CHAPTER XIII 



PEARY'S EXPEDITIONS (1886-1909) 



Commander R. E. Peary is the most persevering and the 

 most daring of all Arctic explorers. He tells how he 

 was induced to take an active interest in Arctic explora- 

 tion. An old book-store in Washington was a favourite 

 haunt of his, and one evening he there came across a 

 paper on the Inland Ice of Greenland, and found the 

 subject so interesting that he followed it up. He con- 

 sulted various authorities, but found very conflicting 

 statements. He therefore determined to visit Greenland 

 and investigate the matter himself. He was then a 

 lieutenant in the United States Navy. 



The Navy Department having granted his application 

 for leave, he made the necessary arrangements, and left 

 Sydney on the steam-whaler Eagle in May 1886. 



Arriving at Godhavn on 6th June, he left the whaler, 

 and made preparations to explore the Inland Ice from the 

 neighbourhood of Disco Bay. He was delayed two weeks 

 at Godhavn bv the ice before he could embark for Riten- 

 benk, at the head of the bay. 



On the 23rd June he left Ritenbenk with Christian 

 Maigaard, who was Assistant-Governor there, and eight 

 natives, and made for Pakitsok Fiord. The head of the 

 fiord was reached on the 25th, and on the 28th every- 

 thing had been carried up to the ice-cap. 



Peary's sledging equipment had been made under his 



27s 



