Rocky Ford enterprise., 1909-09-17
Top of the World Reached by Won
derfully Swift Rush Over the
J Immense Fields of Ice.
Favorable Conditions Aid Bold American Ex-
plorer in Realizing the Ambition of His Life
He Denies Cook Arrived at the Goal


We steamed up to the end of It and 1t
appeared practicable at first to reach
Porter bay. near Cape Joseph Henly.
which had for my winter quarters. but
the outlook being unsatisfactory. 1 went
back and put the Roosevelt into the
only opening in the foe, being barred
close to the mouth Of the Sheridan riv-
er a little north OF our position three
years prior.
Put Up for Winter.
The season was further advanced than
In 1906: there was more snow on the
ground and the new Ice inside the foe
bergs was much thicker.
The work of discharging the ship was
commenced at once and rushed to COM
pletion- The supplies and equipment we
sledged across ice and sea and deposited
on shore. A house and workshop were
built of board. covered with sails. and
fitted with stoves. and the ship was
snug for winter in shoai water. where Il
touched bottom at low tide.
The settlement on the stormy shores of
the Arctic ocean was christened Hub
bardvilie.
Hunting parties were sent out on Sep
tember 10 and n bear was brought In on
the 18th and some deer q day or two
later.
Prepare for siedse Trip.
On September Is the ruil work Of trans
ferring supplies to Cape Columbia was
inauEurated. Marvin with DR.. Good
sail and Borup and the Eskimos. took ls
sIedge loads of supplies to Cape BeIknap
and on the 9th the same party started
wi.h loads to Porter bay.
The work of hunting and Transporting
supplies was prosecuted continuously by
the members of the party and the Eski-
mos until November 5. when the sup
plies for the spring sledge trip had been
removed from winter quarters and de-
posted at various places from Cape CO.
Ian to Cape Columbia
The latter part of September the move
ment of the leo subjected the ship to n
pressure which listed 1t to port some
eight or ten degrees. and II did not re-
cover till the following spring.
On October went on hunt with two
Eskimos across the field and Pass bay
and the peninsula. made the circuit of
Ciemants Markham inlet. and returned
to the ship in seven days with IL musk
oxen. n bear and n deer.
Later in October l repeated tho trip.
obtaining five musk oxen. and hunting
parties secured some 70 deer.
Supplies Moved to Base.
In the February moon Bartlett went to
Cape Hecia. Goodsali moved some more
supplies from Hecln to Cape Coian. and
Borup went to Markham inlet on n hunt
Ing trip. On February Is Bartlett left
the Roosevelt with his division for Cape
Columbia and Parr bay.
Goodsail. Borup. Macmillan and Han
sen followed on successive days with
their provisions Marvin returned from
Cape Bryant on February II and left for
Cape Columbia on February q I brought
up the rear on February =
The total Of all divisions leaving the
Roosevelt was seven members Of the
party. 80 Eskimos. 40 dogs and = sledges.
Make Ready for Dash.
BY February q such of the Cape colan
depot as was needed had been brought
up to Cape Columbia the dogs were
rested and double rationcd and harnessed.
and the sicdges and other gear over
hauled.
the fall and winter instead of souther-
ly ones. as during the previous season.
led me to expect less open water than
before. but n great deal Of rough ice. and
l was prepared to hew a road through
the Jagged ice for the first hundred miles
no. then cross the big lead.
Bartlett Leads the Way.
On the last day of February Bartlett.
with his pioneer division. accomplished
this. and his division got away due
north over the Ice on March l. The rest
of the party got away on Bartlett's
trail. and I followed an hour later.
The party now comprised seven MEM
bers Of the expedition. Il Eskimos. III
dogs and . siedEes- One Eskimo and
seven dogs had gone to pieces.
strong easteriy wind. drifting
snow. and temperature In the minus
marked our departure from the camp at
Cape Columbia. which I had christeped
Crane City. Rough Ice In the nrst march
damaged several sledger and smashed
two beyond repair. the teams going back
to Columbia for other siedges In reserve
there.
Pass British Record.
We camped ten miles from Crane City
The easterly wind and low temperature
continued. In the second march We
passed the British record made by Mark
ham in May. ls7s-s2.,u-and were stopped
by open water. which had been formed
by wind after Bartlett passed.
In this march we negotiated the lead
and reached Bartietts 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. form
of the fourth march we came upon
Bartlett. who had been stopped by a
wide lake of open water. We remained
here from March to March II.
Gets Glimpse Of Sun.
At noon of March the sun. red and
shaped like a football by excesscd re-
nectIon. Just raised itself above the hori-
zon for a few minutes and then disap-
pcared again. 1t was the first time l had
seen It since October 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 in
dispensable for US.
We concluded that they had either lost
the trail or were imprisoned on an is
land by open water. probably the latter.
Fortunately. on March II the lead was
practicable and, leaving a note for Mar
win and Borup to push on after US by
forced marches. we proceeded northward
The sounding of the lead gave Io
fathoms.
During this march we crossed the
hty-fourth parallel and traverscd n
succession OF just frozen leads. from a
few hundred yards to a mile In width.
This march was really simple
on the fourteenth We got free of the
leads and came on decent going. While
we were making camp courier from
Marvin came and Informed me he was