| page |
| Foreword | v |
| Introduction | xv |
CHAPTER I |
| The Early Years: Schoolboy, Cabin-Boy, Seaman, and Lieutenant Peary's Body-Servant—First Trips to the Arctic | 1 |
CHAPTER II |
| Off for the Pole—How the 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 |
