Captain Bartlett left Cape Sheridan for Cape Columbia, the most
northern point of Grant Land. The other detachments followed on
successive days, and on February 22, Peary started the last of all.
From Cape Columbia he planned to travel directly north over the ice of
the Polar sea for a distance of four hundred and thirteen geographical
miles. This would take him to 90° north latitude, _i.e._, to the North
Pole.
By traveling in detachments a path once opened was kept open. The first
detachment accomplished the difficult work of breaking a way through
the ice, the second detachment found travel easier, and the third found
it still easier. Thus the strength both of the men and the dogs of the
last detachment was saved for the final march.
The party was to return by the same route as the one they advanced by,
the supporting parties keeping the trail open for the rapid return of
the main party. They were also able to use many of the same igloos
in returning, so that the labor of building them was avoided and the
strength of the men economized. The plan of march resembled that of a
relay race, with which all girls and boys are familiar.
The entire sledge party on leaving the ship numbered seven whites,
nineteen Eskimos, one hundred and forty dogs, and twenty-eight sledges.
On March 1, 1909, Bartlett’s party left land, setting out over the sea
ice for the north, the distance from the mainland to the Pole being
four hundred and seventy-five statute miles.
Think of starting on a journey of that length on foot with no certainty
of even necessary food, and over a rough expanse of ice and snow.
These brave men never faltered. As the party drew near the Pole, the
supporting detachments were sent back one after another. The last
detachment sent back was that under Captain Bartlett, who had given
such valuable assistance in leading the pioneer party.
Peary felt sorry to part with Captain Bob, as he familiarly called
him, and Captain Bob was sorry in his turn to go. He had reached 87°
47ʹ north latitude, and was nearer to the North Pole than any other
explorer had yet been. It had been his ambition to reach 88°, but there
was no time to spare, and though disappointed, he obeyed his commander
cheerfully, like a good soldier. He had surpassed the Italian record by
one degree and a quarter.
Peary was now left with only five companions,――Matt Henson, his colored
servant, and four Eskimos; he also had forty dogs and five sledges. He
was one hundred and thirty-three nautical miles from the Pole, and he
planned to make five marches of at least twenty-five miles each, and
then cover the remaining distance by pushing on with a light sledge and
a double team of dogs.
[Illustration:
From “Fighting the Polar Ice,” copyright by Anthony Fiala.
ESKIMO DOGS.]
After a rest and some repairing of the sledges the little party started
northward. The sun shone brightly out of a deep blue sky, and a finer
morning for the journey could not be imagined. Except for some pressure
ridges which were nearly fifty feet in height, the ice was hard and
level. The ridges corresponding to hills on land were not as hard to
pass over as were the leads of water which Peary had met with before
during the journey.
With weather in their favor the party made great progress. In one march
of twelve hours thirty miles were covered. As they neared the Pole, the
wind grew bitterly cold. Even the Eskimos complained of it, and said
that their noses would freeze. This was unusual, for the nose of an
Eskimo is supposed to be so hardy that no frosty winds could freeze it.
But all soon forgot the cold in their joy in drawing near the Pole.
On April 6, 1909, at ten A.M. the last march ended, and Peary found by
his observations that he had arrived at 89° 57ʹ north latitude. Here
the party camped, and Peary called the place Camp Morris K. Jesup in
honor of the man who had done so much to further discoveries in the
Arctic regions.
From Camp Jesup, Peary traveled on about ten miles beyond the Pole,
crossing and recrossing in several directions over a radius of ten
miles. Strange were his feelings when he stood at the place where
north, east, and west were eliminated, and every direction was south.
He was also at a place where there is in the year but one night and one
day, each six months in length. The stars circle round overhead during
the night and the sun during the day.
As far as the eye could reach was a vast, white expanse of ice. No
living creature was to be seen, no sign of life anywhere, only a great
silence, a great whiteness, and dazzling sunlight. Peary placed the
American flag in the ice. The Eskimos and Henson gave three cheers, and
all shook hands.
The Eskimos did not understand what made Peary so happy, but they did
know that he had succeeded in reaching a wonderful spot, which he had
searched for during many years.
Thirty hours were spent at the Pole taking observations and
photographs. The maximum temperature was -12° and the minimum was
-30° Fahrenheit. Peary put records of his journey and a piece of the
American flag in a glass bottle, and wedged it in between blocks of
ice and left it. As the ice is constantly shifting and changing its
position, it is hard to tell where this bottle may drift.
