PEARY'S EXPEDITION (1906) 315 



which did considerable damage. It was not floated again 

 until the following summer, and this position perforce 

 became headquarters. The winter proved much milder 

 than that which the Alert experienced in the same region. 



During October many of the dogs died, and it was 

 found that the cause of the trouble was cured whale-meat, 

 several tons of which had to be thrown away. To make 

 good this loss, many musk-oxen were obtained in the 

 Lake Hazen district and along the slopes of the United 

 States Range. 



At the end of February 1906, Peary started on a 

 sledge-journey with the object of reaching the Pole. 

 In three marches he reached Cape Hecla, where his whole 

 party assembled. From here he advanced over the pack- 

 ice with one main and several supporting parties. Open 

 leads and rough ice made progress slow, and a consider- 

 able portion of the track had to be cut with pickaxes. 

 At latitude 84° 38' a broad lead extending east and west 

 as far as it could be seen completely barred the way. 

 After a delay of six days, Peary's party managed to cross 

 on young ice which bent beneath their weight. Three 

 days later a gale began to blow, and lasted six days. 

 The ice was broken up, and Peary and Henson were 

 driven 70 miles to the eastward on a large floe. Peary 

 could now receive no aid from his supporting parties, and 

 he decided to make a dash northwards. His party now 

 numbered eight. Everything was abandoned that was 

 not absolutely necessary, and every energy was bent on 

 establishing a record. The character of the ice was now 

 much better than farther south, but cracks and narrow 

 leads increased. By forced marches Peary reached 87° 6' 

 on 21st April. By this time his sledges were nearly 

 empty, and the ice was still in motion towards the 

 east. He was therefore compelled to start on the return 

 journey. 



