Oxford Democrat., 1909-09-21
.PEARYS CONQUEST Of TIE FAR NORTH
A Story That Is as Fas'
cinating as if Taken From
the "Arabian Nights" ~


cross the big lead.
On the latst day Of February Bart
lett, with his pioneer division, accom-
plished this. and his division got away
due north over the ice on March !.
The remainder of the party got away
Oh Bartlett's trail, and l followed an
hour later
The party now comprised Z members
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 | had chris
tened 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.
We camped ten miles from Crane
City. The easterly wind and low tenn
perature continued. In the second
march we passed the British record
made by Markham in May, 1S16-S2.20
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
Bartletts 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
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 water. We re-
mained here from March to March IL.
At noon of March > the sun, red and
SHAPED like 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 ii since Oct. l.
now began TO feel a 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 IL the lead
was practicable. and. leaving a 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
traversed succession Of just-froZen
leads from few hundred yards 10 a
mile in width.
On the l4th we got free Of the leads
and came Oh decent going. While we
were making camp Il courier from
Marvin came and informed me he was
on the march In the rear. The tenn
perature was - below.
The following morning. March IA. !
sent Hansen with his division north
To pioneer trail for five marches. and
DR.. GoodSell. according TO the program,
started back 10 Cape Columbia. AT
night Marvin and Borup came spin
ming in with their men and dogs steam
ing in the bitter air like a squadron
of battleShipS. Their arrival relieved
me of all anxiety as 10 our oil supply
In the morning discovered that Me
Millan's foot was badly frostbitten.
The mishap had occurred two or three
davs before. bur Mcmillan had said
nothing about IL in the hope that IL
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 10 90 back
with him.
This early loss Of Mcmillan was se'
riously disappointing To me. He had
a sledge all the way from Cape Colum.
bla. and with his enthusiasm and the
powers and physique OF the trained
athlete | had confidence In him for AT
least the eighty-siXth parallel. bnt
there WAS no alternative.
The best sledges and dogs were Sc
lected and the sledge loads brought UP
to the standard. The sounding gave
depth OF 325 fathoms. We were over
the continental shelf. and, as | had
surmised, the successive leads crossed
I'm the fifth and sixth marches COM
posed the big lead and marked the
continental shelf.
On leaving this camp the expedition
comprised Is men, II sledges and lOo
dogs. The next march was satisfac-
tory as regards distance and character
Of going. In the latter part there
were pronounced movements IN the
Ice. both visible and audible. Some
leads were crossed, in one Of which
Borup and his team took a bath, ana
We were finally stopped by an imprac-
ticable lead opening in front OF us.
We camped in a temperature OF ~
below. At the end Of two short
marches we came upon Hansen and
his party In camp, mending their
sledges. We devoted the remainder OF
the day to overhauling and mendinG
sledges and breaking up our damaged
ones for material.
The next morning ! put Marvin In
the lead to pioneer the trail. with IN
structions to make two forced marches
to bring up our average. which had
been cut down by the last two short
ones. Marvin carried out his In
structions implicitly. a considerable
amount Of young ice assisted In this.
At the end Of the tenth march, lati-
tude S5.23. Borup turned back In COM
mand Of the second supporting party.
having Travelled distance equivalent
| TO Nansen's distance from this far 10
his farthest north.
From this point the expedition com
prised 13 men. 10 sledges and 40 dogs.
1t was necessary for Marvin to take
sledge from here, and | put Bartlett
and his division in advance to pioneer
the trail.
The continual daylight enabled me to
make a moderation here that brought
my advance and main parties closer to-
gether and reduced the likelihood OF
their being separated by open leads.
After Bartlett left camp with Hen
derson and their division Marvin and
| remained with our divisions twenty
hours longer and then followed. When