Battle Harbour Jottings
From
the St. John Sun, 25th October 1909--
. . .Speaking yesterday of the
aspect which the Pole-discovery assumed at Battle Harbour, Miss Hegan said that
the news of the crowning exploits of Cook and Peary reached the hospital by
wireless upon the same day. When Peary arrived, the people at the station were
able to furnish him with the New York Times’ account of Cook’s claims. Peary
did not say much as to Cook, but the report evidently disturbed him greatly.
The
explorer’s arrival at the first real outpost of civilization was a quiet affair
as compared with his later receptions, although the hospital people, who
realized the importance of his feat, were thrown into a state of intense
excitement. To the people who live on Battle Island, however, the coming of the
“Roosevelt” was hardly a matter of comment. If they looked out of their windows
to see the vessel dock, it was because the cannon fired from the top of the
hill by the Marconi operator attracted their attention as something unusual.
All of these people have come to know Peary well during his 23 years of
exploration, in the course of which he has put into the harbour many times.
They do not consider him a celebrity in any way.
As
the "Roosevelt: steamed in the nurses and doctors, and those of the patients in
whom interest could be awakened, were assembled on the verandah of the hospital
but no person greeted the exploring party from the wharf. Peary called upon the
nurses later, but spend most of his time while in the harbour in writing his
story and furbishing up the “Roosevelt” to make her presentable for the trip to
New York. . . .
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