The Monte Vista journal. (Monte Vista, Rio Grande County, Colo.) 1888-1921, 1909-09-18

IaIleu asleep ! wa reused out by a
movement Of the ice, and found
startling condition Of affairs-a ran.
idly widening road of black water ran
but few feet from our igloos, One of
my teams Of Gogs had escaped by only
few feet from being dragged by the
movement Of the ices into the water.
Another team had an equally mar.
row escape from being crushed by the
Ice blocks piled over them. The ice on
the north side Of the lead was moyin.
around eastward. The small floor on
which were the captains igloos were
drifting eastward IN the open water.
and the side Of our igloos threatened
to follow suit. Kicking out the door
Of the igloos called to the captains
men to pack their sledges and be
ready for a quick dash when a favor.
able chance arrived.
We hurried our things on our
sledges, hitched the dogs and moved
on to large foe west Of us. Then.
leaving one man to look out for the
dogs and sledges. We hurried over to
assist the captains party to join us. A
corner Of their raft impinged on the
Ice on our side. For the rest of the
night and during the next day the ice
suffered the tormeuts of the damned.
surging together. opening out, groan.
ing and grinding, while the open wa.
ter belched back smoke like a prairie
fire. Then the motion ceased, the
open water closed. the atmosphere to
the north cleared. and we rushed
across before the ice should omen
again.
Bartlett Hates to Turn Back to Ship.
A succession Of laterally open leads
were crossed, and after them some
heavy old ice. and then we came to a
layer OF young ice. some OF which
buckled under our sledges, and this
gave us straight way of six miles to
the north. Then came more heavy old
iloes covered with hard snow. This
was a good long march. The next
march was also long one. 1t was
Bartlett's last lap. He let himself out
over series Of large old floes, stead.
lily increasing In diameter, and GOV.
cred with hard snow.
with the disappearance OF Bartlett
! turned to the problem before me.
This was that for which had
worked for thirty-two years; for
which had lived the simple life; for
on the upward trip; for which | had
trained myself As for n race; crush
ing down every worry about success"
Peary then goes into details OF how
he picked his dogs-powerful males
good sledges and ample provisions.
On and on he pressed into the frozen
zone. sleeping but little. When he
reached the S9th parallel the Ice foes
were grinding beneath his ieet but no
motion was visible. Peary thinks the
Ice was settling back into equilibrium
and probably sagging nortnward.
The thermometer was 40 below
zero.
"The going was even better and
there was scarcely any snow on the
hard. granular. last summers sur
face on the old floes. dotted WITH the
sapphire Ice Of the previous summers
lakes" says Peary.
"a rise In temperature to 10 below
reduced the friction OF the sledges.
and gave the dogs the appearance OF
having caught the spirit Of the
party. The more sprightly ones. as
they went along with lightly curled
tails. frequently tossed their heads
with short, sharp banks and yelps.
In twelve hours We made forty
miles. There was no sign OF lead
In the march. had nov made my
five marches. and was in time for
hasty noon observation through
temporary break in the clouds. which
indicated our position as 80 degrees
81 minutes. quote an entity from my
journal some hours later:
1.-The pole ut last! The prize OF
three centuries. my dream and goal
for twenty years!
"'Hine at last, At last!
~ cannot bring myself to realize
II!
at all seems 10 simple and com.
monpince. AS Bartlett raid when
turning bnck. when speaking OF his be.
ing In these exclusive regions. which
no mortal has ever penetrated before.
"'"It In Just like every iay!""
"Of course. | had my sensations that
made sleep impossible for hours. dc.
spite my utter fatiguc-the scnsa.
lions Of lifetime: but I Ind NO room
for them here.
dig Travel. Little Sleep.
"The first thirty hours at tho polo
were spent In taking observations. in
going some ten miles beyond our
camp and some eight miles to the
right Of Il: In taking photographs. In
planting my ilags. depositinE my rec
ords. studying tho horizon with my
telescope for possible land and search.
ing for . practicable place to make .
sounding.
"rcn hours after our arrived the
clouds cleared before Q light breeze
from our left. and from that time un.
Ill our departure In the afternoon OF
A..tt TN ,ho wenfhnP ~na rio,adlosa