The Siege and Conquest of the North Pole

Here Peary left Astrup to look after the clogs while he hastened down to the land for the purpose of climbing a summit some 5 miles from the edge of the ice. He had not gone far when a snow-bunting fluttered up from behind a rock, and not long afterwards he came across the traces of musk-oxen. As he got farther from the ice, flowers of various hues made their appearance, among them the yellow Arctic poppy.

Instead of 5 miles, the distance of the mountain lengthened to at least 12, and when it was reached at the end of an eight hours’ march, it was only to find that two or three other summits intervened between Peary and the view he wished. By this time the soles of Peary’s kamiks were cut through, and some of the sharp stones had cut his feet. He patched his foot-gear with a pair of seal-skin mittens and a skull-cap, and after an hour’s rest he started on his return to Astrup, and reached him after an absence of fifteen hours.

Peary now decided to take Astrup and the dogs, which numbered eight, and three or four days’ supplies, and march overland. They started out on 3rd July 1892, carrying about 40 lb. each on their backs. On the second day’s march they were fortunate in coming across musk-oxen, and succeeded in killing two. This gave both the men and the dogs a welcome change of food, and they feasted till they could eat no more.

After several hours’ rest, they again set out, and succeeded in gaining a rocky plateau, 3800 feet above sea-level. This dropped in a perpendicular cliff into a bay below. Looking out over a mighty glacier on the right and through the broad mouth of the bay, they saw stretching away to the horizon the great ice-fields of the Arctic Ocean. To the west was the opening of a fiord which Peary believed was the one which barred his northern advance, and he had paralleled its course across the northern end of the mainland from Robeson Channel to the shores of North-East Greenland. This channel, which Peary believes marks the northern boundary of the mainland of Greenland, now receives the name of “Peary Channel.”

To the north-west, north, and north-east stretched steep red-brown bluffs on the other side of the bay. To the northward could be seen the entrance of a second fiord, or channel, apparently extending to the northwestward.

The land which stretched away to the north-east was free of snow. In this direction land could be seen 60 miles away. From observations taken by Peary on the cliff, afterwards named “Navy Cliff,” the position was found to be 81° 37′ 5″ north latitude, and 34° 5′ west longitude. After building a cairn and leaving a record, they retraced their steps towards the ice-cap.

On this northern land, besides snow-buntings, two or three sandpipers, a Greenland falcon, a pair of ravens, two bumble-bees, several butterflies, innumerable flies, and about twenty musk-oxen were seen. Flowers of numerous species were blooming in abundance.

Two days were occupied in getting back to Moraine Camp, and when it was reached the feet of six of the dogs were cut and bleeding. It was therefore necessary to rest and allow the dogs to recover, and it was also necessary to thoroughly overhaul the impedimenta and put everything in good order for the return journey.

The big three-runner sledge was reduced to its original dimensions, and the foot-gear required a good deal of attention. At last, on 7th July, all was ready, and they started up the icy slope.

In order to avoid crevasses and glacier basins, Peary returned on a course well to the east of his upward one. On the first day only 10 miles were covered, but on the second they made 21½ miles, and ascended 1300 feet. On the 10th July an advance of 20 miles was made, and an ascent of nearly 1000 feet. On the 11th the altitude rose 600 feet in another march of 20 miles. The elevation was now 7300 feet above sea-level. On this date one of the eight dogs became exhausted, and was killed and fed to the others.

They now experienced a severe storm, which detained them two days. On the first march after the storm they travelled 20 miles over a level plateau in a thick fog.

Next day one of the dogs died, and now only six were left, and Peary became anxious about the remainder. On the 18th July the fog cleared. On the 21st, Peary decided to abandon one sledge and leave behind articles weighing about 50 lb. The load was repacked on the small sledge.

Another of the dogs died on 28th July, but the remaining five were in fairly good condition. On this day 22 miles were covered, and the next few marches were even better. They were now east of the Humboldt Glacier.

On the 2nd August they neared the divide between the Kane Basin and the Whale Sound region, and next day they sighted land, after travelling 35 miles.

On the following day, when nearing the edge of the ice-cap, a relief party came into view, and soon Peary had the pleasure of meeting Professor Heilprin, who had come north in the Kite to take Peary home.

