Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1910-05-19
PEARY'S PROOFS or
POLE DISCOVERY
Explorer, I'm Story I'm Hnmpton's Mag
anime for June, Gives Facts to
Prove His Claims.

NEW YORK.-Special.-T eager
~ awaited publication OF Peary'E ac-
tusl proofs that he reached the Pole
begins in the forthcoming juno num-
Der OF Hampton's Magazine.
Commander Peary opens his mar
rative with a description OF the start
-sunioO SdBO uoIJ kl1Oo SIeSd Su7 20
bia, the last point OF land. nOrthward
across the ice OF the Polar Sea He
emphasizes the fact that there is moth
ing but water between Cape Columbia
and the North Pole. distance OF fis
miles.
The most dangerous feature OF Arc
tic travel. he says. lis the leads (tho
whalers' term for lanes OF open wa
teri, which are caused by the move
ment or the ice under the pressure Of
the wind and the tides. These are tho
ever present nightmare OF the traveller
over the frozen surface or the polar
Ocean--the nightmare on the upward
journey for fear that they may pre-
vent further advance; the nightmare
OF the return journey for fear they
may cut on from land and life. leav-
ing Us 10 wander about and starVe to
death on the northern side. Their oc-
currence or non-Occurrence is thing
impOsSi bic TO prOphesy or calculate.
They open without warning immedi-
ately ahead OF US, following no ap-
parent rule or law Of action"
His narrative then proceeds 70 dem
onstrate why his expedition was sue
cessful. and although he does not
mention DR.. Cook by name. Peary
says. "FOrtitude and endurance alone
are not enough In themselves to carry
a man TO the North Pole. only with
years OF experience IA travelling those
regions. only with the aid OF q large
party also experienced in that char
aCter OF work. only with the knOwl-
edge OF Arctic detail and the equip
ment necessary Co prepare himself
and his party for any and every emer-
F grncy. is ~ possible for "a man 20
reach that long sought goai and re-
turn.
The reason OF our success Vas
Carerulty planned system. mathcmat-
f iCally demonstrated. Everything that
/ could be controlled was controlled.
+ and the inuctcrminate factors -
/ storms. open leads and accidents to
4 men. dogs and sledgcs-Wcre taken
! into consideration ia the percentage
/ OF proba bilities and provided FOR as
Z FAR as possible Sledgos would break
I and dogs would fan 10y the way. OF
{ course. but We could generally make
/ one sledge out OF two broken ones,
and the gradual depletion OF our dogs
was involved in our calculation"
The main points OF the sO-called
/ "Peary system. 20 which the sue
/ cess of>the expedition may be ascribed.
/ are about as follows.
To drive "a ship through the chan
mel ice 60 the farthest possible north
ern land point from which she can
be driven back again the following
year.
To do enough hunting during the
I fal and winter 70 keep the party
healthily supplied with fresh meat.
To have dogs enough 10 allow for
she loss 81 sixty per cent. of taern oy
/ death or otherwise.
ITO have just the right number OF
I fhe best kind OF slcdgss
TO have every item OF equipment Of
The quality best suited 20 ine purpose,
thoroughly tested. and OF the iiEhtes'
possible weight.
30 have the confidence o. a large
number OF EslSimos. earned BY sGuars
dealing and generous gitts IN The pa 81
so that they viii follow the leader %
any point be may specify.
To have AN Intelligent and wtlltnE
body OF civilized assistants 20 lead tbs
various divisions OF t-Shlnos---ine 2
ctpt when delegated by the leader.
TO have she absolute confidence OF
every member OF tie party. white
black. or brown, so tnat every order
ol thc leader VIII Dee implicitly obeyeo
"Tu have Tie right number % de
visions, or relay parties. each under ia,
leadership of "a competent assistant. tC
sand back I'd aprropriate and cursfull,
no know exactly GO what point each
uan an- dog may Dc worked "itnou
no know the physical aud menta
capabilities OF every assistant and rs
go know. by long experience. th,
+ best way 90 cross Wide leads OF opei
water.
no transport beforehand 60 the poln
I where the expedition leaves Lhe Ian,
. Tor she Polar dash sufficient food. fuel
Z clothing. stoves Toll or alconoD. ans
b other mechanical equipment tu get th
main party 20 the Pole and back ans
D che various divisions TO their tarthes
north and back
ITO return by the same route tina
. was followed on the upward march
Z using che beaten trail and The alread
J CONSTRUCTED iglOos, provided this tria
p shall not have been obliterated b
. shifting OF the ice.
To have the final party carry, O.
q the last Lex OF the dash. enough sup
3 plies 20 get 10 back 20 land BIZ "A mex
route in case shifting ice shall hav
Z destroyed the up-tran and the igloo
= along its route
= Peary then proceeds 10 give the de
d tails OF each days Journey, includin
r. I scientific observations at various points
q During the marches Peary and his par
l. / ty determined their distance BY dea
i reckoning. which was simply the com
pass course FOR direction. Observation
> were taken often enough TO cheek fhes
% and ascertain their accuracy.
% A part OF the scientific work cor
s Peary carried two sounding apparatu
and an extra lead. the wire and lead
being made especially for the exped
ton. They were the lightest Of the
capacity probabir ever used. an
weighed 1O3 pounds. Forty-6ve mill
north OF Cape Columbia a soundina Wa
made and a depth OF ITO fathoure wa
obtained.