The nights now were very dark. Off Cape Athol we got free of the young ice again, and steaming south in open water, were off Cape Dudley Diggs early the following morning and steamed into Parker Snow Bay to land the last of my Eskimos. This day was a perfect one of brilliant sunshine and pronounced warmth. The Eskimos worked with a will landing their belongings, their dogs, and the walrus meat which I had secured for the purpose of carrying them through the winter, as I was bringing them back at the close of the hunting season when they could hope to secure only a scanty supply of food before the winter set in. By night everything was landed, and several tents set up on the shore. As the darkness came down it began to snow, accompanied by light wind from the southeast. In the morning the whole country was white with snow and a vicious southeaster in progress which held us here until the following morning. This time was occupied in getting the Roosevelt ready for rough water. From Cape Union to here all provisions, ammunition and equipment of all kinds had been carried on deck ready to be thrown ashore or out upon the ice whenever the necessity arose. This deck load was now transferred to the hold, and the ship generally put in better trim for the mauling which we were sure to receive at this season of the year once we got clear of the ice. As soon as the weather moderated sufficiently we steamed to Cape York where four families were found. Here we made fast to the newly formed land ice and remained three or four hours while repairing a bent eccentric. The natives here reported that the ice in Melville Bay had gone out but a short time previous, and during the entire season no ship had been able to approach the Cape, an occurrence which has not happened before since my acquaintance with this region, dating back to 1891.

Leaving Cape York late in the afternoon of the 26th, in a dense snowstorm, which doubled the gloom of the already descending night, we groped our way in almost complete darkness out through the numerous icebergs, and felt that we had really begun the homeward voyage. The darkness during this night was so intense that we slowed down to half-speed. The following afternoon a fresh breeze accompanied by a heavy swell set in from the southeast, and the rolling of the ship washed out some ashes in the fire-room, clogging the suctions of all the pumps, and allowing the water in the fire-room to rise to the stoke-hole plates before it was noticed. During the next two days the Roosevelt was hove-to while the fire-room was cleared of water, the pumps overhauled and got in commission again, and steps taken to prevent a recurrence of the trouble. During this time the weather remained thick and the wind continued from the southeast. When we got under way it was impracticable to make the Greenland coast and we continued down the middle of Baffin’s Bay. At midnight of September 30th we rounded the end of the middle pack and in the afternoon of October 1st, in a fresh southeast breeze and heavy swell, the foretopmast broke off at the springstay, and went overboard carrying with it the topmast rigging, barrel, and flying jib. October 3d we made the west coast just above Cape Dyer and followed it past Walsingham and Mercy, and across the mouth of Cumberland Sound, until 4 A. M. of the 6th, when about seven miles north of Monumental Island, a sea striking under the starboard quarter broke the rudder-stock square off, rendering us helpless.

It was very thick at the time and the Roosevelt was hove-to heading eastward to avoid being drifted upon the ragged coast about Cape Haven. A spar was got ready and rigged out as a jury rudder, but we were scarcely under way again when the wind came on from the northeast, and in two or three hours the rising sea had carried away the improvised rudder. After this we hove-to again, the storm increasing to almost hurricane violence for some thirty-six hours and raising a heavy sea. The Roosevelt proved herself a fine sea boat, lying to under double-reefed foresail with the same ease as one of the best of our Banks fishing schooners, and though she repeatedly rolled her rail to the water, she did not ship a bucketful of green sea.

With the slackening of the gale followed some twenty-four hours of chop sea off the mouth of Hudson Strait and work was commenced on a second rudder which, after two days of work under extreme difficulties, was finally completed and hung, the men being flung back and forth across the deck as they worked. The next day we made the Labrador coast at what is perhaps the worst locality in its northern portion, known as the Pot Rocks. Threading our way through these in fog and driving snow, with the breakers on either side, we kept off the coast and had no distinct view of it until the 13th, when it could be seen clearly enough for us to determine that we were just north of Sagdlek Bay. As we were now entirely out of water and had but a few tons of coal left, I determined to put into Hebron in hopes that we might secure a few tons of coal there. Darkness fell while we were still several miles from Hebron, but Captain Bartlett had been there some years before and he skilfully worked the ship through the crooked channels to her anchorage. No coal was to be had here but we obtained water and a few essential supplies, and early Monday morning started for Nain, taking the inside passage from Cape Mugford with which Captain Bartlett fortunately was familiar. Lying to during the night we reached Nain shortly after noon the following day.

