PEARY'S EXPEDITION (1908) 317 



At Etah the Roosevelt was beached four days for 

 repairs. Again the journey was resumed, but severe 

 storms were encountered, and it was not till 13th October 

 that the vessel reached Hebron, Labrador. 



On 6th July 1908 the Roosevelt left New York to 

 carry Commander Peary and his party once more to the 

 Arctic regions. The necessary repairs to the ship had 

 not been finished in time for an expedition in 1907. 

 Sydney, Nova Scotia, was left on 17th July, and Etah on 

 18th August. The usual course was taken across Smith 

 Sound to Cape Sabine, and then northward. Eog and ice 

 were soon encountered, but the Roosevelt slowly worked 

 her way north as far as Lincoln Bay, where she had to 

 shelter several days. On 2nd September Cape Union 

 was passed, and on the 5th of this month the Roosevelt 

 went into winter quarters near Cape Sheridan — a little 

 north of the position of three years before. 



Commander Peary had decided to set out on his final 

 attempt to reach the Pole from Cape Columbia. The 

 winter was occupied in transporting supplies to this 

 point. 



On 15th February 1909 the first of the sledges left 

 the Roosevelt, and Peary brought up the rear on 22nd 

 February. The total of all divisions was 7 men of Peary's 

 party, 59 Eskimo, 140 dogs, and 23 sledges. A start 

 was made over the ice from Cape Columbia on 1st March. 

 Bartlett had been sent on ahead to make a trail. From 

 this point the party consisted of 17 Eskimo, 133 dogs, 

 and 19 sledges, in addition to the 7 men in command. 

 On the first day's march 10 miles were covered, and on 

 the second the record made by Markham in 1876 was 

 passed. A wide lake of open water was encountered on 

 4th March, and here the party were delayed till the 11th. 

 A sounding taken here gave 110 fathoms. On the 14th 

 the temperature registered minus 59° F. The first 