Two days after his return to Red Cliff, Peary set out on a boat-voyage into Inglefield Gulf, with the object of becoming better acquainted with the northern shore. He explored Bowdoin Bay to its head, and at this point Verhoeff, who formed one of the party, left to cross the glacier to McCormick Bay, where he was to meet Gibson.

Leaving Bowdoin Bay, Peary passed eastwards along the gulf, and reached a striking, precipitous island, which he named “Josephine Peary Island.”

On returning from this boat-voyage, Peary learned that Gibson had landed Verhoeff at Five-Glacier Valley a few days after he had left Bowdoin Bay. Verhoeff’s intention was to make an overland trip to the Eskimo settlements in Robertson Bay, and he arranged with Gibson to return for him at a certain time. The day after Peary’s return, Gibson arrived with the news that Verhoeff had not turned up according to promise.

Peary at once set out with Gibson and a crew of his best Eskimo to search for Verhoeff. Heilprin’s party and the Kite’s crew also took part in the search, which was continued six days and six nights. The Eskimo ultimately succeeded in finding traces along the side of a glacier, and these were found to pass on to the glacier itself, but they disappeared on the unyielding surface of the ice.

The search was now given up. The conclusion arrived at was that Verhoeff had fallen into one of the innumerable crevasses of the glacier and had there perished. This sad incident naturally cast a deep gloom upon the party, and on Peary especially.

Preparations were now made for the return home. Mrs. Peary distributed many household utensils to the delighted Eskimo, who also received numerous presents of wood, knives, iron, kettles, etc., which had been brought in the Kite from friends of the expedition.

At Godthaab, on the way home, some of the kayakers of the place treated them to an exhibition of aquatic feats, such as turning a somersault in the water and jumping one kayak over another. The remainder of the voyage was completed without special incident.

Soon after his return from this expedition, Peary made preparations for a more ambitious one. In order to raise funds, he delivered one hundred and sixty-eight lectures in ninety-six days. From these he realised 13000 dollars. He also obtained some funds from other sources, and was able to charter a ship named the Falcon to take his party north, and return the following season to bring him back.

Peary left Philadelphia in the Falcon on 23rd June 1893. The ship carried a steam-launch, and the two whale-boats, the Mary Peary and the Faith. The six dogs of the White March and some carrier-pigeons were also taken. In order to make a new experiment in Arctic work, Peary took some burros which had been brought from Santa Fé. Several places on the American coast were stopped at, and St. John’s was not left till 15th July. On the same day one of the dogs managed to slip its harness, and was lost overboard. On the 17th, during heavy weather, two of the burros died. The Falcon touched at Battle Harbour on the Labrador coast, in order that dogs might be purchased; but Peary met with but little success. Other two stations were visited, but as a total result only twenty dogs were obtained. On the 22nd July the Falcon was headed for the Greenland coast, and it arrived at Holsteinborg on the 26th. Here seventeen dogs were obtained, and near midnight of the same day the Falcon left for Godhavn, where it arrived on the 28th. Fur clothing, ordered from Copenhagen, was found ready, and twenty dogs were obtained. Peary had been mindful enough to take a present of oranges, lemons, and pine-apples to Mrs. Anderson, the Inspector’s wife, and it gave great delight to her and her family. Godhavn was left about 10 p.m. on the 28th, and Upernavik was reached on the 30th. Peary was disappointed in finding that only ten dogs were to be obtained here, but he was informed that he would get more at Tasiusak, about 40 miles to the north. The latter place was reached early in the morning of 31st July, and seventeen dogs were obtained. Peary had now on board eighty-seven dogs, and the pandemonium caused by these howling, fighting, restless animals was indescribable. The Duck Islands were reached about noon, and after a few hours’ stay, the passage of the dreaded Melville Bay was begun. The weather was excellent, and where two years before the Kite had to battle with the pack, there was open water with only a few scattered icebergs. The passage was made in the record time of 24 hours and 50 minutes.

Peary landed and climbed Cape York. None of the natives here had seen or heard anything of Verhoeff.

Bowdoin Bay, in Inglefield Gulf, where Peary intended taking up quarters, was reached on the morning of 3rd August.

