The Siege and Conquest of the North Pole

by George Bryce

Peary now found himself compelled to retrace his steps. A sharp look-out was kept for fresh traces of musk-oxen, but no signs were discovered.

To reach the moraine was a hard struggle, but they were able to leave it on the 1st of June to begin the homeward journey over the ice-cap. On the second day they were fortunate in finding the cache without much trouble.

Peary had now nine dogs and fourteen days’ rations for them. For himself and his two companions he had thirty days’ half-rations of tea, biscuit, and oil, and several days’ rations of frozen venison.

On the 3rd June the distance travelled was 25¼ miles, but all the party had trouble with their feet and legs as a result of the severe work among the rocks. On the 6th June, Lee was ill and quite used-up, but by means of a line from the sledge to support himself by, he managed to struggle along. On the 7th two dogs were quite exhausted, and were fed to the other seven. On the 8th the larger of the two sledges was abandoned. On the 9th, after 4 miles’ travelling, they were obliged to camp on account of Lee. After fifteen hours’ rest and an extra supply of milk, Lee was able to travel 20 miles during the following march. Another dog fell exhausted on the 11th, and another on the 12th, leaving five. On the 13th the five had been reduced to four, and on the 16th only three were left. On the latter date the last of the dog-food was consumed. On the 21st June the remainder of the venison was given to the two remaining dogs, and on the 22nd one of the two dogs died. On the 23rd the summits of the land appeared. The remaining dog was now given a pair of seal-skin boots and several yards of raw-hide line. Peary and his companions had four biscuits remaining for supper and breakfast. The Lodge was reached on the 24th June, and found to be intact.

The only dog to reach the Lodge was Panikpah, and it was fed by Peary before he ate anything himself. The memory of the famine-days on the ice-cap remained with the dog long after, and he might be seen at all times hiding away every bit of meat or blubber, and every bone he could find about the place. These noble dogs saved the lives of the party.

The journey of 500 miles across the ice-cap, from moraine to moraine, was made in twenty-five marches of an average of 20 miles. The weather on the whole was exceptionally good, or it would have been impossible to cover the distance in so short a time.

Early in the morning of the 3rd August the Kite arrived to take them home. On the way south two of the Cape York meteorites were successfully removed and shipped.

Peary made a summer voyage in 1896 for the purpose of obtaining the third and largest of the meteorites. Before, however, it could be got on board, the ship had to leave, in order to avoid being crushed by the ice.

Still determined to obtain the meteorite, Peary made another voyage in the summer of 1897, and was successful in shipping the meteorite and taking it to the United States. This meteorite is the largest known, and its estimated weight is between 90 and 100 tons.

On 12th January 1897, Peary announced his plan for reaching the North Pole. A sufficient sum was to be raised to continue the work of exploration for five years, if necessary. A ship was to be taken north through Robeson Channel to the highest latitude possible along the Greenland coast. Stores were then to be landed and advanced in stages until the northern terminus of the North Greenland Archipelago was reached, and from this point a dash to the Pole would be made. Should the ship be unsuccessful in the passage of Robeson Channel, the party was to land at Hayes Sound and devote the first year to explorations of that unknown region.