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1891.] Geography and Travel. 649 
General Notes. 
GEOGRAPHY AND TRAVEL. 
The Peary Exploring Expeditions for Greenland and the 
Survey of Unexplored Regions of the Arctic Circle.—An 
expedition that promises to the promoters and to science generally 
discoveries and result of interesting import now takes the name of the 
North Greenland Exploring Expedition. It has been fitted out by an 
experienced investigator, Lieutenant Robert E. Peary, who is a civil 
engineer, serving in the navy with the rank of lieutenant, and for the 
past two years stationed at the League Island Navy Yard, Philadelphia. 
He has obtained a long leave of absence in order to command this 
enterprise, which he has personally projected and arranged, contributing 
largely to the necessary expenses. His former experience in the far 
north fit him thoroughly for his work. Five years ago he penetrated 
far into Greenland with a companion, and obtained a knowledge 
that is the basis of his present project of reaching and exploring the 
most northeasterly promontory of Greenland, and, if the conjectures 
of the existence of a polar open sea be well founded, to secure all the 
information obtainable about that ocean. 
Among the first to see the promise of Lieutenant Peary’s project 
were the members of the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences. 
This institution not only extended sympathy and support, but organized 
a special auxiliary corps, with this personnel: Professor Angelo Heil- 
prin, Curator-in-Charge of the Academy, will be the geologist and 
leader of the party ; Professor Benjamin Sharp, M.D., Ph.D., also of 
the Academy, will be the zoologist ; Professor J. F. Holt, Professor of 
Natural History at the Philadelphia High School, also zoologist; Dr. 
William T. Hughes, ornithologist ; Mr. Frazer Ashhurst ; Dr. Robert 
M. Keely, assistant ophthalmologist at the Jefferson Medical College, 
Philadelphia, surgeon; Dr. William H. Burk, botanist; Levi W. 
Mengel, Ph.G., of Reading, Pa., entomologist ; and Alexander C. 
Kenealy, journalist. 
For the voyage a diminutive but staunch steam yacht, called the 
“ Kite,” has been secured. She was built expressly for sealing trips. 
and has buffeted the ice-floes of Norway for nearly eighteen yea , 
and although perfectly sound, has been strengthened and put in orc: 
