282 PEARY WELCOMED HOME 



When the train arrived the commander was escorted to the stand by Mayor 

 Redington. The school children, each carrying an American flag, were banked 

 about the stand, with the guardsmen around them. As Peary mounted the 

 stand the children cheered and waved their flags. Several thousand persons 

 joined in the cheering. 



Captain Robert Bartlett, who piloted the Roosevelt through the frozen 

 North, told at Sydney how Commander Peary turned him back from the pole. 

 He said : 



"I really didn't think I would have to go back until I had reached the eighty- 

 eighth parallel. The commander then said I must go back — that he had decided 

 to take Matt Henson. 



"I — well, it was a bitter disappointment. I got up early the next morning 

 while the rest were asleep and started north alone. I don't know, perhaps I 

 cried a little. I guess, perhaps, I was just a little crazy then. I thought that 

 perhaps 1 could walk on the rest of the way alone. I seemed so near. 



"Here I had come thousands of miles, and it was only a little over a hun- 

 dred more to the pole. 



"Commander Peary figured on five marches more, and it seemed as if I 

 could make it alone, even if I didn't have any dogs or food or anything. 



"I felt so strong I went along for five miles or so, and then I came to my 

 senses and knew I must go back. 



"They were up at the camp then and getting ready to start. Never mind 

 whether there were any words or not. I told the commander if I was going to 

 be any hindrance and perhaps make a failure out of it I would turn around 

 and go back. He said I must go, so I had to do it. But my mind had been set 

 on it for so long I had rather die than give it up then. 



"When I started on the back trail I couldn't believe it was really true at 

 first, and I kind of went on in a daze. I can tell you every lead we crossed 

 and just how far we went on every march and all about the ice on the trip up, 

 but as I thought of it afterward I could not remember anything about coming 

 back until I got to the ship. Then I heard of poor Marvin, and almost envied 

 him. But that distracted my mind until the boss returned, and then I was busy 

 getting the Roosevelt through the ice." 



