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Nearest the Pole / a narrative of the polar expedition of the Peary Arctic Club in the S.S. Roosevelt, 1905-1906 cover

Nearest the Pole / a narrative of the polar expedition of the Peary Arctic Club in the S.S. Roosevelt, 1905-1906

Chapter 9: CHAPTER V SHERIDAN TO THE BIG LEAD
By Robert E. Peary
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About This Book

The narrative recounts the 1905–1906 Arctic expedition aboard the S.S. Roosevelt, detailing voyages over polar ice, sledging journeys, logistical planning, and variable ice and weather that thwarted a final push to the Pole. The author documents equipment, travel techniques—particularly the central role of indigenous dog teams—camp life, scientific observations, and mapped routes, accompanied by photographs and charts. Interspersed reflections assess the expedition’s achievements and shortcomings and offer recommendations for follow-up work, arguing that the refined methods and chosen routes make a future attainment of the Pole practicable.

CHAPTER V
SHERIDAN TO THE BIG LEAD

On February 19th, Captain Bartlett left finally for Cape Hecla. Marvin and party followed the next day, Dr. Wolf and his party the next, and I two days later.

When I left the Roosevelt there was a lead of open water extending from Cape Joseph Henry past Capes Sheridan and Rawson. The northern part of Robeson Channel was open. There was open water along the Greenland coast as far as the Black Horn Cliffs and apparently to Cape Bryant, with numerous pools and leads in the sweep from Cape Henry to Cape Bryant.

Three marches brought me to Cape Hecla, where the entire outfit was assembled. Our encampment comprised Captain Bartlett, Dr. Wolf, Marvin, Henson, Clark and Ryan, myself and twenty-one Eskimos, with 120 dogs—the personnel for one main and five or six division parties, which according to my programme I hoped would be able to advance supplies and maintain communication to a base as high as Abruzzi’s “Farthest” for my final point of departure.

Point Moss, some twenty miles west of Cape Hecla, was determined upon as our point of departure from the land. Two days were spent at Cape Hecla resting the dogs, repairing sledges, harnesses and equipment, and restowing sledge loads, the expedition quartering in seven snow houses and subsisting upon four musk-oxen killed just back of Cape Hecla.

On February 28th, Henson left Cape Hecla with a pioneer party of three light sledges. Captain Bartlett and his party followed the next day, then Clark and his party, then Dr. Wolf, then Marvin, Ryan and myself. During our stay at Cape Hecla there was open water along the ice foot and a large lead reaching north from the cape.

I quote from my Journal:

March 4th.—Still blowing viciously from the west with blinding drift. My men came in from feeding the dogs, with their clothes driven full of snow.

Of course, everything is still stalled by the furious wind. Henson should be three marches out on the ice, Bartlett two, and the Doctor one. Clark is at Point Moss, I am here with four men, and Marvin should be on Fielden Peninsula.

I have, however, no reason to complain of the weather. From the 19th till yesterday there has been no really bad weather and the first five days here were perfect, considering the place and the season, enabling me to get my parties away and attend to all essential details without serious discomfort.

Now we are well supplied with food, and the dogs have plenty to eat and are well sheltered. The wind has closed all the water, for the time being at least. My new device, the alcohol lamp, is working out finely and makes tea or coffee almost in no time.