PEARY'S EXPEDITION (1901) ' 313 



The return journey was begun on the 22nd May, and 

 Cape Morris Jesup was passed on the 26th. They 

 reached Fort Conger on 10th June. 



The most northern point of the land to the north of 

 Greenland had now been determined, and Peary arrived 

 at the conclusion that it was not a favourable one from 

 which to reach the Pole. The ice was very much broken, 

 and there was a comparatively rapid motion towards the 

 East Greenland current. 



Peary now decided to winter at Fort Conger and 

 make another attempt on the Pole, starting from 

 Cape Hecla, on the north coast of Grant Land. 

 During the autumn no fewer than 101 musk-oxen were 

 killed. 



On the 5th April 1901, Peary left Fort Conger with 

 Henson, one Eskimo, two sledges, and twelve dogs for 

 his northern trip. A few days after starting, he found 

 that the condition of the party and of the dogs was 

 such that he could not hope, for success, and he therefore 

 returned to Fort Conger. 



On 17th April he started for the south with his entire 

 party, and found the Windward at Payer Harbour on 

 6th May. He soon commenced to form new caches along 

 the coast towards Conger ; and in July no fewer than 

 128 walruses were killed for do«;-food. 



The winter of 1901-2 was passed at Payer Harbour, 

 where six of the Eskimo died. On the 3rd March 1902, 

 Henson was sent north in charge of six sledges, and on 

 6th March, Peary followed with seventeen sledges. The 

 temperature was from 43° to 49° F. below zero. The 

 distance of 300 miles to Fort Conger was covered in 

 twelve marches. 



On the 24th March 1902, Peary started north from 

 Fort Conger with nine sledges for Cape Hecla. Finding 

 deep snow near Cape Joseph Henry, Peary preferred to 



