Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1910-07-08
THE ARCTIC PERIL
Pcary's Method of Battling With
Polar Conditions.
THE USE OF RELAY PARTIES.
Without This System, the Explorer
Says, II Would &c Physicist I'm
possibility For Any Man to Reach the
Polo and Return to Tell the Tale.

Says, II Would Gs Physicist I'm
possibility For Any Man to Reach the
Pole and Return to Tell the Tale.
Many persons who have asked why.
il Pcary got TO the pole. IL was impOs-
sible for Cook TO do so will find an
answer i'm Commander Peary's own
story in HamptOn's. Although he docs
not mention Dr. Cook 10y name. Peary
shows how impossible 10 would he for
man without his equipment and sys-
tenn Ia Surmount the difficulties of
such Il journey. lie says:
''Forttudc ana endurance alone are
not enough in themselves To carry Il
man tc the north pole. Only with
years of experience in travelling those
regions. only with the aid of large
party also experienced i'm that charac-
ter of work. only with the knowledge
of arctic detail >and the equipment
necessary to prepare himself and his
party for ANY and every emergency.
Is IL possible for Il man to reach that
long sought goal ana return.
I'm order that the reader may un-
dcrStand this journey over the ice Of
aaAN pVibi Stst AZ - ntNNSSdIN luII lUc
theory and practice of pioneer and
supporting parties should bc fully un-
dcrstood
The use of relay parties i'm ;Trctic
work is not new. but the idea was
carried further in the last expedition
of the Pcary Arctic club than ever
before.
without this system il would he Il
physical impossihrI,y for any man TO
reach the north pole and return to tell
the tale.
First Because Il single division.
comprising either small or large
number of men and dogs. could not
possibly drag ali the way to the pole
and back tsome 800 miles, as much
food and liquid fuel as the men and
dogs of that division would consume
during the many weeks of the journey.
'Second.-lt is absolutely necessary
that the arduouS work of trail break.
ing for the first two thirds of the dis
lance should be done by one division
after another in succession I'm order
TO save the strength of the main party
for its final dash alone.
Third When the supplies of one
sledge after another have been con-
sumed the drivers of these slcdScs and
tho dogs are supcrfluouS mouths which
cannot be fed from the scanty supply
of provisions being dragged forward
over the ice.
FOURTH Each division being an in.
dependent unit. these divisions can he
withdrawn at intervals from the main
party without affecting the main party.
"Fifth.-At the very end. when the
supporting parties have performed
their important work OF trail breaking
and transportation of supplies. the
main party for the final dash must bc
small and carefully selected. as a small
party can travel 80 much faster than
n large one.
Thc pioneer party was one unit divi-
sion. made up of four of the most nc-
tive and experienced mon of the expe-
d;tion. with slcdgcS lightly loaded with
five or six days provisions. drawn by
the best dog teams that could DO SC
lectcd from the entire pack. When
we started from Cape Columbia this
pioneer party. headed 10y Bartlett. v cnt
out twenty-four hours In advance of
the main party. Later on. when we
reached the time OF continuous day.
light and sunlight through the twenty
four hours, the pioneer party was bur
twelve hours I'm advance OF the main
party.
The duty OF this pioneer party was
to make march In every twenty-four
hours In spite OF every obstacle, ex-
cepting. OF course. some impassablc
lend, Whether there was deep snow
or violent winds TO be faced or noun.
famous pressure ridges to be climbed
over. the march OF the pioneer party
must be made. for past experience had
proved that whatever distance was
covered by the advance party with its
light sledCeS could be covered In less
time by the main party even with
heavily loaded sledges. because the
main party. having the trail 10 follow,
was not Obliged 10 waste time In recon
Motoring.
In other words. the pioneer party
was the pacemaker OF the expedition.
and whatever distance IL made was
the measure OF ACCOMPLISHMENT for
the main party. The leader OF the
pioneer party. in the first instance
Bartlett. would start out ahead OF bIs
division. usually OF the snowshoes.
Then the light sIedges OF the party
would follow after. Thus the leader
of the pioneer division was pioneering
ahead OF his own party. and that
whole division was pioneering ahead |
OF the main party.
"One great advantage which i had
on this expedition was that. owing TO
the size OF my party. whenever the
men in this pioneer division became
exhausted with their arduous labor
and lack of sleep | could withdraw
fhem into the main party and send
out fresh division to take their place.
A large party is absolutely necessary