Peary selected the site of the house, and they soon set to work to build this and unload the stores. The house was named the “Lodge.”

On the 12th August the Falcon left the bay on a cruise for the winter’s meat-supply. Near Herbert Island they were successful in obtaining twenty-four walruses. During the hunt there was one exciting event. A walrus had been shot, and a man was beside it on a cake of ice, when the ice was struck by the Falcon and capsized. The man was thrown into the water under the ship’s stern, but he succeeded in clinging to the rudder, from which he was released in safety.

The Falcon next steamed north as far as Littleton Island, where four other walruses were shot. While here, Peary and his party examined the site of Polaris House, and found the place littered with miscellaneous articles of no use to the natives. Peary also climbed to the top of Littleton Island. He describes it as a terribly desolate, barren-looking piece of rock.

The Falcon now turned southward on the way to Olriks Bay, on the south coast of Inglefield Gulf, for deer. During one night the party shot seventeen deer, and as a sufficient supply of meat had now been obtained for the dogs and natives during the winter, the Falcon went back to Bowdoin Bay.

On the 20th August the ship returned to America. Peary’s party, including himself, now numbered fourteen persons: —

On 29th August, Astrup left the Lodge in charge of an Inland Ice party, consisting of Carr, Davidson, and Lee. They took with them five sledges and fifty dogs, with the intention of establishing a dépôt of supplies as far in on the Inland Ice as possible.

On 7th September a letter was brought by one of the carrier-pigeons from the Inland Ice party, asking for more dogs; and Peary visited the camp, which he found 6 miles in on the cap. Astrup was suffering from something in the nature of a chill, and the doctor had to be sent to him. In a day or two he was much better, and able to continue his work.

On 12th September a little blue-eyed snowflake was born at the Lodge, and named Marie Ahnighito Peary. She was bundled in soft, warm Arctic furs and wrapped in the Stars and Stripes. This wonderful baby was of extraordinary interest to the natives. Families journeyed from Cape York in the south, and from Etah in the north, to satisfy themselves that she was not made of snow. Until about six months old she lived in continuous lamp-light.

On 13th September, Astrup was brought down from the ice-cap, suffering from gastric trouble. The supplies were then 12 miles from the edge of the ice, with the exception of two sledge-loads which were 3 miles farther in. Carr and Davidson, who had brought down Astrup, started back to rejoin Lee, but they lost themselves in a storm and had to return to the Lodge. A day or two later they made a second attempt, and succeeded in reaching Lee, who had been alone for a week. Here again a storm came on, and confined them to the tent another week. They then all returned to the Lodge, which they reached on 23rd September.

Two days later, Peary set out with the party; but at the moraine, at the edge of the ice, it was found that three sledges which had been left there had been blown away. They had in consequence to return to the Lodge and make new sledges.

On 30th September, Peary, Davidson, and Lee succeeded in reaching the camp on the ice-cap, and found the advanced sledges. Again they returned to the Lodge for more dogs, and with these they advanced all the supplies to a point 26½ miles from the moraine.

Peary wished to have them advanced still farther, but a gale kept the party to their camp two days. They then descended to the Lodge, but the storm lasted an entire week. Another attempt was made by nearly the whole party to reach the ice-cap, but in consequence of a constant succession of snowstorms and high winds it had to be given up.

The season was now so far advanced that Peary abandoned the idea of taking the supplies farther until the spring.

On 31st October a large wave caused by a huge iceberg from the Bowdoin Glacier burst up through the solid ice near the shore, rolled the steam-launch over and over, and stove it in; dashed the whale-boat a hundred yards up the valley, and ruined it; then, receding, carried away all the oil-barrels. It had been Peary’s intention to put up an electric-light plant, but the loss of the oil rendered this impracticable.

While the ice-cap work was going on, Entrikin was busy hunting deer, in which he was most successful. In two hunts he obtained no less than sixty animals.

The long sunless winter had now begun, but the party were still kept at work. Much in the way of Inland Ice equipment had to be got ready, and various sledge-journeys were made for dog-food. About 700 miles were travelled, and some 3000 lb. of dog-meat brought to the Lodge, and yet no member of the party suffered any great discomfort. These journeys were made in the moonlight.

