
650 The American Naturalist. [July, 
for the proposed heavy work, and supplied with every means that 
experience can suggest to fit her for the work. 
The dimensions of the ‘‘Kite’’ are 117.6 feet long over all, 26.4 
feet beam, and 14 feet hold. Her tonnage is 280 gross and 190 net. 
The engine is a vertical one of fifty-horse power, placed well aft, soas 
to give the propeller a short crank shaft, and thus lessen any liability 
to breakage. The propeller can be triced up and the rudder unshipped 
in thick ice. Her speed is from seven and one- -half to nine knots. 
Her bow and sides are well protected with heavy pieces of iron and 
dovetailed blocks of wood. 
The vessel will be commanded by Captain Richard Pike, who went 
with Lieutenant Greely in 1881, and was also one of the Greely rescue 
party in 1883. His crew will consist of chief mate, Edward Tracy ; 
boatswain, Patrick Dunphy; chief engineer, William Jardine ; second 
engineer, Alexander McKinley ; steward, Lawrence Hackett ; assistant 
steward, Patrick Welsh; cook, Thomas Pepper; firemen, Andrew 
Roost, Edward Crook, and John Cunningham, and able seamen, 
Thomas Collins, John Cummings, Timothy Looney, and John Verge. 
McKinley is from Glasgow, and Pepper from London. The others 
are Newfoundland seal fishermen. 
Lieutenant Peary will be accompanied by his wife aiid five hardy 
seamen who have experienced the rigor of polar winter weather, and 
they are to stick to him in all his operations and movements. So the 
entire ship’s company will consist of thirty persons. There will also 
be four large Newfoundland dogs on board. 
The ‘‘ Kite ”’ sailed from New York, in June last, direct to Ivigtut, a 
cealing station at the southernmost point of Greenland, just back of 
Cape Farewell. From thence the ‘‘ Kite ’’ will proceed to Upernavik, 
on the northwestern coast, in latitude 73°. This is the northernmost 
Danish settlement of Greenland. From Upernavik the ‘‘ Kite” will 
break her way through the ice across Melville Bay, around Cape York 
to Whale Sound, where Lieutenant Peary, his party, and all their sup- 
plies will be landed. 
It is expected that it will take a month to reach Whale Sound, where 
a house will be built for Lieutenant Peary and his wife, who will 
accompany him on his long journey. At this point the North Green- 
land and the West Greenland parties will separate. The North 
Greenland expedition will start out and establish provision stations 
to the northward and eastward. About a year will be consumed 
in making these preparations, and it is not expected that the 
actual business of that part of the expedition will be begun until the 


