A Negro Explorer at the North Pole · Chapter
XVIII explained
After the polar triumph, the expedition remains at Cape Sheridan while various scientific parties complete their work.
What happens
After the polar triumph, the expedition remains at Cape Sheridan while various scientific parties complete their work. Henson is idle for weeks before Peary orders him to build and repair sledges. MacMillan and Borup return from record-breaking scientific work at Cape Jesup, and Borup later erects a cairn at Cape Columbia. Dr. Goodsell hunts musk-oxen and caribou, collects specimens, and meets MacMillan at Fort Conger. As July progresses, the ice begins to break up, and the crew prepares the Roosevelt for departure.
Themes in this chapter
Exploration and Discovery
The chapter highlights the scientific and exploratory work of MacMillan, Borup, and Goodsell, including record-breaking soundings, hunting, and specimen collection.
Perseverance and Endurance
The crew endures the long wait at Cape Sheridan, the slow breakup of ice, and the arduous preparations to free the Roosevelt for the homeward voyage.
Class and Servitude
Henson's idleness and Peary's distant, commanding manner illustrate the hierarchical dynamics of the expedition, with Henson waiting for orders and then being put to work without discussion.
Characters to notice
- Matthew Henson
Spends nearly three weeks in idleness before Peary orders him to build and repair sledges; goes on short hunting trips but never leaves the ship for long.
- Commander Robert E. Peary
Remains aloof from Henson for weeks, then gives matter-of-fact orders to build sledges; continues to manage the expedition and ration provisions.
- Professor Donald B. MacMillan
Returns from Cape Jesup with Borup after record-breaking scientific work; later leaves for Fort Conger with Jack Barnes and Kudlooktoo to continue tidal observations.
- George Borup
Returns from Cape Jesup with MacMillan; later hunts musk-oxen at Clements Markham Inlet and erects the cairn at Cape Columbia containing the expedition record.
- Dr. J. W. Goodsell
Leaves on May 27 to hunt in Lake Hazen and Ruggles River regions, successfully bagging musk-oxen and caribou; collects geological, zoological, and botanical specimens; returns June 15.
- Captain Bob Bartlett
Uses dynamite to free the Roosevelt's propeller from ice; oversees preparations for departure.
- Kudlooktoo
Accompanies MacMillan and Jack Barnes to Fort Conger for tidal observations.
Key passages
“There is enough wood left, and I would like to have you make a couple of sledges and mend the broken ones. I hope you are feeling all right.”
Peary tells Henson to use the remaining wood to build and repair sledges, and asks if he is well.
Peary's first direct words to Henson after weeks of silence, showing a matter-of-fact command without acknowledgment of the polar achievement.
“They had made a trip that was record-breaking; they had visited the different cairns made by Lockwood and Brainard and by Commander Peary, and they had also captured and brought into the ship a musk-ox calf; and they had most satisfactorily demonstrated their fitness as Arctic explorers.”
MacMillan and Borup's journey to Cape Jesup set records, as they visited historical cairns, captured a musk-ox calf, and proved their competence as Arctic explorers.
Highlights the scientific and exploratory accomplishments of MacMillan and Borup after the main polar journey.
“He was an ardent scientist, and viewed nearly every situation and object from the viewpoint of the scientist. Nothing escaped him; a peculiar form of rock or plant, the different features of the animal life, all received his close and eager attention, and he had the faculty of imparting his knowledge to others, like the born teacher that he was.”
Dr. Goodsell approached everything with a scientist's eye, carefully observing rocks, plants, and animals, and was skilled at teaching others what he learned.
Describes Goodsell's scientific curiosity and his ability to share knowledge, reflecting the expedition's scientific mission.