The ice at the Pole was too thick for Peary to measure the depth of the
ocean. But on returning he found a place, five miles from the Pole,
where the ice was thinner. He succeeded in making a hole with a pickax
and dropped his sounding lead. The wire ran out to a depth of fifteen
hundred fathoms (nine thousand feet) without touching bottom. Then the
wire broke, and it and the lead were lost. We do not know how much
deeper the Polar ocean may be.
The return journey to land was made by forced marches of about
twenty-nine and a half miles a day. This speed was made possible by the
lighter sledge loads, and the fact that they were retracing their steps
over a trail kept partially open by the other detachments. But the
Eskimos said, “The devil is asleep, or we never should have come back
so easily!” Peary knew that they came back easily because of favorable
weather and ice conditions, and because his plans had been wise.
When the party came in sight of the _Roosevelt_ again, the joy of the
men cannot be described. Captain Bartlett saw them and went out to meet
them. His face was sad, and Peary felt that he was to hear some bad
news. Bartlett then told him of the death of Marvin by drowning while
on his return march. Peary felt keenly the loss of his brave companion
who had accomplished so much valuable work, and who had made himself
respected and loved.
All the members of the party resumed their duties, and the first was to
reward the faithful Eskimos who had worked and served so well. Peary
gave them hatchets, knives, shot-guns, rifles, and tools of all kinds.
They were much pleased and felt as rich as millionaires.
As soon as the ice permitted, the _Roosevelt_ left her winter quarters
and sailed southward, stopping at Etah and Cape York, and arriving
at Sydney, Cape Breton, September 21, 1909, where she received an
enthusiastic welcome.
On September 1, 1909, while Peary and his party were still in the
north, the world was startled by a telegraphic message from a Danish
steamer, saying: “We have on board the American traveler, Dr. Cook, who
reached the North Pole, April 21, 1908.”
The next morning the _New York Herald_ published an account of the
great discovery cabled by Cook himself. It said that he had reached the
Pole on the date just mentioned, and that “it was a cheerless spot,
an endless field of purple snows.” Two days later Dr. Cook landed at
Copenhagen and was greeted with cheers, and great honors were bestowed
upon him.
Two days later another telegram was received by the Associated Press of
New York, which read:
“Stars and stripes nailed to the North Pole.
“PEARY.”
There was great excitement all over the civilized world. Messages
continued to arrive from Peary fixing the date of his arrival at the
Pole, April 6, 1909. Cook claimed to have reached the pole a year
earlier, April 21, 1908. Why had he kept silent so long? Discussion
grew, and scientists demanded proof and data from both men.
The records of Dr. Cook were submitted to the University of Copenhagen,
and their final report was made public December 21, 1910. It declared
that the papers and documents submitted to it by Dr. Cook contained
no observations or explanations to prove that Dr. Cook had reached the
Pole.
That Peary reached the Pole was never doubted. The National
Geographical Society after careful examination of his records reported
that they were unanimous in the opinion that Commander Peary reached
the North Pole, April 6, 1909.
The following resolutions were adopted:
“_Whereas_, Commander Robert E. Peary has reached the North
Pole, the goal sought for centuries, and
_Whereas_, this is the greatest geographical achievement that
this society can have opportunity to honor, therefore
_Resolved_, that a special medal be awarded to Commander Peary.”
Medals and honors were bestowed upon him by many scientific societies
at home and abroad, and he was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral in
the United States Navy, and given the thanks of Congress.
The Frozen North has given up its secret. Man’s persistence has
conquered, and 90° north has been attained.
Rear Admiral Peary and all the brave men, who for nearly four hundred
years struggled to reach the North Pole, will be held in honor by their
countrymen for all time.
NOTE.――A fathom is six feet; a statute mile 5280 feet; a
geographical mile 6080 feet.
Transcriber’s Notes:
――Text in italics is enclosed by underscores (_italics_).
――The Contents listing was changed to reflect the chapter title in
the content where there was a difference.
――A List of Illustrations has been provided for the convenience of
the reader.
――Printer’s, punctuation and spelling inaccuracies were silently
corrected.
――Archaic and variable spelling has been preserved.
――Variations in hyphenation and compound words have been preserved.