A Negro Explorer at the North Pole | Page 2

OTHER EXPLORERS
LOOKED--THE LAMB-LIKE ESQUIMOS--ARRIVAL AT ETAH 15
CHAPTER III

FINDING OF RUDOLPH FRANKE--WHITNEY
LANDED--TRADING AND COALING--FIGHTING THE
ICE-PACKS 26
CHAPTER IV
PREPARING FOR WINTER AT CAPE SHERIDAN--THE ARCTIC
LIBRARY 35
CHAPTER V
MAKING PEARY SLEDGES--HUNTING IN THE ARCTIC
NIGHT--THE EXCITABLE DOGS AND THEIR HABITS 40
CHAPTER VI
THE PEARY PLAN--A RAIN OF ROCKS--MY FRIENDS, THE
ESQUIMOS 46
CHAPTER VII
SLEDGING TO CAPE COLUMBIA--HOT SOLDERING IN COLD
WEATHER 52
CHAPTER VIII
IN CAMP AT COLUMBIA--LITERARY IGLOOS--THE
MAGNIFICENT DESOLATION OF THE ARCTIC 62
CHAPTER IX
READY FOR THE DASH TO THE POLE--THE COMMANDER'S
ARRIVAL 70
CHAPTER X
FORWARD! MARCH! 75

CHAPTER XI
FIGHTING UP THE POLAR SEA--HELD UP BY THE "BIG LEAD"
78
CHAPTER XII
PIONEERING THE WAY--BREAKING SLEDGES 93
CHAPTER XIII
THE SUPPORTING-PARTIES BEGIN TO TURN BACK 103
CHAPTER XIV
BARTLETT'S FARTHEST NORTH--HIS QUIET GOOD-BY 116
CHAPTER XV
THE POLE! 127
CHAPTER XVI
THE FAST TREK BACK TO LAND 140
CHAPTER XVII
SAFE ON THE ROOSEVELT--POOR MARVIN 145
CHAPTER XVIII
AFTER MUSK-OXEN--THE DOCTOR'S SCIENTIFIC
EXPEDITION 153
CHAPTER XIX
THE ROOSEVELT STARTS FOR HOME--ESQUIMO

VILLAGES--NEW DOGS AND NEW DOG FIGHTS 161
CHAPTER XX
TWO NARROW ESCAPES--ARRIVAL AT ETAH--HARRY
WHITNEY--DR. COOK'S CLAIMS 170
CHAPTER XXI
ETAH TO NEW YORK--COMING OF MAIL AND
REPORTERS--HOME! 180
APPENDIX I--NOTES ON THE ESQUIMOS 189
APPENDIX II--LIST OF SMITH SOUND ESQUIMOS 196

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
MATTHEW A. HENSON Frontispiece
FACING PAGE
ROBERT E. PEARY IN HIS NORTH POLE FURS 76
THE FOUR NORTH POLE ESQUIMOS 77
CAMP MORRIS K. JESUP AT THE NORTH POLE 122
MATTHEW A. HENSON IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE SLEDGE
JOURNEY TO THE POLE AND BACK 123
THE "ROOSEVELT" IN WINTER QUARTERS AT CAPE
SHERIDAN 138
MATTHEW A. HENSON IN HIS NORTH POLE FURS, TAKEN
AFTER HIS RETURN TO CIVILIZATION 139

INTRODUCTION
One of the first questions which Commander Peary was asked when he
returned home from his long, patient, and finally successful struggle to
reach the Pole was how it came about that, beside the four Esquimos,
Matt Henson, a Negro, was the only man to whom was accorded the
honor of accompanying him on the final dash to the goal.
The question was suggested no doubt by the thought that it was but
natural that the positions of greatest responsibility and honor on such
an expedition would as a matter of course fall to the white men of the
party rather than to a Negro. To this question, however, Commander
Peary replied, in substance:
"Matthew A. Henson, my Negro assistant, has been with me in one
capacity or another since my second trip to Nicaragua in 1887. I have
taken him on each and all of my expeditions, except the first, and also
without exception on each of my farthest sledge trips. This position I
have given him primarily because of his adaptability and fitness for the
work and secondly on account of his loyalty. He is a better dog driver
and can handle a sledge better than any man living, except some of the
best Esquimo hunters themselves."
In short, Matthew Henson, next to Commander Peary, held and still
holds the place of honor in the history of the expedition that finally
located the position of the Pole, because he was the best man for the
place. During twenty-three years of faithful service he had made
himself indispensable. From the position of a servant he rose to that of
companion and assistant in one of the most dangerous and difficult
tasks that was ever undertaken by men. In extremity, when both the
danger and the difficulty were greatest, the Commander wanted by his
side the man upon whose skill and loyalty he could put the most
absolute dependence and when that man turned out to be black instead
of white, the Commander was not only willing to accept the service but
was at the same time generous enough to acknowledge it.

There never seems to have been any doubt in Commander Peary's mind
about Henson's part and place in the expedition.
Matt Henson, who was born in Charles County, Maryland, August 8,
1866, began life as a cabin-boy on an ocean steamship, and before he
met Commander Peary had already made a voyage to China. He was
eighteen years old when he made the acquaintance of Commander
Peary which gave him his chance. During the twenty-three years in
which he was the companion of the explorer he not only had time and
opportunity to perfect himself in his knowledge of the books, but he
acquired a good practical knowledge of everything that was a necessary
part of the daily life in the ice-bound wilderness of polar exploration.
He was at times a blacksmith, a carpenter, and a cook. He was
thoroughly acquainted with the life, customs, and language of the
Esquimos. He himself built the sledges with which the journey to the
Pole was successfully completed.