56 THE STORY OF PEARY'S GREAT EXPLOIT 



Despite Peary's wish to start much farther west than on his 

 former excursion, he seems to have been obliged to accept nearly 

 the same starting point as before. But he may have overcome this 

 by heading northwestward over the sea-ice until a considerably 

 more westward longitude was reached before heading due north. 

 The party which left the "Roosevelt" for the final journey consisted 

 of seven white men, over fifty Eskimos, twenty-three sledges and 

 one hundred and forty dogs. 



The end of February arrived and the time for the final great 

 dash was at hand. What might lie before them no one could tell. 

 There might be wide leads, or stretches of open water, such as were 

 encountered in former polar journeys, and long lines of ridged and 

 jagged ice were sure to be encountered, which it would be necessary 

 to climb over or cut pathways through. It was all a problem, as is 

 always the case in Arctic travel. Fortunately for the explorers, on 

 this occasion the ice conditions proved unusually favorable and 

 remarkably rapid progress was made. 



The plan adopted was to send forward successive detachments, 

 following each other at fixed intervals, and each turning back after a 

 certain northing was reached, Peary's own detachment being left 

 for the final dash to the Pole. This plan was adhered to through- 

 out, Bartlett taking the lead with the pioneer party on February 

 27th and the others following in due succession. 



The dreaded troubles soon developed, several sledges being 

 ruined by the rough ice in the first march, while open water soon 

 added its quota to the difficulties. The worst of the open water 

 leads was encountered on March 4th, this being almost a lake of 

 dark, threatening water stretching far to east and west and holding 

 the travelers unwilling captives for a full week. During this week 

 the sun lifted its round, red face above the horizon, to the joy of the 

 explorers, this being the first time they had seen it for more than 

 five months. 



During the weary waiting at the lead there was anxiety con- 



