356 A rctic and A nt arctic Exploration [part i 
to fix the position of the continental shelf should be 
taken. Tidal observations had already been taken and 
discussed by the Alert and the Discovery. The Roosevelt 
observations also included 29 days at Cape Aldrich. 
The continental shelf with a depth of 100 fathoms extends 
for about 46 miles from the land. In latitude 85 0 23' N. 
the sounding was only 310 fathoms. 
The distance from Cape Colombia to the Pole and 
back is 826 miles, a distance which had been greatly 
exceeded in the sledge journeys of the British officers 
of the Franklin search expeditions. MXlintock made 
a journey of 1210 miles in 99 days without the help of 
dogs, and Lieut. Mecham travelled over 1336 miles, 
the average rate outwards being 18J miles, and on the 
return journey 23 \ miles per diem; a feat that has never 
been beaten by dog-sledging. The peculiar difficulty of 
Peary's undertaking was caused by the drift and by the 
open lanes of water. Against the latter formidable obstacle 
he again appears to have taken no precautions. 
In February 1909 the sledging parties proceeded to 
Cape Colombia, Bartlett starting on the 15th, and Peary 
with two Arctic Highlanders, two sledges, and 16 dogs on 
the 22nd. On the last day of February Bartlett started 
for the north, as a pioneer party to cut leads through 
the ridges of hummocks, and thus make the route easier 
for the sledges that were to follow. On March 1st Peary 
started with his own sledges and the limited sledges — 
24 men, 19 sledges, and 133 dogs. Iglus were used instead 
of tents, which was a mistake, and the scale of diet 
was practically much the same as M'Clintock's, the great 
master of Arctic sledge travelling. 
On the 5th March they came to a lane of open 
water, which detained them for several days owing 
to lack of means for crossing it. " During five days 
Peary paced up and down deploring his luck." After- 
wards they crossed seven lanes of water on young ice. 
Bartlett was the last to return, after taking an observation 
with the resulting latitude of 87 0 46' 49" N. Thus 280 
miles had been traversed in a month and they were 133 
miles from the Pole. The speed had been calculated at 
under 15 miles a day. 
From this spot Peary went on for the Pole with only 
