| Henson & Peary Exploration Map | ||||
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This map from the 1947 edition of
Matt Henson's biography,
Dark Companion,
shows the true perspective of what happened. Matt Henson and Commander
Peary explorer over an 18 year period in order to learn how to reach
the Pole. Peary had to raise money with
his New York based "Peary Arctic Club" to build a special ship which
he named
The Roosevelt.
With this excellent wooden ice breaking ship he was able to penetrate
far up into the tip of Ellesmere Island - the best place to build
bases from which to launch expeditions for the Pole. Henson and Peary first looked for a land mass to the Pole. No one knew if Greenland ended or went all the way to the Pole. They found out through years of exploration that it did not. They realized that the only route to the Pole was over the treacherous, heaving frozen ocean. Their very successful 1906 trip set the record for the farthest point North ever reached. But they had learned the secret to Arctic Ocean travel - it was very difficult and would require a large assault party to provide enough supplies. In 1909 Matt and Peary made it to the North Pole. It was almost effortless compared to the difficult trips from past years. Over 130 champion dogs pulled their sleds. Team after team of Peary's crew, Eskimos, and dogs left the base camp and took turns with the hardest part of the journey - breaking trail. Teams set up igloos at each days camp stocked with food. |
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| Copyright© 1999, Bradley Robinson | ||||
