The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1909-09-14

1
. "A corner Of thclr. ram caught ii III
lice: on our side For the rest OF III
night and during the next day the ic,
suffered the torments of the damned
l:sursinE together. opening out groan
ing and grinding, while the cpeI
water belched black smoke like
prairie fire. Then the motion ceased
the open water closed, the atmosnher,
to the north was cleared and we rush
ed across before the Ice should opcl
again.
A succession Of laterally open lead.
was crossed. and, after them, some
heavy old Ice, and then we came to .
layer OF young ice, some OF which
buckled under our sledges. and thtz
gave US straight way Of six miles
to the north. Then came more heavy
old foes, covered with hard snow. This
was a good. long march. a :. & Z. Y
a The next march was also a long one
It was !Bartlett's last hit. He let him.
self out over: series OF large old
7 foes, steadily Increasing lin diameter
and covered with hard snow. 45.
m Supplies Insufficient
During the last few miles walked
beside him or In advance He was
very solemn and anxious TO go farther,
but the program was for him to go
back from here in command of tho
/. fourth supporting party, and there
were no supplies for an incease In the
main party. 81 /!
In this march we encountered a
high wind for the first time since the
three days after we left Cape Colum.
bia., It was dead in our faces, bitter
and insistent, but had no reason to
complaint was better than an east
erly or southerly wind, either OF which
would have set lis adrift In open
water. whtle this was closing up every
lead behind. This furnished another
advantage to my supporting parties.
True, by SO doing 1t was pressing to
the south tho ice over which we tray-
eled. and SO robbtng us of hundred
miles of advantage. e
We concluded we were on, or near,
tho eighty-eighth parallel. unless tho
north wind had lost us several miles.
The wind blew all night and all the
following day. AT this camp In the
morning. Bartlett started to walk five
or six miles to the north 10 make sure
OF reaching the eiGhty-eighth parallel.
While heswas gone ! selected the
40 best dogs In tho outfit and !; had
them doubled. and picked out FIVE OF
the best sledges and! assigned them e1.
pressly to. the captains party. 81
broke mp the seventh for material with
which to repair the others, and set
Eshmos at this work. ts4a +.:.ss.5.s
~ Robbed BY the Wind.
Bartlett returned In time to take a
observations for latitude
In clear weather, and obtained for our
position s7.4s. and that showed that |
The continued north wind had robbed
ls of. a number of miles of hard-earned
distance.
Bartlett took the observation here,
10 had Marvin five camps back, partly
10 save my eyes. but largely to give
IN independent record and determine
ion OF our advantage. The observa-
ions completed and two copies made.
me for himself and the other for me,
BARTLETT started on the back trail In
Command of my fourth supporting
'arty. with two Esktmos, one sledge
md Is dogs.
Z When he, left felt Cor, a moment
'angs OF regret MS he disappeared In
he distance. but 1t was only momen.
airy. My work was still ahead. not in
he rear. Bartlett had done good work L
nd had been a great help to me. Cir.
had thrust the brunt OF
he pioneering upon him instead of Ill.
iding 1t among several, az had
tanned. He had reason to take pride
l the fact that he had bettered the Ttal.
IN record by: a degree and a quarter.
nd had covered distance equal to
ie entire distance OF the italian ex- Is
edition from Franz Josef's land to
agni's farthest north.
I had given Bartlett this. position
nd post of honor In command OF my
urth and last supporting party. and
n two rensons-first, because OF his
agniflcent handling OF the Roose-
,lt; second. because he had cheer
lily: stood between. me and, many
filing annoyancesE on the expedition.
Second Nearest To Pole.
Then there was third reason. 1T
emed gtoame appropriate, tns view of
g asnincent British record ofsthe Is
cite work. covering three centuries.
at It should be a British subject who 81
uld boast that, next to an American,
had been nearest to the pole. 81
~ I. ROBERT Il. PEARY. III
Decide To ArhTtrate.
kayv PaAfard Mouu-Thn Nnu, n.5