The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-09-10

lowed In the wake of the Others in their
thrilling dash for the great pole With
hfty-nine Eskimos, 40 dogs. and TWEEN
ty-three siedges. it was an impressive
caravan
Encounter Rough Ice.
AS I would expect. some rough ice
was found near shore, but this could
not have amounted to very much be-
cause Bartlett. I'm the lead, succeeded ir,
cutting a trail across this ice in one
day.
I understand that the start was due
north over the fee 20 the Pole. Peary
seems to have had difficulty with his
Eskimos. Starting with fifty-nine. ne
Columbia.
The usual minor disasters befeI the
party, such as rough going around the
lst Of March. the smashing Of several
bite, which IS real disaster, and the
drowning Of Prof. Marvin. The party
we're also bothered at times by open
water.
Early IN March the party saw the sun
for the first time, showing its red face.
distorted by refraction, above the glls-
tening polar fields. OF course. q was
the first time the suns face had been
visible since October l Of the previous
year. When Pearv crossed the eighty
fourth parallel his sledge party com
prised only sixteen men. q dozen OF
whom were Eskiulos. and he had an
even dozen of sledges and 100 dogs. he
had difficulty with leads and nearly
lost his good man Borup when he and
his dogs fell into the open water and
might have dorwued. Just how pleas
ant this experience would be Is indi-
Gated by the fact that the temperature
was around fifty degrees below zero.
Re-enforce Commander.
As early as March 10. Peary had at
tanned the latitude So Here the
commander was REINFORCED and Bart
lett was IN command Of the advance
party. AS usual the expedition was
broken up into several parties, and
when Peary's party touche5d Bartlett's
encamped party, for instance. Bartlett
and PeaTy's party would turn in for a
rest. BY this method the advance party
was advancing while the main party
was asleep. or vice versa. Also IN this
way, Peary kept in touch with his ad-
vance party every day.
Peary describes his leave-taking OF
poor Marvin and certainly HIS last wgrds
TO that gallant young professor were
pathetic: BE careful Of the leads. my
boy"
II Is clear that Peary was fortunate,
for he frequently speaks OF the unbroken
eXpanse Of comparatively smooth ice In
good time. This was not. invariable, for
noCe he struck a harassing open lead,
neCesSftattng a heavy detOuT over a
mass Of dangerous ice and heavy snow.
on another occasion the party nearly
escaped death by being crushed with ice
blocks or from drowning I'm suddenly
opening leads. Such ara the tragic and
desperate experiences In which men en-
gage in that strange country.
Makes Great Record.
We learn Of Peary's arrival az 81 de-
Rrees IS minutes. a new record, beating
Peary's farthest north by a number OF
miles. We also learn that Bartlett was
q real hero and IS worthy OF great
honor. But Eartlett. despite his mag
ulhcent work. was not TO see the Pole.
and II seems that Peary was 10 go alone.
save for the presence of Matt Hansen.
the negro. and a few Eskimos. Pearv
final discovery Of the Pole.
That ne should have accomplished 80
much IN so short a time Will astonish
the civilized world II is true that no
Of latitude against the heavy odds of
many open leads and much bad going
but stu II Is certainty that he was
wonderfully favored by the elements
That he was able 20 keep In contact
with his advance party so well would
seem 10 indicate that the fee was not
often in motion I'm spite OF open leads.
and the fact thai he made such good
speed would emphasize the fact that
very often ne had splendid ice TO travel
over. In fact, he must have had good
going the better part Of the time
That around the eighty-sixis paraIlel
Of latitude. Pcary found Bartlett and
his party discouraged after having trav-
eled through some bad ice means that
they were merely tagged out and tenn
pOrarily discouraged and had heen
spoiled by the good going on the pre-
Nlous marches. So the wonderful sue
cess Of reaching the pole was made
possible by smoothness of ice fields
hitherto unknown or unprecedented.
Peary's management Of the sledre
Column, with his supporting parties. fol-
or AbruZZi on his recOrd-breakiny trim
from Franz JOSEF Land. though Pearv
had the advantage Of larger number
OF men and dogs.