26 THE NORTH POLE 



the river craft. At Blackwell's Island many of the 

 inmates were out in force to wave us their good-bys, 

 and their farewells were not the less appreciated because 

 given by men whom society had placed under restraint 

 for society's good. Anyhow, they wished us well. 

 I hope they are all enjoying liberty now, and, what is 

 better, deserving it. Near Fort Totten we passed 

 President Roosevelt's naval yacht, the Mayflower, 

 and her small gun roared out a parting salute, while 

 the officers and men waved and cheered. Surely no 

 ship ever started for the end of the earth with more 

 heart-stirring farewells than those which followed the 

 Roosevelt. 



Just before we reached the Stepping Stone Light, 

 Mrs. Peary, the members and guests of the Peary 

 Arctic Club, and myself were transferred to the tug 

 Narkeeta and returned to New York. The ship went on 

 to Oyster Bay, Long Island, the summer home of 

 President Roosevelt, where Mrs. Peary and I were to 

 lunch with the President and Mrs. Roosevelt the fol- 

 lowing day. 



Theodore Roosevelt is to me the most intensely 

 vital man, and the biggest man, America has ever 

 produced. He has that vibrant energy and enthu- 

 siasm which is the basis of all real power and 

 accomplishment. When it came to christening the 

 ship by whose aid it was hoped to fight our way 

 toward the most inaccessible spot on earth, the name 

 of Roosevelt seemed to be the one and inevitable 

 choice. It held up as ideals before the expedition 

 those very qualities of strength, insistence, persistence, 

 and triumph over obstacles, which have made the 



