Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-09-16
Explorers Fascinating Account OF
His Wonderful and Successful
Dash to the North Pole.


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some more supplies from Heca to
Cape Colon, and Borup went TO Mark
ham inlet on hunting trip. On Feb.
% Bartlett left the Roosevelt with his
division for Cape Columbia and Parr
Bay Goodsell, Borup, Mcmillan and
Hansen followed on successive DAYS
with their provisions. Marvin return
ed from Brynnts on Feb. II and left
for Cape Columbia Feb. 81 ! brought
up tho -car Feb. 90.
The total of all divisions leaving
the Roosevelt was members of the
party. 80 Esaimos. 1i0 dogs and %
slodges. BY Feb. % such of the Cape
Colan denDt as was needed had bccn
brought up TO Cape Columbia. the
dogs were rested and double rationcd
and harncssed and the sledges and
other gear overhauled
Hewins Through Ice.
-Four months Of northerly winds dur.
ing the fall and winter instead Of
southerly ones, as during the previous
season. led me to expect less open wa
ter than before, and WAS prepared to
hew road through the Jagged ice for
the first hundred miles or so and then
cross the big lead
On the last day of February Bart
lett with his pioneer division. accom-.
( rishcd this and his division got away
due north over the ice on March I
The remainder of the party got away
on Rartlctt's trail, and | followed an
hour later.
The party now comprised members
Of the expedition. II Eskimos. 1873
dogs and 10 sledges. One Eskimo and
seven dogs had gone to pieces.
strong easterly wind. drifting
snow and temperature in the minus
marked our departure from the camp
at Cape Columbia, which had chris
tened Crane city Rough ice in the
first march damaged several sledyes
and smashed TWO beyond repair. the
teams going back to Columbia for other
sledgeS in reserve there.
We camped ten miles from Crane
City. The eastcrly wind and low TEN.
perature continued. In the second
march we passed the british record
made by Markham in May, 1876 - 20
and were stopped by open water,
which had been formed by the wind
after bartlett passed. In this march
we negotiated the lead and reached
Bartictt's third camp. Borup had gone
back from here, but missed his way.
owing to the faulting of the trail by
the movement If the ice
/ Marvin came back also for more fuel
aud alcohol The wind continued
forming open water all about us. At
the end Of the fourth march we came
upon Bartlett, who had been stopped
by wide lake Of open wafer. We re-
manned here from March / to March II
At noon of March ) the sun. red aud
shaped like a football by excess of
reflection. just raised itself above the
horizon for few minutes and then
disappeared again 1t was the first
time | had seen it since oct
! now began TO feel IA good deal of
anxiety because there were no signs
Of Marvin and Borup, who should
have been there for two days Besides,
they had the alcohol and oil, which
were Indispensable for us. We con
cluded that they had either lost the
trail or were imprisoned on an island
by open water, probably the latter.
Across Eighty fourth Parallel.
Fortunately, on March II the lead
was practicable. and. leaving note
for Marvin and Borup to push on after
US by forced marches. we proceeded
northward During this march we
crossed the eighty fourth parallel and
.raversed g succession Of JTst-fTozen
leads from few hundred yards TO
mile in width.
On the 18th we got free of the leads
and came on decent going While we
were making camp courier from
Marvin came and informed rae he was
on the march In the rear. Ihc ten.
perature was 80 below.
The following morning, March H.
sent Hansea with his division north
to pioneer trail for five marches. and
DR.. Goodsell, according to the program.
started back to Cape Columbia. At
night Marvin and Borup came spin.
ming In with their men and dogs steam
ing In the bitter air like squadron
Of battcships. Their arrival relieved
me of all anxiety as to our oil supply.
In the morning discovered that Nc
Millan's foot was badly frostbitten.
The mishap had occurred two or three
days before, but Mcmillan had said
nothing about 1t In the hope that it
would come out all right, glance at
the injury showed me that the only
thing WAS to send him back to Cape
Columbia at once. The arrival of Mar.
vim and Borup enabled me to spare
sufficient men and dogs to go back
with him.
This early loss Of Mcmillan was se-
riously disappointing to me- He had
sledgc all the way from Cape Colum.
bia, and with his enthusiasm and the
powers and physique Of the trained
athlete had confidence In him for at
least the eighty-sixth parallel, but
there was no alternative.
The best sledges and dogs were se-
lected and the sedge loads brought up
to the standard. Tho sounding gave
depth Of 325 fathoms. We were over
tho continental shelf, and, as I had
surmised, the successive leads crossed
in the fifth and sixth marches COM
posed the big lead and marked the
continental shelf.
On leaving this camp the expeditlo'