McMillan, Borup, and Dr. Goodsell found amusement in watching the women at their sewing. Sitting on the ground or whatever is nearest, they take off their footgear and put out one foot. Then holding one end of the material between their toes, using the foot as a third hand, they sew the seam away from them, instead of toward them as our women do. It looked odd enough, but the spectators had to admit that the work was done well. The Eskimos sewed the furs and skins together so closely and skillfully that the cold could not creep through.
These industrious women made stockings and mittens of fur, boots of skins, trousers of skins of the polar bear, jackets of deer or fox skin, and hoods of fur, finished around the face with thick rolls of foxtails.
All were happy and comfortable for a while, but as they advanced the ice became thicker and the ship was in great danger. It took all Peary’s knowledge of the coast, and all Bartlett’s skill in navigation, to keep the Roosevelt from being crushed in the ice.
Every person on board, both whites and Eskimos, tied his most necessary belongings into a bundle and stood ready to jump over the side of the boat at a moment’s notice in case the ship should be destroyed. But skill and perseverance conquered, and the Roosevelt reached Cape Sheridan in safety.
Here on the shore of the Arctic sea the party wintered, spending their time in massing supplies at places farther north, where they were likely to be needed later. Hunting was good, musk oxen, bear, and deer were plentiful, and large supplies of fresh meat were obtained. The men of science took tidal and meteorological observations, and a happy and busy winter was spent.
On October 12 the party said good-by to the sun; the twilight darkened and the long Arctic night set in. Peary did not wait for the sun to return, but as soon as it was light enough to travel he renewed the journey to the Pole.
From “Fighting the Polar Ice,” copyright by Anthony Fiala.
Moonlight in the Arctic Regions.
On February 15, 1909, the first detachment of the sledge party under Captain Bartlett left Cape Sheridan for Cape Columbia, the most northern point of Grant Land. The other detachments followed on successive days, and on February 22, Peary started the last of all. From Cape Columbia he planned to travel directly north over the ice of the Polar sea for a distance of four hundred and thirteen geographical miles. This would take him to 90° north latitude, i.e., to the North Pole.