3 i8 THE CONQUEST OF THE NORTH POLE 



supporting party was sent back on the 15th in charge of 

 Dr. Goodsell, and on the following day Peary found it 

 necessary to send back Professor McMillan, who was 

 suffering from a badly frost-bitten foot. A sounding 

 taken at this camp gave a depth of 825 fathoms, so 

 that the Continental Shelf had now been passed. When 

 latitude 85° 23' had been reached, the second supporting 

 party, commanded by Borup, turned back. The advance 

 party had now been reduced to 20 men, 10 sledges, and 

 70 dogs. Leads were frequently met, but good marches 

 were made daily. The third supporting party returned 

 from latitude 86° 38' with Professor Marvin in command. 

 This reduced the advance division to 9 men, 7 sledges, 

 and 60 dogs. The character of the ice was now favour- 

 able for long marches, but still there was danger from 

 open leads. At the end of the second day's march 

 progress was stopped by open water, and during the 

 night the party found themselves in imminent danger. 

 The ice had broken Bartlett's igloo adrift, and others 

 were threatening to follow suit. It was with great diffi- 

 culty that the party managed to save themselves and the 

 dogs. There was considerable commotion in the ice during 

 the remainder of the night and the whole of the next 

 day. The ice then closed together and allowed the party 

 to proceed. North of this point the surface improved, 

 and consisted mostly of heavy old floes covered with hard 

 snow and comparatively level. From latitude 87° 48 

 the fourth and last supporting party, commanded by 

 Bartlett, turned back. 



Peary had now with him his servant Henson, who had 

 been his faithful companion on nearly all his journeys ; 

 Ootam, who had been with him when he made his record 

 three years before; two of the Eskimo who had been 

 with Clark when they narrowly escaped death from 

 starvation ; and a fifth man was a young Eskimo who 



