FIELD WORK OF THE PEARY ARCTIC CLUB, 1898-1902. 451 



mouth of Buchanan Bay, and build an igloo abreast of Cape Albert. 

 On the 12th I sent two of my best hunters on a flying- reconnoissance 

 and bear hunt in the direction of Cape Louis Napoleon. 



On the 13th 8 sledges went out, taking dog food nearly to Cape 

 D'Urville. On the 16th my two scouts returned with a favorable 

 report, and on the 18th 10 sledges went out loaded with dog food to 

 l)e taken to Cape Louis Napoleon. This party returned on the 22d. 



On the evening of the 28th everything was in readiness for Henson 

 to start the next day, it being my intention to send him on ahead with 

 three picked men and light loads to pioneer the way to Conger, I to 

 follow a few da3's later with the main party. 



A northerly gale delayed his departure until the morning of March 

 3, when he got away with 6 sledges and some 50 dogs. Two of these 

 sledges were to act as a supporting party as far as Cape Lawrence. 



At 9 a. m. of March 0, 14 sledges trailed out of Pa3^er Harbor and 

 rounded Cape Sabine for the northern journe}', and at noon I followed 

 them with ni}- big sledge, the "Long Serpent," drawn by a team of 10 

 fine grays. Two more sledges accompanied me. The temperature 

 at the time was —20° F. The minimum of the previous night had 

 been -38^ F. 



We joined the others at the igloos abreast of Cape Albert, and 

 camped there for the night. Temperature —43-^ F. 



The next da}' we made Cape D'Urville in temperature from —45° 

 to -49- F. 



Here I stopped a day to dr}- our foot gear thoroughly, and left on 

 the morning of the 9th with some supplies from the box house. Two 

 sledges returned from here. Camped about 5 miles from Cape Louis 

 Napoleon. The next march carried me to Cape Fraser. and the next 

 to Cape Collinson. During this march, for the first time in the four 

 seasons that I have been over this route, I was able to take a nearly 

 direct course across the mouth of Scoresby Ba}'. instead of making a 

 long detour into it. 



One march from Cape Collinson carried me to Cape Lawrence, on 

 the north side of Rawlings Bay. 



The crossing of this bay, though more direct than usual, was over 

 extrerael}' rough ice. Learning from Henson's letter at Cape Law- 

 rence that I had gained a day on him, and not wanting to overtake him 

 before reaching Conger, 1 remained here a day, repairing several 

 sledges which had been damaged in the last march. Five men, with 

 the worst sledges and poorest dogs, returned from here. 



Three more marches took us to Cape von Buch, on the north side 

 of Carl Ritter Bay, temperature ranging from —35- to — 45° F. 

 Heavy going in many places. 



Two more marches carried us to the first coast valley north of 

 Cape Defosse. I had now gained two days on the advanc'e party. 



