Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-09-17

atisesllansuus 8eaaing.
PEARYs WORK IN THE ARCTIC.
He Has Done Much Besides Hunting
For the Pole.

He Has Done Much Besides Hunting
For the Pole.
Peary did not begin to attract public
attention until about 1888, two years
after his first visit to Greenland, when
he made a modest sledge journey on
the inland ice Of the southern part Of
the island. The first thing that drew
a little notice to him was lecture
/ he delivered before the department Of
geography of the Brooklyn institute.
| This geographical society had been
recently organized and its president
was casting about for an entertaining
lecturer when he happened to think
that d man in the government service
named Peary had gone up to Green
land and travelled some distance on
the inland ice. He knew nothing of
Peary's capacity as lecturer, but he
thought the topic was little unusual
and that a description of the journey
might help to give the young society
beneficial impulse. Peary gladly
consented to come, and the presiden,
hit upon the following expedient to at
tract little notice to the society.
He asked Peary to write out an alb
stract Of his lecture. Peary supplied 1t.
If printed in full 1t would make
newspaper column. Eight or ten copies
were distributed, and 1t was printed on
the day after the lecture in two or
three of the New York and Brooklyn
newspapers. AS Peary wrote 1t HIM
self it was naturally an able and ac-
curate summary Of his Greenland jour-
ney.
The report happened to fall under
the eye Of an official Of the Philadel-
phia Academy of Sciences and Peary
was invited to lecture before that
body. The man and his talk kindled
interest in himself and his plans. The
Philadelphia society did great deal
to make Peary known, and when he
started on his first expedition, the to-
tai cost Of which was $4,000, half OF
that sum was supplied by his new
friends in the Quaker city. The re-
suits Of this expedition included 1900
miles Of sledge routes on the inland
country was the largest island in the
world. This journey made Peary IA
nous, and he was thereafter his own
best advertiser.
A ho haan COLL In fhp
last week or two about this and that
explorer who champions Cook or pins
his faith to Peary, as the person best
entitled to be called the discoverer of
the north pole. There are wheels
within wheels, and 1t Is not always
possible to know the exact mental at
titude which inclines a man to express
this or that view. Capt. Sverdrup, the
explorer who revealed considerable
number of large islands in the Parry
Archipelago, has been in the last few
days one Of the most earnest suppor-
ters Of Cooks claims. Perhaps the
following facts had no influence In
augmenting Sverdrup's enthusiasm for
Cook, but it is certain that at one time
the feeling between the Norwegian ex-
plorer and Peary was not friendly.
Sverdrup sailed north on Nansen's
famous ship the Fran in 1899 with a
deliberate intention Of trying to carry
out himself nearly every feature Of a
programme of research which Peary
had outlined in paper he read before
the American Geographical society as
the work that would engage him on
his next expedition. Sverdrup adopt
ed Peary's plans, including the north
pole as his chief aim. 1t seems re-
markable that, with vast unknown
areas before him, his friends should
approve Of his attempt to occupy the
field where Peary had for years labor
ed alone and that he should borrow
from the American explorer every idea
which he planned to carry out.
Peary was naturally indignant and
wrote a letter Of protest before he or
Sverdrup left home, against the pro-
posed occupancy Of his field by the
Norwegian. Sverdrup, however, push
ed right into Peary's domain, and the
only thing that defeated his purpose
to attempt to race to the pole against
Peary was that he did not succeed in
getting his vessel up north through the
Smith Sound channels. He stuck in
the ice and was a prisoner for many
months, while Peary went triumphant
ly on his way. Sverdrup was very
much disguised at his bad luck and so
he turned south and west among the
Parry islands where he made some
splendid discoveries.
1t should be said for PefIry that when
these Norwegians appeared on the
scene he was careful not tc show them
any resentment, though far and wide
their intention to undertake the same
work in the same field was regarded
as an act Of discourtesy almost un-
paralleled in exploration. Even the
supply ships that visited Peary from
year to year were offered to carry to
the Fran anything that the friends of
the Norwegian explorers desired to
send to them.
OF course, everybody knows that DR..
Cook is accused of similar discourtesy.
He deliberately and secretly prepared
to enter Pearys field for the distinct
purpose of carrying out the same
work, the discovery of the north pole,
toward which Peary had been striving
for many years. Cook did this when
he knew that the failure Of contrac-
tor to complete the work he had agreed
to do in refitting the Roosevelt within
the contract time, would compel Peary
to defer his voyage north for a year.
If it had not been for the delay thus
occasioned Peary would have been 400
miles north of Cooks camp at the time
Cook started on his march to the
north pole Being so much nearer the
pole he would have had far less work
to do than fell to the lot Of Cook on
his northern journey.
Every explorer preceding Peary inl
Greenland waters took a very unfa-
l. l. IL 90 rncciht1itu