356 NEAREST THE POLE 



that the prospects were none too favourable and dis- 

 cussion did not seem to appreciably clear the situa- 

 tion. 



Mr. Jesup was as deeply interested as I, and was not 

 only willing but anxious to do everything in his power 

 to put the matter through, but he hesitated at assum- 

 ing too much responsibility because, as he frankly told 

 me, he did not feel, much as he wished to, that he could 

 properly assume the entire burden of the expedition. 



Finally Captain Dix said that he would order the 

 timber for the building of the Roosevelt on his own 

 responsibility; that he believed the money would be 

 raised, and that if it were not, he would assume what- 

 ever loss might result from his action. His 

 statement was like a ray of sunlight both to Mr. Jesup 

 and myself, for it brought out clearly the fact that 

 there was something in the project which appealed 

 irresistibly to business men of big ideas. 



The next scene which I recall most distinctly was in 

 another beautiful villa in Vermont, commanding miles 

 and miles of beautiful country and with a regal moun- 

 tain and forest domain back of it. It was just before 

 the ist of August, the date on which the $50,000 must 

 be subscribed to insure the signing of the contract for 

 the construction of the ship. The total still fell several 

 thousands short of that amount. Mr. Colgate had 

 already promised a generous check with an intimation 

 that he might increase it if it were necessary. 



At this meeting there were but three: Mr. Colgate, 

 Judge Darling, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and 

 myself. The situation was presented to Mr. Colgate, 

 and with characteristic promptitude and generosity 



