Mexico Missouri message., 1909-09-16
Top Of the World Reached by Won
derfuIIy Swift Rush Over the
Immense Fields of Ice.
Favorable Conditions Aid Bold American Ex-
plOrer in Realizing the Ambition of His Life
He Denies Cook Arrived at the Goal.

We steamed up TO the end OF II and It
appeared practicable at first to reach
Porter bay, near Cape Joseph Henly,
which had for my winter quarters, but
the outlook being unsatisfactory, l went
back and put the Roosevelt into the
only opening in the foe, being barred
close 20 the mouth OF the Sheridan riv-
er a little north Of our position three
years prior.
Put Up for Winter.
The season was further advanced than
In 1906. there was more snow on the
ground and the new ice inside the foe
bergs was much thicker.
The work Of discharging the ship was
commenced at once and rushed to COM
pletion. The supplies and equipment we
Bledged across ice and sea and deposited
on shore. A house and workshop we're
built OF board, covered with sails. and
fitted with stoves, and the ship was
snug for winter in shoal water, where II
touched bottom at low tide.
The settlement on the stormy shores OF
the Arctic ocean was chrlstened Hub
bardvile.
tember 10 and bear was brought in on
the 18th and some deer a day or two
later.
Prepare for sIedse Trip.
On September Is the Iull work OF trans
ferrng supplies to Cape Columbia was
inaugurated. Marvin with DR.. Good
sail and Borup and the Eskimos. took l6
sedge loads Of supplies to Cape Belknap
and on the 9th the same party started
with loads TO Porter bay.
The work Of hunting and transporting
supplies was prosecuted continuously by
the members of the party and the Eski-
mos until November 8, when the sup
plies for the spring sledge trip had been
removed from winter quarters and de-
M nj
Ian to Cape Columbia.
The latter part of September the move
ment of the ice subjected the ship TO
pressure which listed It to port some
eight or ten degrees, and It did not re-
cover till the following spring.
on October / / went on u hunt with two
Eskimos across the field and Pass bay
and the peninsula. made the circuit of
Clemants Markham inlet, and returned
to the ship in seven days with 10 musk
oxen, a bear and deer
Later in October l repeated the trip,
obtaining five musk oxen. and hunting
parties secured some 40 deer.
Supplies Moved to Base.
In the February moon Bartlett went to
Cape Hecla, Goodsall moved some more
supplies from Hecla TO Cape Colan. and
Borup went to Markham inlet on a hunt
ing trip. on February Is Bartlett left
the Roosevelt with his division for Cape
Columbia and Parr bay.
Goodsall, Borup, Macmillan and Han
sen followed on successive days with
their provisions. Marvin returned from
Cape Bryant on February II and left for
Cape Columbia on February 81. brought
up the rear on, February %.
The total of all divisions leaving the
Roosevelt was seven members of the
party, 50 Eskimos $40 dogs and % sledges.
Make Ready for Dash.
By February q such OF the Cape Colan
depot as was needed had been brought
up to Cape Columbia, the dogs were
rested and double ratoned and harnessed,
and the sledges and other gear over
hauled.
Four months of northerly winds during
| the fall and winter instead OF souther-
| ly ones, as during the previous season,
| led me to expect less open water than
/ before. but a great deal of rough ice, and
/ was prepared to hew road through
| the Jagged ice for the first hundred miles
| or so, then cross the big lead
Bartlett Leads the Way.
On tho last day of February Bartlett
| with his pioneer division, accomplished
this, and his division got away due
! north over the Ice on March l. The rest
/ of the party got away on Bartlett's
trail, and l followed an hour later.
The party now comprised seven mem
| bers OF the expedition, II Eskimos, 1873
| dogs and 10 sledges. One Eskimo and
seven dogs had gone to pieces.
A strong easterly wind, drifting
snow, and temperature in the minus
marked our departure from the camp at
| Cape Columbia, which l had christened
| Crane City. Rough ice in the first march
damaged several sledges and smashed
| two beyond repair, the teams going back
to Columbia for other sledges in reserve
there.
Pass British Record.
CANNED fan D1ileg from Ora ma TIf,y
The easterly wind and low temperature
| continued. In the second march we
passed the British record made by Mark
| ham in May, lS76-S2. 20-and were stopped
by open water, which had been formed
| by wind after Bartlett passed.
In this march We negotiated the lead
and reached BaTtlett's third camp. Borup
had gone back from here, but missed his
way, owing TO the faulting OF the trail
by the movement OF the ice.
Marvin came back also for more fuel
and alcohol The wind continued form
ing open water all about us. At the end
OF the fourth march We came upon
Bartlett, who had been stopped by a
wide lake of open water. We remained
here from March 4 to March H.
Gets Glimpse Of Sun.
At noon OF March the sun, red and
shaped like a football by exGessed re-
Election, Just raised Itself above the horl-
ION for a few minutes and then disap-
peared again. II was the FIRST time / hae
seen II since October /.
l now began 10 feel a good deal OF
anxiety because there were no signl
OF Marvin and Borup, who should have
been there for two days. Besides, they
had the alcohol and oil, which were in
dispensable for US.
We concluded that they had either los
the trail or were imprisoned on an is
land by open water, probably the latter
Fortunately. on March IL the lead wa
| practicable and, leaving a note for Mar
vim and Borup TO push on after us b,
forced marches, We proceeded northward
The sounding of the lead gave IL
| fathoms.
During this march We crossed tn
eighty-fourth parallel and traVersed ,
succession Of just frozen leads from
few hundred yards to a mile In width
This march was really simple
on the fourteenth We got free OF tn
leads and came on decent going. Will
We we're making camp a courier frou
! Marvin came aad informed me he wa