58 THE STORY OF PEARY'S GREAT EXPLOIT 



As he neared the Pole, Peary declares, the going got better and 

 better and the temperature rose. This is not surprising, for tern- 

 perature, as one goes farther north, often rises considerably for a 

 time and conditions are less severe on the body. This, however, 

 cannot be depended upon, for without warning the thermometer will 

 shoot downward again. 



The Pole was finally attained on April 6th, and Peary's exult- 

 ant words about his arrival at that goal make one's blood tingle as 

 he reads them. He must have acted like a school boy in his delight. 

 In his journal he wrote exultantly: "The Pole at last! The prize 

 of three centuries, my dream and goal for thirty years ; mine at last ! 

 I cannot bring myself to realize it." His movements after reaching 

 the Pole, in going ten miles back of his camp and eight miles to the 

 right of it, making observations all the time, were advisable and show 

 his determination not to make any mistake about his discovery. It 

 isn't likely that he could be certain that he stood on the exact center 

 of the earth's axis, but by going off at various angles and using his 

 sextant, he could come very near locating it. 



What enjoyment it must have been for him to take photographs, 

 as he says he did, at the earth's summit ! For thirty hours, he states, 

 he took observations, planted flags and studied the horizon. On the 

 afternoon of the following day he set out on the return trip to Cape 

 Columbia. 



Matt Henson, who, as stated, formed one of the party, gives 

 his story of the triumph in the following words : 



"We arrived at the Pole just before noon on April 6th, the 

 party consisting of the Commander, myself, four Eskimos, and 

 thirty-six dogs, divided into two detachments equal in number and 

 headed respectively by Commander Peary and myself. We had left 

 the last supporting party at 87 degrees 53 minutes, where we sepa- 

 rated from Captain Bartlett, who was photographed by the Com- 

 mander. Captain Bartlett regretted that he did not have a British 

 flag to erect on the ice at this spot, so that the photograph might 



