FIELD WORK OF THE PEARY ARCTIC CLUB, 1898-1902. 447 



The fog kept compai^y with us on our return ahiiost continuously 

 until we had passed Lockwood Island, but, as we had a trail to follow, 

 did not delay us so much as the several inches of heavy snow that fell 

 in a furious arctic blizzard, which came rushing in from the polar 

 basin and imprisoned us for two daj's at Cape Bridgman, 



At Cape Morris K. Jesup, the northern extremity, I erected a 

 prominent cairn, in which I deposited the following record: 



Copy of Record ix North Cairn. 



May 13, 1900— b a. m. — Have just reached here from Etah via Fort Conger. Left 

 Etah March 4. Left Conger April 15. Havewith me my man, Henson; an Eskimo, 

 Ahngmalokto; 16 dogs, and 3 sledges; all in fair condition. Proceed to-day due 

 north (true) over sea ice. Fine weather. I am doing this work under the auspices 

 of, and with funds furnished by, the Peary Arctic Club of New York City. 



The membership of this club comjirises Morris K. Jesup, Henry W. Cannon, 

 Herbert L. Bridgman, John H. Flagler, E. C. Benedict, Fredk. E. Hyde, E. W. Bliss, 

 H. H. Sands, J. M. Constable, C. F. Wyckoff, E. .G. Wyckoff, Chas.'p. Daly, Henry 

 Parish, A. A. Raven, E. B. Thomas, and others. 



(Signed) R. E. Peary, 



Civil Engineer, U. S. N. 



May 17. — "Have returned to this point. Reached 83° 50^ north latitude due north 

 of here. Stopped by extremely rough ice intersected by wajter cracks. Water sky 

 to north. Am now going east along the coast. Fine weather." 



May 26. — "Have again returned to this place. Reached point on east coast about 

 north latitude 83°. Open water all along the coast a few miles off. No land seen' 

 to north or east. Last seven days continuous fogs, wind, and snow. Is now snow- 

 ing, with strong w'esterly wind. Temperature 20° F. Ten musk oxen killed east of 

 here. Expect to start for Conger to-morrow." 



At Cape Washington, also, I placed a copy of Lockwood's rec- 

 ord, from the cairn at Lockwood Island, with the following indorse- 

 ment: 



This copy of the record left liy Lieut. J. B. Lockwood and Sergt. (now colonel) 

 D. L. Brainard, U. S. Army, in the cairn on Lockwood Island, southwest of here, 

 May 16, 1882, is to-daj' placed by me in this cairn on the farthest land seen by them, 

 as a tribute to two l)rave men, one of whom gave his life for his Arctic work. 



May 29. — For a few minutes on one of the marches the fog lifted, 

 giving us a magnificent panorama of the north coast mountains. 

 Very somber and savage they looked, towering white as marble with 

 the newly fallen snow, under their low threatening canop}" of lead- 

 colored clouds. Two herds of musk oxen were passed — one of 15 

 and one of 18 — and two or three stragglers. Four of these were 

 shot for dog food, and the skin of one, killed within less than a mile 

 of the extreme northern point, has been brought back as a trophy for 

 the club. 



Once free of the fog oft" Mary ]\Iurray Island we made rapid prog- 

 ress, reaching Cape North in four marches from Cape Washington. 