The sun made its appearance on the 18th February 1894, and on this day Lee, with two Eskimo and a team of dogs, set out for the cache on the Inland Ice. Lee, unfortunately, lost his way during a storm, and after wandering about for a night and a day, reached the Lodge in an exhausted condition and with a frozen toe. This mishap disarranged Peary’s plans. He had intended to start from the cache on 1st March. Lee was to free the cache from the winter’s snows, bag the pemmican, and construct snow igloos. The delay necessitated a further supply of dog-meat, which had to be hauled a distance of at least 50 miles.

On the 6th March eight members of the party, with five Eskimo and some eighty dogs, started for the ice-cap. Next day Peary left with two Eskimo carrying several gallons of boiling hot tea in canteens, and found the party about 2 miles from the moraine. Peary then returned to the Lodge, which he finally left on 8th March, and reached the ice-cap party in the evening.

Next day the cache was reached, and the snow was found to have drifted about it during the winter to a depth of 4 feet. The Eskimo formed snow igloos, and two days were spent here making preparations for the final start. On the 10th March one of the dogs died from piblockto, the dreaded dog-disease of Greenland, and this was naturally considered a serious incident.

A start was made on 12th March, after considerable difficulty with the dogs. Lee’s toe had been nipped again, and at night it was found that he could not proceed much farther. Astrup also informed Peary that he was threatened with the illness which attacked him in September, and that he was not able to go on. This loss of two of his best men was a serious blow to Peary’s plans. It had been his intention, should he reach Independence Bay, to send one party northward, another south to Cape Bismarck, and thence over the ice-cap to Whale Sound; while a third party was to remain at Independence Bay and survey that region while awaiting the return of the northern detachment.

On the 14th March, Peary, accompanied by Clark, returned to the Lodge with Lee and Astrup. The Lodge was again left on the afternoon of the 15th. The night was passed in a snow igloo, and the party was reached during the following afternoon. Next day the weather made it impossible for them to advance, and so continued for three days. The temperature was from 35° to 40° F. below zero.

On 22nd March a start was made, but the weather was still unfavourable, and only 3 miles were covered. The party now experienced a violent storm, which lasted till the 25th March. The velocity of the wind averaged over 48 miles per hour during thirty-four hours, and the average temperature was 50° F. below zero. In Peary’s opinion this storm was the most severe ever experienced by any Arctic party.

After the storm was over, half of the dogs were found frozen fast in the snow, some by the legs, some by the tails, and some by both. Two were dead.

During the storm Davidson had his heel, and Clark a toe and three fingers, frost-bitten. Davidson had to be sent back to the Lodge with the doctor. This now reduced the party to four, and Peary made a cache of supplies, and readjusted the loads.

Each of Peary’s companions now had a large sledge drawn by eighteen dogs. During the first march they advanced 7 miles in a temperature of 46° F. below zero. On the 27th March they had considerable difficulty with the sledges: one broke in the bend of one of the runners, and it was converted into a three-runner sledge by lashing another sledge alongside it; and a second one was seriously damaged.

While engaged in repairing the sledges, Entrikin had the soles of his feet frost-bitten. To make matters worse, next day he strained his back in making efforts to start the sledge. During the night the temperature remained between 55° and 57° F. below zero.

The dogs were now in bad condition: three had been killed and used as dog-food, another died from the effects of the storm, and several had frost-bitten feet.

At the next camp Peary decided to rest two days, so as to give Entrikin a final chance of recovery, and also with the object of getting the dogs into better condition.

On the 3rd April, Entrikin’s feet were much better, and the party pushed on a distance of 15 miles. On this day, however, one of the dogs was attacked by the piblockto, and bit many of the other dogs before he was shot. On each of the next two days a distance of 15 miles was covered. During the next three days a storm confined them to their tent, and two dogs died from exposure.

Another start was made, but only 7 miles were travelled. Two more dogs died of piblockto, after biting nearly all the other dogs. The dread disease had evidently gained a firm foothold.