Here some wood and a little blubber and two or three tons of coal-dust were obtained after much delay, due to heavy squalls which prevented the passage of boats from the ship to the shore. These squalls were so violent that they tore one of our boats loose and drifted it away. The Eskimo women here did all the work of loading and unloading the wood.

Still following the inside route, we proceeded to Hopedale where more wood was obtained, and more delay experienced from heavy wind. The second night the squalls were so violent that even in the inner harbour the Roosevelt dragged both anchors and went aground; coming off easily, however, at the next high tide.

On leaving the harbour the ship was found to be so light that in the fresh northwester then blowing she would not answer her helm. Both anchors were let go and when at night the wind moderated, she worked back into the harbour where she was beached, rudder hoisted out and rebuilt, the stern recalked, natives employed to bring ballast and work the pumps, while we awaited the arrival of the mail steamer to secure coal, without which I did not think it advisable to proceed farther along this coast at this season of the year with the Roosevelt in her present condition.

On the arrival of the mail steamer seven tons of coal were secured with which in snowstorms and head winds except for the last few miles, still following the inside passage through the intricacies of which Bartlett handled the ship with masterly skill, we reached the whaling station at Hawke’s Harbour and secured two more tons which brought us to Battle Harbour, where we arrived in the evening of November 2d.

The following day forty tons of coal were taken on board and while the work was in progress a southeaster set in accompanied by rain. From this time until the 12th, the wind continued heavy from southeast, east, and northeast, accompanied by rain, snow, generally thick weather and a heavy sea. The 12th was a clear day but the sea heaving into the narrow and tortuous entrance to the harbour, made it inexpedient to attempt to go out. On the 13th another southeaster set in with driving snow but the sea was down for a few hours and advantage was taken of this to steam round into Assizes Harbour, which affords good shelter. The entire time of our stay in Battle Harbour was a period of continuous anxiety and efforts to keep the ship from being driven ashore by the violent undertow which makes this harbour the worst on the Labrador coast when any sea is running.

During this time the Roosevelt was moored as follows: on the port bow our heaviest anchor and cable let go in the middle of the harbour, a heavy chain cable attached to a ring-bolt on shore, and a 4–inch line; on the port quarter two 6–inch manila hawsers and a ¾–inch diameter steel-wire cable; on the starboard bow our 1¼–inch light-house-test chain cable made fast to a projection of the solid ledge on shore, and two 4–inch manila lines; on the starboard side of the waist four 3½–inch lines; on the starboard quarter four 3½–inch lines, and a chain cable attached to a ring-bolt ashore.

With all these moorings the ship surged back and forth so violently as to break several of the smaller lines, tear out two of the ring-bolts let into the rocks, and break off the stock of our 2,200–pound anchor.

Bartlett’s unremitting efforts, however, kept her from going ashore. Each mooring as it parted was replaced by another in spite of every difficulty.

From Battle Harbour, the voyage was a series of head winds and sea and innumerable delays of one kind and another.

At early dawn of November 23d the Roosevelt steamed into Sydney harbour and dropped anchor, over four months and a half from Cape Sheridan.

This homeward voyage was the most wearing and annoying part of the entire expedition, compensated for, in part at least, by the return of every member of the expedition in as good or better condition than at starting and the return of the ship with injuries of but a temporary nature.

From Sydney, the ship as the weather permitted crept down the coast arriving in New York Harbour Christmas Eve.

