Morris tribune., 1909-09-18
Explorer Reached North Pole
With Only One Eskimo
as Companion
FAST TIME ON WAY BACK
Left Earth's Extremity April 7 and
Reached the Roosevelt in
Twenty Days.

Battle Harbor, Labrador, Sept. fS.---
The following details of Commander
Peary's journey to the North pole
have been cleaned from members OF
the expedition on board the steamer
Roosevelt:
The only men to reach the pole
were Commander Peary and one Es-
kimo, Eging Wah. The other white
members of the various parties that
left Cape Columbia were sent back
one by one as Peary drew nearer daily
to his objective Matthew Henson
and three Eskimos, the only other
members of the reduced party that
made the final dash, were left one
march south of the pole.
Captain Bartlett and George Borup
started Feb. ~ from Cape Columbia
with a number of Eskimos and dogs
on the march across the ice, heading
north. On March 1 Commander Peary
left Cape Columbia with his party,
consisting of seven white men, seven
teen Eskimos and 1876 dogs. On March
Peary came up with Bartlett, who
had pitched his camp at the side of a
lead Of water which it was impossible
to cross.
No Progress for Seven Days.
The combined parties had to wait
until March II, seven days, before
further progress was possible. The
sun was seen for the first time March
and an observation showed that the
S4th parallel. The supply Of alcohol
was running short and Borup returned
to Cape Columbia for fresh stock.
March Il Borup overlook Peary again
and brought supply of oil and alco-'
hol The division under Professor
Ross 9. Marvin joined Peary the same
day At this point Professor Ronald
B. Mcmillan was sent back, his feet
having been badly frozen. Borup re-
turned to land from 1928 with two
Eskimos.
The party now consisted of twelve
men, ten s1edges and eighty-five dogs.
Bartlett was still beating out the trail
two days ahead Of Peary. Marvin
took observations at S5.4S and then
started on his return march. On his
next trip Bartlett made record, COW
ering twenty miles. This brought him
to 1888.
Bartlett Leaves on Return Trip.
The party now consisted of Peary,
Bartlett, Matthew Henson, the col
ored man who has been Peary's per-
sonal assistant on SO many of his ex-
petitions; the Eskimos, seven sledges
and sixty dogs and the journey north
ward was resumed. The ice was per-
fectly level as far as the eye could
see Bartlett took che observation on
the 88th parallel ON April 2 and then
reluctantly returned, leaving Peary,
Henson and four Eskimos, with pro-
visions for forty days, to make the
final dash to the pole.
This reduced party started the
morning of April 3. The men walked
that day for ten hours and made
twenty miles. They then slept near
the seth parallel. While crossing a
stretch of young Ice 800 yards wide
the sledge broke through. 1t was
saved, but two of the Eskimos had
narrow escapes from drowning.
The ice was still good and the dogs
were in great shape. They made as
much as twenty-five miles day.
Reached the Pole on April 6.
The pole was reached April and
a series of observations were taken
at 80.
Peary deposited his figures and
hoisted the American flag. The tenn
perature was 80 degrees below zero,
Fahrenheit. The pole appeared as
frozen sea- Peary tried to take a
sounding, but got no bottom at LOO
fathoms.
Peary stayed at the pole for thirty.
four hours and then started on his
return journey the afternoon of April
Z.
On the return the marches were
continuous and Peary and the Eski-
mos suffered greatly from fatigue.
They had their first sleep at the end
of the eighth march from the pole, in
the igloos left by Bartlett. Here there
was violent snow storm.
On April % the party reached the
vertical edge of the land ice, west of
Cape Columbia. The Eskimos were
delighted. to reach land and the party
slept for two days. They repaired
their sledges, rested their dogs and,
resuming the journey, reached the
Roosevelt April 81.
Resume Work at Old Wages.
Saco. Me-. Sept. 13-After an idle