PEARY AS A LEADER 



111 



Photograph by Donald B. MacMillan 



E-TOOKA-SHOO FINDING, AT CAPE ISABELLA, IN APRIL, 1917, THE MAIL LEFT BY 



SIR ALLEN YOUNG, OF THE "PANDORA," FOR THE BRITISH 



NORTH POLE EXPEDITION OF l8yS~'7^ 



The packet contained two letters for Captain Nares, of the Alert, and one letter for Captain 



Stephenson, of the Discovery. 



a master mechanic, physically strong, 

 most popular with the Eskimos, talking 

 the language like a native, clean full of 

 grit, he went to the Pole with Peary be- 

 cause he was easily the most efficient of 

 all Peary's assistants (see page 304). 



UNREASONABLE DOUBT CAUSED BY .PEARY'S 

 SPEED 



Weeks later the little band of six re- 

 turned, clearly revealing the terrible 



strain and anxiety during that rapid 

 dash to land over ice fields which threat- 

 ened to be rent asunder by the high tides 

 of the approaching full moon. In fact, 

 the work was too well done, as many a 

 doubt as to Peary's achievement was 

 based upon the time of his return. 



During the days of that most unfortu- 

 nate controversy enough consideration 

 was not given by the public to the fol- 

 lowing all-important facts : 



