e midst of
her distracting grief, sent a munificent check which enabled us to order
essential items of special supplies and equipment which required time
for preparation.

[Illustration: GEORGE A. WARDWELL

CHIEF ENGINEER]

[Illustration: BANKS SCOTT

SECOND ENGINEER]

[Illustration: ROBERT A. BARTLETT, MASTER]

[Illustration: THOMAS GUSHUE, MATE]

[Illustration: CHARLES PERCY, STEWARD]

General Thomas H. Hubbard accepted the presidency of the Club, and added
a second large check to his already generous contribution. Henry Parish,
Anton A. Raven, Herbert L. Bridgman--the "Old Guard" of the Club--who
had stood shoulder to shoulder with Mr. Jesup from the inception of the
organization, stood firm now to keep the organization of the Club
intact; other men came forward, and the crisis was past. But the money
still came hard. It was the subject of my every waking thought; and even
in sleep it would not let me rest, but followed with mocking and elusive
dreams. It was a dogged, dull, desperate time, with the hopes of my
whole life rising and falling day by day.

Then came an unexpected rift in the clouds, the receipt of a very
friendly letter from Mr. Zenas Crane, the great paper manufacturer, of
Massachusetts, who had contributed to a previous expedition, but whom I
had never met. Mr. Crane wrote that he was deeply interested; that the
project was one which should have the support of every one who cared for
big things and for the prestige of the country, and he asked me to
come to see him, if I could make it convenient. I could. I did. He gave
a check for $10,000 and promised to give more if it should be required.
The promise was kept, and a little later he accepted the vice-presidency
of the Club. What this $10,000 meant to me at that time would need the
pen of Shakespere to make entirely clear.

[Illustration: PROFESSOR ROSS G. MARVIN, ASSISTANT]

[Illustration: GEORGE BORUP, ASSISTANT]

[Illustration: DONALD B. MACMILLAN, ASSISTANT]

[Illustration: DR. J. W. GOODSELL, SURGEON]

From this time on the funds came in slowly but steadily, to an amount
that, combined with rigid economy and thorough knowledge of what was and
what was not needed, permitted the purchase of the necessary supplies
and equipment.

During all this time of waiting, a small flood of "crank" letters poured
in from all over the country. There was an incredibly large number of
persons who were simply oozing with inventions and schemes,