May Leave
Battle Harbor for Home
Sometime Tomorrow
Celebrated HOLIDAYS N THE
LAND OF The. MIDNIGHT Sun
Fourth Of July, Thanksgiving, Christ
mas and St. Patrick's Day Were Oc.
caslons Of Merrlment and General
Good viii.

odtIAS 1AoTUOES AduEd0OEs via M0E.
conf wireless to Cape Ray, N. F.,
Sept. 18.-After week of rest for
the crew of the Arctic steamer Roose-
welt, on board of which Commander
Robert E. Peary is making his way
south, there is today hustle and ac-
tivity on all sides as the men put
the finishing touches to the vessel
preparatory to the start for Sndney.
Commander Peary has had an ac-
tive day. At 9 o'clock this morning
he received Capt. Dickson of the
Canadian government steamer Tyri-
an, and half an hour later he well
coined the newspaper correspondents
who came up to Battle Harbor on the
Tyrian.
He first went to the quarter deck
Of the Roosevelt and faced a battery
Of cameras. When the picture had
been taken, Commanders Peary and
the correspondents all went ashore TO
the loft of a fish house on the
wharf. where the explorer became the
target for broadside of questions,
Peary sat with his back to the single
window in the gable end of the attic,
and the newspaper men were grouped
In front Of him. Some Of them mount
ed on piles of fish nets, others were
seated on barrels, and number
sDQuatted on the floor. In addition,
the crews Of the steamers nnd sailing
vessels in port the local merchants
and fishermen, and gathering of
small boys filled the rude hall and lis
tened to what might be termed Com
mander Peary's first public lecture
since his return from the pole. This
gathering at Battle EIarbor; q fishing
port, on the coast Of Labrador, which
before the coming of Peary, was prac-
hcally unknowr4t to the. world az large,
was facetiously denominated as
the first class IN North Pole
geography"
In explaining to the newspaper
men what he considered the scientific
value of polar exploration, Comma1ld-
Or Peary said he had taken soundtngs
Of the sea from Cape Sheridan to the
pole which supplemented the similar
data taken on the other side by Nam
sen and Cagni. Continuing, he said
that north polar exploration is much
more difacult than the same work In
the Antarctic. In the Arctic the work
must all be done in one season, while
the South Pole eventually will be
reached by several seasons Of work, it
being possible for exploring parties to
push forward and hold the ground
covered instead of turning back to
winter quarters or the limits of ciyili-
Eation.
Commander Peary described the
celebration of Christmas day. the
Fourth Of July, Thanksgiving day and
ST. Patrick's day in the far north. On
Christmas they had a dinner and a
distribution Of presents that had been
brought with this celebration in mind.
The gifts included a box Of presents
from Sir William McGregor, then the
governor of New Foundland, and
boxes Of candy from Mrs. Peary.
There were also running races for the
members Of the party Il and Eskimo
men and women, for which prizes
were given. The distance was seven
ky-ftve yards. The long Arctic night
! prevailed at this time and the course
Vas marked by string of lanterns
from the Roosevelt.
Describing the flags he had raised
ut the pole. Commander Peary; made
particular mention of the silk Ameri-
cansfag given him by his wife fifteen
years ago and which he had carried
on every one Of his Arctic expeditions.
leaving a portion Of the most norther-
ly point attained.