Northward: Peary’s 1908-09 Expedition

Plenty of water visible

  • 12-07-1908 – Evening
  • Robert E. Peary
  • Cape Sheridan, Ellesmere Island, CAN

Hazy in forenoon but calm, afternoon + evening perfect; brilliant moonlight, no wind, temp. mild (-22°).
    Plenty of water visible (pools + leads) E. + N.E.
    Moon’s “appulse” visible between 6 – 7 P.M.
    Rear wall of after house walled up with snow today.
    The field parties are having fine weather.
    Continue work on the deerskins.
    Barom. remains low + steady.
    Marvin down to C. Rawson this evening with [undecipherable Inuit name] to reconnoiter the Channel ice.
    Full moon early this morning.

Appulse:  the Oxford English Dictionary defines "appulse" as "the arrival of a star or planet at the meridian or other point; the coming into conjunction of two heavenly bodies". Peary most likely meant that the moon had reached its closest point to the earth. 

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