the explorers journal the global adventure issue - The Explorers Club

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Ex Post Factotales from The Explorers Club archivesmeteoritesin Manhattanby Clare Flemming, M.S.When polar explorer John Ross returned fromhis 1818 expedition along the Greenland coast,he mentioned that the local Inuit had tools ofiron, the source of which he had not been ableto locate. He surmised that, when found, the ironwould prove to be meteoric in origin. Althoughothers sought the elusive metal, one determinedAmerican polar explorer was able to find it:Robert Edwin Peary (1856-1920). In a slightlyimmodest phrase, Peary reported to the world,“It was fortunately reserved for me to settle thequestion finally and definitely,” which he did atCape York at 72°N.There he found three meteorites that, accordingto traditional Inuit lore, were referred to as awoman, her dog, and her tent. How did Pearymanage to find what others sought? Peary simplytraded a rifle for the privileged information.Two summer expeditions in 1896 and 1897 wererequired to excavate and extract the meteorites,each of which weighed several tons. Peary transportedthem to Manhattan, selling all three to theAmerican Museum of Natural History (AMNH).These meteorites had been the sole source of62metal for the people of Cape York in an otherwiseStone Age society, until first contact with Europeanand American whalers and sealers allowed a scanttrade in knives and other metal bits.As usual, Peary’s Cape York team included hisindispensable assistant Matthew Henson andexpedition artist, Albert Operti. Operti recordedthe events in one of the most beautiful paintingson display at The Explorers Club, Cape YorkGreenland Eskimos Breaking Pieces of Meteoritefor Knives, which depicts a group of Inuit painstakinglybreaking away sharp fragments of iron foruse as blades for their saviksue (knives).A faint penciled remark at the bottom of the paintingstates that the sketch was made “on the spotfrom a piece of Admiral Peary’s work apron 1896.”Visitors to the AMNH today can see and touchthe celestial bodies, which are on view in theArthur Ross Hall of Meteorites.Peary wrote of his claiming, extracting, removing,and selling these ancient meteorites, “MyEskimo allies…never interposed the slightest objectionto my removal of their heavenly guests.”One wonders, did they have a choice?Photo by Craig Chesek for the Explorers Club
T H E E X P L O R E R S C L U B c h a p t e r c h a i r s46 east 70th street, New York, NY 10021 I 212-628-8383 I www.explorers.orgNational chapter chairsinterNational chapter chairsAlaskaRobert W. Taylor, M.D.Tel: 907-452-4900Fax: 907-457-1701rtaylor@alaska.netffjjk@uaf.eduAtlantaW. Hayes Wilson, M.D.Tel: 404-351-2551Fax: 404-351-9238info@drwilson.orgCentral FloridaG. Michael HarrisTel: 727-584-2883Fax: 727-585-6078gmh@tampabay.rr.comChicago/Great LakesMel SurdelContact person:Cheryl IstvanTel: 312-640-0741Fax: 312-640-0731ec.chicago@mac.comGeorge Rogers ClarkJoseph E. RickettsTel/Fax: 937-885-2477jer937@aol.comGreater PiedmontNena Powell RiceTel: 803-777-8170Fax: 803-254-1338nrice@sc.eduJupiter FloridaRosemarie TwinamTel: 772-219-1970Fax: 772-283-3497RTwinam@aol.comNew EnglandGregory DeyermenjianTel: 978-927-8827, ext. 128Fax: 978-927-9182paititi@alum.blsa.orgNorth Pacific AlaskaMead TreadwellTel: 907-258-7764Fax: 907-258-7768meadwell@alaska.netNorthern CaliforniaLee LanganTel: 415-931-3015Fax: 415-398-7664lee@langan.netPacific NorthwestEdwin J. Sobey, Ph.D.Tel: 425-861-3472Fax: 503-214-7849sobey@gte.netPhiladelphiaPeter HessTel: 302-777-1715Hessians@aol.comRocky MountainWilliam F. SchoeberleinTel: 303-526-0505Fax: 303-526-5171billschoeberlein@comcast.netSan DiegoWilliam T. EverettTel: 760-765-3377Fax: 760-765-3113everett@esrc.orgSouthern CaliforniaDavid A. Dolan, FRGSTel. 949-307-9182daviddolan@aol.comSouthern FloridaStanley L. Spielman, M.D.Tel/Fax: 305-233-8054chimbuart@aol.comSouthwestBrian Hanson (Chapter Liaison)Tel: 512-266-7851brianphanson@sbcglobal.netSouthwest FloridaCol. Gerry W. BassTel: 239-594-5224gerrywb@embarqmail.comSt. LouisMabel Purkerson, M.D.Tel: 314-362-4234purkerm@msnotes.wustl.eduTexasTed D. LeeTel: 210-886-9500Fax: 210-886-9883tedlee@gunn-lee.comWashington, DCDr. Lee TalbotTel: 703-734-8576Fax: 703-734-8576ltalbot@gmu.eduArgentinaHugo Castello, Ph.D.Fax: 54 11 4 982 5243/4494hucastel@mail.retina.arAustralia-New ZealandAnn McFarlane, Ph.D.Tel: 61-2-9328-4883Fax: 61-2-9328-4888amcfarlane@bigpond.comCanadianJoseph G. FreyTel: 416-239-8840explorersclubcanada@hotmail.comwww.explorersclub.caEast AsiaDr. Michael J. Mosermmoser@omm.comGreat BritainBarry L. MossTel: 44 020 8992 7178barola2780@aol.comIcelandHaraldur Örn ÓlafssonTel: +354 545 8551Fax: +354 562 1289haraldur.orn.olafsson@ivr.stjr.isIndiaAvinash Kohliamber@nda.vsnl.net.inNorwayHans-Erik HansenHome Tel: 47 22-458-205Work Tel: 47 67-138-559hans-e-h@online.noPolandMarek KaminskiHome Tel: 48-695664000Work Tel: 48-58-5544522Fax: 48-58-5523315mkaminski@gamasan.plm.rogozinska@rp.plRussiaAlexander BorodinTel: 7-095-973-2415Alexanderb@sibneft.ruWestern EuropeLorie KarnathTel: 49-1723-95-2051lkarnath@yahoo.com
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the explorers journalWinter 2007/20
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THE EXPLORERS CLUB TRAVELERSA World
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The 6th AnnualExplorers ClubFilm Fe
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Page 12 and 13: 12Fossett Searchcontinuesmissing pl
Page 14 and 15: Oceans 8around the worldby kayakby
Page 16 and 17: in croatiaWe paddle beneath a 12-me
Page 18 and 19: square-kilometer halo of sea ice fo
Page 20 and 21: shore by two-meter seas, first one,
Page 22 and 23: sir WallyHerbertmaster of the icete
Page 25 and 26: polar bear on the icethe explorers
Page 27 and 28: a pioneering journey: Sir wally her
Page 29 and 30: An Illustration from Frank Leslie
Page 31 and 32: fiction than a factual account. Dur
Page 33 and 34: Geoffrey E. Clark, third from left,
Page 35 and 36: A dani war leader exhorts his men P
Page 38: Coming HomeA wounded warrior is bro
Page 43: Preparing a FeastDani villagers pre
Page 46 and 47: Secret Lifeoficebergstext by Kennet
Page 48: Iceberg W-86Researchers found abund
Page 51 and 52: Iceberg A-52Swarms of krill and oth
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Page 55 and 56: Pressure dressing and elevation are
Page 57 and 58: monterey nachosJamaican Jerk Chicke
Page 59 and 60: seizes the spirit like a drug,and h
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