ch. xl] A ttempts to reach the North Pole 
353 
The Arctic Highlanders, whose sledges and dogs and 
skill as drivers enabled Peary to make his journeys, 
deserve the greatest credit. All explorers speak warmly 
of their generosity, their hospitality and trustworthiness, 
as well as of their prowess in hunting. Such praise is 
well deserved 1 . Kane, who has given the best account 
of the Arctic Highlanders, was indebted to them for 
much kind assistance, and Allen Young bore similar 
testimony. 
Peary, who was a man of exceptional perseverance 
and indomitable energy, was well backed financially, 
and was able to proceed to his third attempt on the Pole 
in a well-found steamer. The most northern accessible 
coast — the north coast of Ellesmere Island — is of course 
the best point of departure. Great ranges of pressed-up 
hummocks and open lanes of water were to be expected, 
with the danger of being drifted with the pack. Both 
Nansen and Cagni provided themselves with kayaks, and 
M'Clintock was always prepared for the necessity of 
having to cross water. Peary, however, appears to have 
made no such provision. He reported having reached 
87 0 N. in 1906, but he was in great danger from inability 
to cross the open lanes of water, and from miscalcula- 
tions. He returned with the intention of making another 
attempt. 
He was preceded by a similar attempt, made with 
much smaller means, by his former colleague Dr Cook. 
In July 1907 a schooner yacht belonging to a Mr Bradley 
arrived at Etah, near the entrance to Smith Sound. 
Stores were landed at Anoatok, 25 miles from Etah, 
and Mr Bradley departed, leaving Dr Cook and Mr 
Rudolf Francke at Anoatok, where they built a house 
of packing-cases with a roof of shingles. Dr Cook had 
been ethnologist in Peary's first expedition and had 
acquired the Eskimo language as spoken by the Arctic 
Highlanders. He had also served in the Belgian Antarctic 
expedition. 
Anoatok, which lies in lat. 78 0 20' N., is the most 
northern settlement of the Arctic Highlanders, and here 
1 The writer was shipmate with one of them for more than a year, 
and there could not be a better disposed lad or a more reliable comrade 
when travelling. 
M. I. 
23 
