Page:Famous Living Americans, with Portraits.djvu/380

 ROBERT E. PEAEY 357 Bortheni point of the earth : the latter quality enabled him to reach it." When Robert was onlv three vears old his father died aiul his mother retnmed to Portland, Maine. Here he spent h> youth. With woods and fields near at hand he became ai; explorer of the hills and forest. He was a steady shot anvi Bwam and rowed the **wild waters of Oaseo Bav.'' He was a natural boy, not preeocioii> or nnnsnal exeept that he was singularly thoronirh and persevering- in what he attempteil. Tie saTinff that everv creat man had a creat mother is al- most proverbial and was tme in Peary's case. Mary Wiley Peary was a wonderful motiier. She went to college with her son and was his chum and most intimate, confidential friend. Periiaps it was this association which developed the unfailinc oonsideration for others, the gentleness, and the patiencr which Pearv's co-workers often mention as his chief charar- teristics. His iielpers all acree in the sentiment express^a by one of them who said : *'In all the years I have worked for Oonmiander Peary I have never heard him speak an im- patient word to any livincr thine. *' He graduated at the acre of twenty-one from "Bowdoin Col- lege, rankiBg second in a class of fifty-one. After graduation he became a land surveyor and in 1P79 was given a position in Washington on the Coast and Ofeodetic Survey. After two years of service he besran energetic preparation for a competi- tive examination soon to be given by the navy department for the admission of civil encineers. Fortv men took this examination but only four passed, and "Robert E. Peary was the youngest of the lonr. He was appointed a member of the navy department with the rank of lieutenant. During his first year's service he was asked to report on plans for a pier at Key West, Florida, which the contractors said could not l.>e built at the estimated cost. He reported that it could be built f or twentv-five thousand dollars less than the estimate and was instructed to build it. Though failnro had been predicted he finished the work at a savincr of thirty- thousand dollars below the first estimate. He was then sent to Nicaraarna as sub-chief of the Inter-