Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-22
HAS PEARy'S DARING.
Army Officer Proves Ability as
Arctic Traveller.
MUSHES THOUSAND MILES,
Lieut.. George F. Waugh, by Irony
of Fate, Now Has to Return to
Alaskan Command.

Although not in the class of Explorers
Peary and Amundsen, young officer of
the army, First Lieut.. George F. Waugh
Of the 3Oth Infantry, has all the qualities
of a good understudy for either as a
traveller in the frozen zones of the world.
Last November. while a second lieuten-
ant in the 10th Infantry, stationed at Fort
st. Michael on Norton sound in north
Boring sea. he was promoted a first lieu
tenant and assigned to the 30th Infantry,
stationed at San Francisco.
Despite the fact that navigation in that
part of Alaska had closed, Lieut.. Waugh
determined to lose no time in returning
to the states and joining his new COM
mand. It would be at least eight months
before there would be a steamer to take
him down the coast. AS the only posi-
BILE way to get to San Francisco he con-
cluded to cross the desert peninsula to
southern Alaska with dog team In the
depth Of winter and alone. A year and a
half of rough work in Alaska had made
him hard and robust, and he felt confident
of his ability to care for himself in the
SHOWS and solitudes of the arctic.
Makes Thousand-Mi1e Trip.
Cordova, on Prince William sound, was
his destination, 1000 miles away, half of
the distance sheer wilderness unbroken
by trails. Nothing daunted. Lieut.. Waugh
purchased five Siberian dogs and packed
his sled with rations for man and dogs,
a medicine chest and extra clothing.
cracked his whip over his canine COM
panions and was off. He mushed the
long, lonesome trip all right and when he
finally reported to Gen. Maus at Vancou-
yer barracks he remarked casually that
"a man does not know what endurance he
is capable of until he is put to the test.
Being pressed for details of his trip. he
said that sometimes it was as warm as
20 degrees below zero, and then again II
was as cold as 40 degrees below. For
many days together the only light he had
to guide him on his way came from the
moon When he stopped for rest he
made themselves comfortable on the top
Of the sled Luckily for him. none OF his
dogs left him Capt. Amundsen lost sew
eral Of his by desertton on, his hike
to the south POLE Lieut.. Waugh took big
risks in that respect. His ears. nose and
hands were frostbitten more than once,
but on the whole he got through In good
condition and the same was true OF his
canine quintet. He was specially kind to
his dogs, and now and then treated them
to an extra meal of grouse. which some
times fell to his gun.
Must Go Back to Alaska.
It seems the irony of fate that not long
after Lieut. Waugh joined the 30th In
fantry at San Francisco he learned that
that regiment had been selected by the
War Department for a two-year tour Of
duty In Alaska to relieve the very regi-
ment he had just left up in that cold
quarter of the world. AS he has to go
back there with his regiment. 1t may
sometimes occur to him that perhaps he
might have omitted his remarkable jour-
new through the northern wilderness had
he only known Lieut.. Waugh is from
Massachusetts. and was graduated from
the United States Military Academy in
1905. His friends are proud of him, and
say he already has demonstrated that he
possesses the stun Of which heroes are