1 62 PEARY'S FARTHEST NORTH OF 1905-6 



delay caused by a big lead and the misadventure of a six-day's gale, 

 which rendered all their careful preparations of no avail and in the 

 end brought the leading party into a position of the most critical 

 danger. 



On February 28th the first party set out, following the ice to 

 Cape Moss, about twenty miles west of Cape Hecla. From this 

 point the northward journey began, the separate divisions following 

 each other on successive days. Trouble with leads and moving ice 

 was soon encountered, while the ice between the leads was often so 

 rough that much of the trail had to be cut with pickaxes, progress 

 in consequence being slow. 



At eighty miles from land the ice surface grew much better, 

 but the leads came oftener and were wider. The worst of them was 

 met at 84 degrees 38 minutes north latitude, where Peary came upon 

 all of the advance parties, those led by Bartlett, Henson and Clark, 

 huddled together on the margin of a big and impassable lead, stretch- 

 ing so far to the east and west that they were unable to go round it 

 at the ends. 



The situation was an ugly one. Bartlett and Clark were sent 

 back for more supplies, while Peary and Henson waited for an 

 opportunity to cross the water lane. At this time three of the supply 

 parties, those of Marvin, Wolf and Ryan, were bound outward from 

 land on their second trip as food carriers. 



For six long days the impatient voyagers waited beside the 

 great lead, now two miles wide. Then young ice crossed the interval 

 and they ventured across with half loads, the ice bending under the 

 weight. The opposite side reached, Henson and his party at once 

 hastened forward, Peary waiting for a day to make a cache and 

 leave instructions for the supporting parties when they should arrive. 



When the Commander next set out the weather was so thick 

 that he had much ado in following Henson's path, but finally reached 

 him, after three days' marches, at latitude 85 degrees 12 minutes, 

 camped in a dense fog. A gale succeeded, snow flurries accompany- 



