Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-09-18


TO so degrees. This was the farthesr
point touched and catch OF 400 white
whales rewarded the crew for all the
hardships OF the trip ID was a trip
that viii always be remembered by
Ferguson. FOR IL was while on this trip
that he first learned 10 talk with the
Eskimo. first tried sledcing over the
Ice with dogs and learned the re-
duirements OF travel in those FAR parts
OF the earth.
LEARNS NATIVE WAYS.
Ferguson's next trip was with Capt..
Walker. This trip was failure ia
many respects. for 20 degrees north
was the limit for the journey Heavy
ice prevented further travel and the
party headed back In 1881 with Capt.
Judchies he went az far as 81 degrees
and ia 1882 he went out with Capt.
Guy TO SER. where the party was
caught In the ice for Is months. IL
was while on this trip that the party
engaged IN much hunting with Eskimo
parties. Ferguson gained wide ac-
quaintance with the natives and be-
came quite iavorite with them. lie
left with them several rifles and piss
tolls, much ammunition and candy. Ho
was assured OF 4 kindly receipt "a
whenever ne should visit them again.
He learned their language and their
ways and was quite at nome with them
before he LEFT for his home again. In
1883 nc went out with Capt. Guy again
aud reached IS degrees, remaining out
one year.
In 1884 Ferguson was a member of
the Greedy relief expedition. The first
Greedy expedition left In 1881 upon the
mission imposed by me Hamburg In
ternational Geographic society. This
party reached SO degrees the farthest
north at the time. New land IN the
north was discovered and much OF inn
rortance secured by the party. Three
relief expeditions set out to hnd the
Greedy party The first two failed after
enduring much privation Thirty-ive
OF the party had reached the farthest
point north and the third party. II
which Ferguson was engineer, reached
them in June Of 1884 Only seven If
the party survived. tho others having
died OF starvation and cold. The rs-
turn OF Greedy and hts small party WAS
followed with a series Of remarkable
hooks by Gen Greedy; who was SUISSE
quently the chief signal officer OF the
army and was only lately retired. His
books confirm Ferguson's stories IN
every particular.
Fereusons nrst meeting with Peary
occurred in 1898 at ogden. A letter
had been written TO Peary In New
York by Ferguson while he was In
Park city as engineer IN the Marsac
mill. The letter was an application for
the position Of engineer with an eN-
petition which press reports said was
20 be undertaken that year Peary's
letter In reply advised Ferguson that
he was coming west and arranged Tor
"a meeting In ogden
PEARY' $ CHARACTERISTICS.
Peary and Ferguson met and while
they we're in the Reed hotel al ogden
a stranger oyerhearing their CONVEX
sation Interrupted Ferguson with
query as to who IN his estimation,
was the best explorer Ia the arctic
regions Ferguson replied that he
thought Nansen was This reply an
gered peary. says Ferguson. and In
reality prevented Ferguson making the
trip with peag that year and also on
this last expedition, which Is reported
by the commander 10 have been sue
Cossfui. However, arrangements We're
made between Ferguson and Peary for
the former to meet with the ~ others
who would form the party In Washing
ton, July 8. 1898
linen war with spain was declared
and Ferguson enlisted with Battery y
OF the Utah volunteer artillery organ
ization under CAPTAIN Grant When
oyerturCa were renewed BY pcary for
rergusons participation in the ex-
pedition. Captain Grant. after much
effort. nnally arranged with Ferguson
for his release from duty with the bat
tcis
DID NOT TRUST PEARY
Ferguson. however had many mis-
giving. Re dld not trust Peary lie
did not believe thut Pcary would ever
permit White man 10 so 10 The pole
with him. The negro. Matthew Hem
con, always followed Ieary, much
like a dog. Ferguson says. and he
believes mat tnc mau d. Kept with
the commander Tor ms own protoc-
uon. QuaIrelng he declares. Is a
delight Tor The commander and the
presence Of the negro. who does every
bidding ~ the commander, in part in
nuenccd fcre asuu against taking the
Trip. This Dr. because Ferguson n he
was one of the party which was 10
reach the pole. declared al the time
that NJ the pole was reached he would
be one 20 reach a. The idea OF going
forward with the party 90 the last
march aud then being compelled 10
inafch back 10 the ship without hav-
ing seen the place when II was 40 near
WAS not one 90 ana place IN Ferguson.
lie knew, too, be asserts. that when
such q situation arrived, peary would
have the negro with him and that M
ne nefs'o was told 20 XIII him he
would 40 n without the least COM
junction. n would be eaay 10 explain
when the party came back that Fer
Euson, o. amy Of the party Tor that
matter, died Of cold, by drowning ~ A.