Date: Fri, 5 May 2000

I am putting together a complete set of photos in and around Camp Jesup, because even what I have is quite telling. Here is what I have:

1. Negatives labeled B.x, for a few different values of x. These start with the first camp after leaving Bartlett and end with B.11 (last stop for lunch prior to Camp Jesup) and B.12. These are pretty interesting for a couple of reasons. First, they show smooth ice conditions, supporting the reports of Henson and Peary that conditions were good after leaving Bartlett. Second, they show that the weather was overcast upon and shortly before arrival at Camp Jesup, supporting the recorded reports. Most importantly, they show the flag flying over Camp Jesup while the weather is still overcast, supporting Henson's reports that (1) they fully expected Camp Jesup to be the final camp, because they estimated that they had covered the distance; and (2) that Peary announced, upon reaching Camp Jesup, that it was the final camp. This deflates the Rawlins/Herbert theories that only after Peary took sights and realized he was hopelessly off course did he decide to declare victory.

2. A series of about five photos showing the flag flying on an ice pinnacle and also showing the flag flying behind Peary's igloo. The Peary igloo picture was taken while the weather was still overcast, so I'll call it C.1. (It had to be taken after B.11, obviously.) One of the photos of the flag was published somewhere (Hampton's?) since it has a printed caption "first photo taken on the day of discovery" or something like that. The pinnacle photos are all taken in bright sun. One of the photos was retouched by adding two people and a flag (taken from another photo). This was probably done by a publisher to make a more attractive picture.

3. A series of about five photos (I'll call this the D series) showing the flag flying on another pinnacle (pinnacle 2). There is a host of evidence demonstrating that these photos had to have been taken between about 8 and 10 pm on April 6. One photo shows the sun at exactly the right altitude above the horizon for the time it was taken. (This is the pinnacle photo in our Supplemental Report). This photo conclusively proves a line of position, passing through the pole and following about the 105th meridian (plus or minus 15 deg).

If, as Peary and Henson both estimated, they had covered the distance from Bartlett's camp to the pole, this photo conclusively proves that Camp Jesup was at (or at least very near to) the pole. If there are really two series' (C and D) there are a bunch of missing photos (12 to a roll). On the other hand, Peary did not use all his film rolls sequentially, and there may be only one roll between what I have called C and D, and no missing photos.

4. A series of photos labeled E.x. E.1 through E.5 show the landscape viewed from the ice ridge behind Camp Jesup in each of the four cardinal directions, plus one looking at the sun. The photos were taken about 10 pm or perhaps somewhat before on the 6th. (This is based on comparison of the direction of the sun to the direction that the photos are said to be looking.) When Peary (or someone) cut these photos apart, they goofed, so a little bit of some photos is on the negative of the next photo. Analysis here proves that the photos were in fact taken sequentially, and confirms that none of the negatives are reversed. These photos show the pinnacle in the D photo, and confirm that Peary went a short distance from camp after getting up around 6 pm on the 6th, and returned in about an hour. Exactly what Henson said happened. According to Henson, he said to Peary at this time, congratulations, and Peary said "I don't suppose we can swear we are exactly at the pole."

Henson thought that Peary was being evasive because he didn't want to admit that Henson had made to the pole. Rawlins/Herbert assume that Peary was being evasive because he knew they were really no where near the pole. I think that Peary was simply being factual. They had estimated that they had covered the distance (and confirmed this with one imperfect sight through the clouds at noon on the 6th) but had as yet taken no crossing sight, since the sky was overcast at 6:40 pm, when such a sight would have been attempted.

E.7 shows an attempted sounding. Two photos (I'll call them E.8 and E.9) show a sled and a dog team (the same sled as in E.7). A photo of an attempted sounding in The North Pole is different from E.7 but has the same people. I will call it E.6. Two photos show a person (Peary?) scanning the horizon with a telescope. Subject to further study, I will call them E.10 and E.11. These photos that Peary took a sled trip sometime after about 10 pm on the 6th. Peary claimed to have gone to a point about 10 miles north of cj for a 12:40pm. sight. These photos could well document such a trip. The distance is certainly possible with a light sled and large team.

5. Two photos taken by Henson (according to Peary's caption in the North Pole) showing Peary recording a sight and taking a sight. The picture of Peary taking a sight is labeled F.1. The picture of Peary recording a sight is not labeled. Based on analysis of the film condition, it looks more like E.12 than F.2, but I can't be sure. If it is E.12, the sight reduction is taken before the sight itself, which of course is backwards, but these are probably posed shots in any case. These show that Peary was back in camp in time for a sight. The difficult question is, which sight (midnight on the 6th, which Peary claims was taken 10 miles out of camp, or 6 am on the 7th). Henson says that about 10:30 on the "morning" of the 7th Peary began preparations for a sight that he witnessed. After that sight, Peary went to sleep for a short time, asking to be awakened so that he could take another sight 4 miles further on. Henson then awoke when Peary returned from his subsequent trip and the final victory ceremonies began. I think Henson was confused about the time, and this was the 6 am sight. That sight showed that Peary was 4 miles west of the pole. Peary claims to have gone east 8 miles and returned in time for a final sight followed by the victory celebration and packing up for the home trip.

6. Two photos labeled F.6 an F.7 showing flags flown from the same pinnacle in the D series. Peary had five flags, and I have only two of these photos (U.S. flag and DAR flag). I am guessing that he photographed all 5 flags, and the photos might have been sent to the appropriate groups (Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity, Navy league, and whoever the other flag represented). These photos were taken about 18 hours after the D series. (Demonstrated by two photos taken from exactly the same spot, one into the sun and one with the sun coming almost directly from the left.) This would put these at about 2 to 3 pm on the 7th.

7. A photo of Henson and four eskimos standing by Henson's igloo at Camp Jesup. This is either one of the photos in the F series or number 7 in the G series. Either taken just before or just after the victory celebration at the pinnacle referred to above. I think it is most likely one of the last of the F series, because the edges of the photo (where film exposed to light) do not seem to match G.6 and G.8. Assuming it is in the F series, and assuming that there are three more like F.6 and F.7 (for the other three flags) that leaves 5 unaccounted for in the F series. Might these show the trip east, after the 6 pm sight? Might they contain something sinister? (I am sure Dennis will think so, if we can't find them.)

8. The G series up through G.4 shows the celebration at the same pinnacle referred to above. These were taken either at the same time as F.6 and F.7, or shortly thereafter. After the sight which Henson witnessed, Peary went off on his east/west trip. He says that at the end of that trip he took a sight at or near Camp Jesup. Did he take this sight, head off to the pinnacle for some photos and then return to get Henson and go back to the pinnacle for more photos? (Henson says the others came into camp making a racket and saying that they had just nailed the flag to the pole. Does this refer to F.6 and F.7?) Or are F.6 through G.4 one continuous series of shots taken at the pinnacle celebration. (This would require Peary to change film at the pinnacle, which I guess he could have done, but it would be easier to do in an igloo, with spare skins to put over the camera, it seems to me.) G.5 and G.6 show the entire party marching back from the pinnacle to Camp Jesup carrying the flags.

The position of the sun and the bearing from Camp Jesup to the pinnacle (based on the view of the pinnacle from Camp Jesup) all support that the time was about 3 pm. Both Henson and Peary have stated that the stay at Camp Jesup ended about 4 pm. I have not found G.7. G.8 shows the sounding taken 5 miles south of the pole.

Doug