Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-06-24

not for any hope of reward or honor,
but because the thing he has set HIM
self to do is a part of his being, and
must be accomplished for the sake of
the accomplishment. And he counts
lightly hardships. risks, obstacles, if
only they do not bar him from his
goal. To me the final and complete
solution of the Polar mystery which
has engaged the best thought and in
terest of some of the best men of the
most vigorous and enlightened ma
tons of the world for more than three
centuries, and today Quickens the
pulse OF every man and woman whose,
veins hold red blood, is the thing
which should be done for the honor
and credit of this country, the thing
which it is intended that l should do.
the thing that / must do Here we
have energy, determination, purpose,
patriotism, some of the essentials OF
a great leader; and such we, who had
the honor of serving under him like
to think of him, and as such we know
he is.
Before we had set foot on the deck
of the Roosevelt we had seen HIM
strapped to a plank, with a broken
leg, on the shores of Mccormick Bay.
His ship south; he will not go home,
he will do what he came 10 do. At the
first peep of dawn we saw him on that
long twelve hundred mile march
across the ice cap Of Greenland where
he plants the America flag at Navy
Cliff. Here was grip. With food
nearly gone and dogs dying he looks
out across that great white eXpanse
of glitterng snow. and up into the
clear heavens, and eXclaims, Man
was not born to die beneath such a
sky Here vas belief in self, hope,
OPTIMISM. His EsquimauX dying one
by one during that long dark winter
night at Prayer 11arbor, we saw him
minstering to their last wants COM
forling the childless, comforting the
fatherless. by hard work and ever
faithful watchful care, snatching this
one from death, working until the
tired body could work no longer
Here was kindness. devotion. loyalty,
love for brown skinned children of
the north from their great Maize
garE -Snah.'
as we steamed up East River. on
that sixth of July this we knew and
more we We're to learn. Were we
proud to- serve under such d man:
Commander Peary was a leader not al
commander. 1t was not, L plan. II
equip. 4 perfect, you my subordinates,
do, as some great victories have been
won, but. Where my men TO. what
my men do. and if my men suffer. III
suffer And | hope it was with the
thought, Whatever | do my men will
10, ard wherever l go my men will
GO TITS man who has been called
the martinez, this man who has been
called harsh toward his men never
used an unkind word to single man
of his expedition during the whole
fourteen months. This man who has
been called tyrant by mis- enimies. at
bitter temperatures with bare hands
repaired onr sledges, untangled our
dog harnesses, waited for us at diff
cult places on the trail. sent back
men with encouraging notes, ever onl
the watch for our safety. This mani
who has been called cruel remarks tol
one of his men shot through and COW
cred with blood, Il would rather that
thing had happened to me than to
you
Let his enimies say what they
Will we know what he was. All along
the line. at the front, at the rear,
pushing, pulling, encouraging. cheer
ing. kind word here, bit of advice
there. an eye to everything, master of
the situation, dashing across thin ice,
crossing leads of open water, mount
ing high pressure ridges, he ad
Yanced that little army with the best
equipment the world has ever seen
toward that northern point the goal
of his ambition. The off shore might |
come, miles of open water might form
between us and home, the ice of the !
Polar sea might he smashed into bits |
and go drifting to all points of the |
compass, still our faith in him would |
be unshakcn |
'Such was the man we saw his |
appear through the crushed up rubble !
ice of the Arctic pack, as one by one,
we turned our faces back toward the |
shore. Our time was up our work |
was through. not now a help but a |
When we heard the words. |
You go back tomorrow let ME say
right here that every man did so |
willingly. knowing that he was work
ing for the interests and success OFT
the expedition by so doing. We asl
assistants did not go north to go to!
the Pole, we went north to placet
Commander Peary there. 1t was al
of his fight of twenty
three years against that great Demon
of the North. TO batter down the
white walls which guard.d his secret, |