On 10th April, Peary had reached a point 128 miles from the Lodge. One man had frosted feet and must return. Another had both heels and great toes frost-bitten, and had daily attacks of bleeding from the nose. The third man had not quite recovered from cramp. Added to these troubles was the serious condition of the dogs. Peary now saw that he could not possibly carry out his plans. He might reach Independence Bay, but this would consume all his pemmican, alcohol, and other provisions, and destroy any chance of making another attempt next spring. He therefore decided to cache his pemmican and return to the Lodge, and make another attempt during the following year.

On the return journey a great many of the dogs died, only twenty-five reaching the Lodge. Peary admits that previous to this experience he believed that the Eskimo dog was capable of enduring the most severe weather possible on the ice-cap. It is also evident that the members of the party suffered greatly from the extremely low temperatures usually experienced during the month of March. The serious outbreak of the dog-disease could not have been foreseen.

The party on their return to the Lodge were very much exhausted, and it required about a fortnight to recover from the strain and exposure.

Soon afterward, Peary set out to explore and survey Olriks Bay. He was accompanied by Mrs. Peary. He found it to be a long narrow fiord 50 miles in length by about 2½ miles wide.

On 16th May he again left the Lodge to search for the “Iron Mountain” of Melville Bay. He took Lee with him and ten dogs. On the way to Cape York an Eskimo was met who undertook to act as guide to the object of Peary’s search. Cape York was reached in ten days, after considerable difficulties. Another march brought them to the meteorite, which Peary measured and photographed.

The return journey was made under great difficulties. Sometimes they were storm-bound and had to dig shelters in snow-drifts, at other times they were wading through deep slush; again they were compelled to take to the shore and climb the bluffs and make long detours overland. Several glaciers were crossed, and at one place they were 3362 feet above sea-level. The Lodge was reached on 6th June.

On 31st July news was received that the Falcon had returned. During August, Peary endeavoured to obtain deer, but was not very successful.

On 26th August the Falcon again sailed for America. All Peary’s party, with the exception of Lee and Henson, had decided to return home. The Falcon carried them safely to Philadelphia, but in returning to St. John’s she was lost with all on board.

It will be most convenient here to give a brief account of a sledge-journey made by Astrup after he returned invalided from the ice-cap. On 6th April he started out with the intention of exploring the shores of Melville Bay. He took with him Koolootingwah, the Eskimo. Cape York was left on the 15th April, and over 40 miles were travelled the first day. Astrup found the shore, from Cape York eastward, continually broken by large and active glaciers. The night was passed in a snow igloo, and next day 30 miles were covered. On the third day Thom Island was reached. All the dog-food was now gone, and Astrup had provisions to last only ten days. He therefore decided to examine the coast more closely, and gradually work back to Cape York, where he arrived on 23rd April. The Lodge was afterwards reached without special difficulty.

Peary and Matthew Henson, with five Eskimo, accompanied the Falcon about 200 miles from the Lodge, and returned in the whale-boat. Lee remained at the Lodge. Soon after Peary’s return he made preparations for securing his winter’s meat-supply. Henson with some Eskimo went off after deer, and returned a week later with six animals. Then Peary arranged a walrus-hunt. Both whale-boats and five kayaks were employed, and all the able-bodied men and boys of the village of Karnah. Such an imposing flotilla had never been seen before in these waters. Peary had decided to use a harpoon like the Eskimo, and in this he was very successful. Off Herbert Island several large walruses were obtained, and the boats returned loaded with meat.

Peary was now anxious to have the nearest of his caches on the ice-cap visited and rearranged, and proper signals put up where the original ones might be blown down. With this object in view, Lee, Henson, and the Eskimo Nooktah set out on the 2nd October with twelve dogs. To Peary’s great disappointment, they returned in four days without having found any of the caches. There had been a most extraordinary fall of snow, and poles which had stood 8 and 9 feet above the snow were now only 1 foot above.

On 8th October, Peary, with Henson, and the Eskimo Maksingwah, more familiarly known as “Flaherty,” set out for the ice-cap. On the second day they reached the vicinity of the first cache, but no trace of it could be found. Next morning signs of a coming storm induced Peary to make preparations to meet it, and for some time it was not observed that Maksingwah had decamped rather than face a storm on the dreaded ice-cap. It was afterwards ascertained that it took the Eskimo four days to reach the Lodge, and he was then in an extremely exhausted condition.