The relations of the personnel of the party were particularly happy. Personally, I never spent a year in the Arctic regions so entirely free from the petty annoyances and friction which are usually a most disagreeable feature of an Arctic expedition. Captain Bartlett proved himself invaluable and was unsparing of himself in his efforts for the success of the expedition and the safety of the Roosevelt. Chief Engineer Wardwell, from the time of the failure of our water-tube boilers, two days out from Sydney, had a particularly trying and difficult time, and found the fullest scope for all his ingenuity and resources.

Dr. Wolf looked after the health of the expedition with unremitting care and skill and there was no serious illness. The Doctor also did his full share of the spring sledge work.

Mr. Marvin, while on board ship and during the winter hunting in the interior and throughout the spring and summer sledging campaigns assumed his full share of the work. Henson, and Percy, my steward, tried in years of Arctic experience, again proved their worth.

The officers and men were interested and willing. Mate Bartlett was in charge of the Roosevelt during the absence of Captain Bartlett and myself. Boatswain Murphy was of material assistance in the field. Two of the firemen, Clark of Massachusetts, and Ryan of Newfoundland, took an active part in the spring sledge work.

The Roosevelt was very effective even with her reduced power, forcing her way through the heaviest ice and apparently impassable places, and coming safely through experiences which I am satisfied no other ship afloat would have survived. Young ice, even of very considerable thickness, she trod under her with great facility, and under serious pressures she rose readily and easily.

As a sea boat she was equally satisfactory, lying to in the October North Atlantic gale off Resolution Island rudderless under double-reefed foresail, with all the ease and dryness of one of our best Banks fishing schooners. For this the fullest credit is due her builder, Captain Chas. B. Dix, who put his whole heart and years of experience into her construction.

The main results of the Expedition may be summarised as follows:

First.—The attainment of the “highest North” leaving a distance of but 174 nautical miles yet to be conquered this side of the Pole, narrowing the unknown area between my highest and Cagni’s to less than 381 miles, and throwing the major remaining unknown Arctic area into the region between the Pole and Bering Strait.

Second.—The determination of the existence of a distant new land northwest of the northwestern part of Grant Land, probably an island in the westerly extension of the North American archipelago.

Third.—The distinct widening of our horizon as regards ice and other conditions in the western half of the central Polar Sea.

Fourth.—The traversing and delineation of the unknown coast between Aldrich’s farthest west in 1876, and Sverdrup’s farthest north in 1902.

Fifth.—The determination of the unique glacial fringe and floeberg nursery of the Grant Land coast.

Tidal and meteorological observations have been made, soundings taken in the Smith Sound outlet of the Polar Sea, also along the north coast of Grant Land, and samples of the bottom secured; the existence of considerable numbers of the Arctic reindeer in the most northern lands determined; the range of the musk-ox widened and defined, a new comparative census of the Whale Sound Eskimos made, etc., etc.

It seems proper also to note that the result of the last Expedition of the Peary Arctic Club has been to simplify the attainment of the Pole fifty per cent.; to accentuate the fact that man and the Eskimo dog are the only two mechanisms capable of meeting all the various contingencies of serious Arctic work, and that the American route to the Pole and the methods and equipment used remain the most practicable for attaining that object.

Had the winter of 1905 to 1906 been a normal season in the Arctic regions and not, as it was, a particularly open one, there is not a member of the Expedition who doubts that we would have attained the Pole.

And had I known before leaving the land what actual conditions were to the northward, as I know now, I could have so modified my route and my disposition of sledges that I believe we could have reached the Pole even in spite of the open season.

Another expedition, following in my steps, and profiting by my experience, can not only attain the Pole, but can secure the other remaining principal desiderata in the central Arctic Sea, namely, a line of deep-sea soundings from the north shore of Grant Land to the Pole, and the delineation of the unknown gap in the northeast coast line of Greenland from Cape Morris Jesup southward to Cape Bismarck. This work can be accomplished by an expedition absent for the same length of time as the last one, and with a lesser expenditure.

It must be borne constantly in mind that the expedition which has accomplished this work, has been the expedition of the Peary Arctic Club, and that all results are due entirely to the generosity and public spirit of the members of that Club, and particularly to the unfailing interest and unflagging efforts of its President, Morris K. Jesup.