PEARY AS A LEADER 



309 



Photograph by Donald B. MacMillan 

 SHOO-E-GIXG-WA, A LITTLE ESKIMO GIRL OE ETAH, AGED SEVEN 

 The Eskimo puppy-dogs are the common playthings of the Smith Sound children. 



was within striking distance of the Pole 

 and selfsupporting for the five hundred 

 miles of the return trip was the work- 

 assigned to the so-called supporting par- 

 ties under the command of Henson, Bart- 

 lett, Marvin, Borup, Goodsell, and my- 

 self. 



Every five days a white man and his 

 Eskimos were to return to land with an 

 amount of food equal to one-half con- 

 sumed in the outward trip, with orders 

 to double march, and if held up by open 

 water to eat the dogs. The work of this 

 division was done ; it was no longer 

 needed in a task where one's life might 

 depend upon ounces, not pounds ; where 



every additional particle of food is a 

 synonym for miles of travel, and where 

 the last ounce might mean the last mile 

 and success in one's life-work. 



AN INSTANCE OF HEROIC SACRIFICE 



In general, the American people have 

 minimized the dangers of travel on the 

 Polar Sea and have overestimated the 

 narrow margin of safety of even a small 

 party five hundred miles from land. 



The presence of one man not absolutely 

 needed in the work endangers the lives 

 of all, for that man must be fed and must 

 receive an equal amount of the last bite. 



Do you remember the brave Oates, of 



