116 PEARY'S FINAL DASH 



saw land they offered up strange prayers of thankfulness to their gods, and 

 then, with their chief, turned in for solid rest. 



All slept the sleep of the dead for the most of two days, occasionally waking 

 and giving the time to drying their clothing. After repairing their ice- 

 damaged sledges and giving the long-suffering dogs a thorough rest they 

 resumed their journey and reached the ship Roosevelt, April 27. 



How the crew of the Roosevelt cheered when they spied their gallant 

 chief coming over the ice-fields with his caravan. One shout, "We got to the 

 pole," and all knew that the hope of all was a reality. 



It was not until Peary reached his ship that he learned of Marvin's fate. 

 The story of the professor's death was obtained from one of the Eskimos. 

 April 10 Marvin was forty-five miles from Cape Columbia. He started out 

 that morning walking ahead. The Eskimos were delayed in packing the 

 sledges, a fact that permitted Marvin to get a good start on them. When 

 the Eskimos arrived at an open lead they noticed that the young ice was 

 broken about twenty-five yards out and they saw what looked like a man's 

 body floating in the center of the lead. 



Owing to the treacherous condition of the ice the Eskimos could not 

 venture out. They returned to the Roosevelt and reported. Captain Bart- 

 lett then went back to the point they designated and recovered Prof. Marvin's 

 spare boots, clothing and personal belongings, which were still on the ice 

 where the Eskimos had left them. The superstitions of their race prevented 

 the natives from bringing the dead man's effects with them. Prof. Marvin's 

 records and observations were saved. 



One of Peary's first acts on reaching civilization was to telegraph -to L. C. 

 -Beamont, of Ithaca, N. Y,, who was a member of the Peary relief expedition 

 of 1 90 1, as follows: 



"Break news of Marvin's death to his mother immediately before she sees 

 it in the papers. Drowned April 10, forty-five miles north of Cape Columbia 

 while returning from 86.39 north latitude. Great loss to me and to the expedi- 

 tion. Every member sends deepest sympathy. PEARY." 



Through friends in Elmira, N. Y., where Marvin's aged mother lived the 

 message was conveyed to her. A movement had been started to give Mr. 

 Marvin a great welcome on his return from the north and the members of 

 the family were planning a celebration on his homecoming. 



Ross Marvin was born Jan. 28, 1880. He graduated from the high school 

 in Elmira, won a scholarship to Cornell university and worked his way through 



