Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1909-09-17
PEARY'S TRIP
TO THE POLE
Summary as Outlined by the
Intrepid Explorer HimSeIf.
REACHED GOAL ON APRIL 6
Could Hardly Bring Himself to
Realize Fulfllment of Twenty
Years Dream-All Seemed Simple
and Commonplace-left the Roose-
Welt on Feb. IS and Returned to
Steamer on Aprii Pr


Welt on Feb. IS and Returned to
Steamer on April IT
Copyright, 1909, by The New York
Times Company
Battle Harbor, Labrador, Via Wire
less, Cape Ray, Sept. 12.-Following
is a of the North Polar ex-
pediion of the Peary Arctic club, as
furnished by Commander Peary:
The steamer Roosevelt left New
York on July 6, 1908; left Sydney on
July II; arrived at Cape York, Green
land, Aug. l; left Etah, Greenland, 4
Aug. 8; arrived Cape Sheridan, at
Grantland, Sept. l; wintered at Cape
Sheridan.
The sledge expedition left the
Roosevelt Feb. IS, 1909, and started
for the north. Arrived at Cape Co.
lumbia March /; passed British rec
ord March 3; delayed by open water
March ? anad 8; help up by open
water March 4 and IL; crossed the
S4th parallel March Il; encountered
open lead March IS; crossed S5th
parallel March IS; crossed seth paral-
lei March %; encountered open lead
March %; passed Norwegian record
March %; passed Italian record March
"a; encountered open lead March 26;
crossed S7th parallel March 81;
passed American record March 2S;
encountered open lead March %; held
up by open water March 90; crossed
SSth parallel April 2; crossed S9th
parallel April 4; North Pole April s.
All returning, left North Pole April
z; reached Cape Columbia April %,
arriving on board Roosevelt April 27.
The Roosevelt left Cape Sheridan
July IS, passed Cape Sabine Aug. 8;
left Cape York Aug. 20; arrived at
indian Harbor, will all members of
expedition returning in good health
except Professor Ross G.. Marvin, un-
fortunately drowned April 10, when
As miles north of Cape Columbia, re-
turning from Sc degrees North Lati-
tude in command of the supporting
party.
The Pole at Last!
Commander Peary. who had his
negro servant. Matt Henson, and one
Eskimo with him when he reached the
Pole. quotes this from his journal:
The Pole at last! The prize Of
three centuries. my dream and goal
for twenty years, mine at last. l
cannot bring myself to realize it.
1T all seems so simple and common
place. AS Bartlett said when turn
ing back, when speaking of his being
in the exclusive regions which no
mortal had we penetrated before:
1T is Just like every day."
OF course. | had many sensations
that made sleep impossible for hours.
despite my utter fatigue-the sensa-
lions of a lifetime; but | have no
room for them here.
The first thirty hours at the Pole
were spent in taking observations; in
going some ten miles beyond our
camp and some eight miles to the
right of it; in taking photographs,
planting my flags, depositing my
records, studying the horizon with my
telescope for possible land, and
searching for a practicable place to
make a sounding.
Ten hours after our arrival the
clouds cleared before a light breeze
from u left, and from that time I'M
til our departure in the afternoon of
April Z the weather was cloudless and
fiawless. The minimum temperature
during the thirty hours was 80 below
The maximum II.
We had reached the goal. but the
return was still before us. 1t was
essential that we reach the lane be-
fore the next spring tide, and we must
strain every nerve to do this.
| had a brief talk with my men.
From now on it was to be a big travel,
little sleep and a hustle every minute
We would try, | old them, to double
march on the return-that is, that is
TO start and cover one of our north
ward marches, make tea and eat our
lunch in the igloos. Their cover an
other march, eat and sleep a few
hours, and repeat this daily.
AS a matter of fact we nearly did
this, covering regularly on our home
ward journey five outward marches.
Just as long as we COULD hold the
trail we could double our speed, and |
we need waste no time in building
new igloos.
On April % our sledges passed I'D
the vertical edge of the glacier fringe
IA little west of Cape Columbia. When
the last sledge came up | thought
my Eskimos had gone crazy. They
yelled and called and danced them
selves helpless. AS Ootah sat down
on his sledge he remarked in Eskimo:
The devil is asleep or having trou-
BILE wit h his wife, or we never should
have come back so easily"
In conclusion Peary praises the
courage and skill of his companion I
a~ynlOrars Rartlatt ROrun Maryin |