SIDE-LIGHTS ON THE PEARY EXPEDITION 73 



"The worst jar I ever had was when 'Mac' was shot. The 

 bullet smashed through two partitions, missed one man's head by 

 two feet, passed two feet over the mate, who was lying on his side 

 on the partition, two feet over my head on the other side, and 

 smashed poor 'Mac' all to hell. I heard the report in my sleep. 

 Poor 'Mac,' saying: 'My God, he has got me,' jumped out of bed, 

 too. I saw him hanging on to one arm while blood was everywhere. 

 Quoth he: 'Gee! this is worse than being wakened by an alarm 

 clock.' Maybe he isn't sandy. He is nearly well now, thank God." 



The shooting here referred to came about in the following way : 

 Peary had ordered one of the crew to clean a rifle that had been 

 used in the walrus hunting a week before. MacMillan was asleep 

 at the time in his bunk on the port side of the ship, two rooms 

 removed from that in which the gun was being cleaned. He slept 

 on his right side with his left arm thrown over his head. 



In ejecting a loaded shell from the rifle the man cleaning it 

 accidentally exploded the shell. The bullet passed through the pine 

 partition a few inches over the head of the man who was sleeping 

 in the next room, went on through the room and the further parti- 

 tion and struck MacMillan's left forearm, where it lay thrown across 

 his face. It tore the flesh from the arm to the wrist, which it pene- 

 trated ; thence it passed through his right shoulder and then through 

 the finger of his left hand, which was clasping the shoulder. 



When Dr. Goodsell examined MacMillan's wound he found 

 that extraordinary luck had shielded the Worcester Academy pro- 

 fessor. Not a bone was broken and no arteries were severed. 



"Your letters, clipping, and rifle received from the 'Jeanie' 

 August 23d. Many thanks. They were great. Also whaler's mail 

 left by Adams, of the 'Morning Star,' two days later. It was bully 

 of you to think of getting so much up to me, especially Mickleson 

 and Amundsen, also letters from my friends." 



The "Jeanie" here spoken of was the relief ship sent north for 

 Cook, also to bring back the young sportsman, Whitney. 



