Transcriber’s Note
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SECRETS OF POLAR
TRAVEL
SECRETS OF POLAR
TRAVEL
BY
ROBERT E. PEARY
ILLUSTRATED WITH
PHOTOGRAPHS
NEW YORK
THE CENTURY CO.
1917
Copyright, 1917, by
The Century Co.
Published, October, 1917
v
INTRODUCTION
In my book “The North Pole” appeared a briefrésumé, or synopsis, of my system of arctic exploration,which was the evolution of years ofcontinuous practical work and experience in extremehigh latitudes, wherein everything thatcould be thought of in the way of perfecting arcticmethods and equipment was worked out.
Ideas that in the mind or on paper appearedpromising were tested relentlessly under the mosthostile conditions. Those that failed under thetest were abandoned, and those that gave evidenceof containing some meat were perfected, until atlast the entire subject of perfected equipment andmethods, combined with the thorough knowledgeof all conditions to be encountered gained throughyears of experience, compelled success. Thiswas the résumé:
The so-called “Peary System” is too complex to be coveredin a paragraph, and involves too many technical details to beoutlined fully in any popular narrative. But the main pointsof it are about as follows:
To drive a ship through the ice to the farthest possiblenorthern land base from which she can be driven back againthe following year.
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To do enough hunting during the fall and winter to keep theparty healthily supplied with fresh meat.
To have dogs enough to allow for the loss of sixty per centof them by death or otherwise.
To have the confidence of a large number of Eskimos, earnedby square dealing and generous gifts in the past, so that theywill follow the leader to any point he may specify.
To have an intelligent and willing body of civilized assistantsto lead the various divisions of Eskimos—men whose authoritythe Eskimos will accept when delegated by theleader.
To transport beforehand to the point where the expeditionleaves the land for the sledge journey, sufficient food, fuel,clothing, stoves (oil or alcohol) and other mechanical equipmentto get the main party to the P