Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel], September 12, 1909, Page 10, Image 62

About Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911

Image provided by: University of California, Riverside; Riverside, CA

                
10
MAN WHO DISCOVERED THE NORTH POLE
i
Dr. Frederick Cook in clothing he wore to the North Pole.
DR. FREDERICK COOK, who real
ized the dream of the explorers
of the world when on April 21,
1908, he planted the American flag at
the spot where all points of the com
pass were south, is back in civilization
telling his story. No more dramatic
tale has been related than the one pro
cured through the enterprise of the
New York Herald the day Dr. Cook
reached Lerwick in the Shetland
islands. "Land has been discovered
on which rests the earth's northern
most rocks," says Dr. Cook. "A tri
angle of 30,000 square miles has been
cut out of the terrestial unknown."
"The expedition was the outcome of
a summer cruise in the Arctic seas on
the schooner Bradley, which arrived at
the limits of navigation in Smith
sound late In August, 1907. Here con
ditions were found favorable for
launching a venture to the pole. J.
R. Bradley liberally supplied from his
\essel suitable provisions for local use.
My own equipment for emergency use
served well for every purpose of Arc
tic travel. Many Esquimaux had been
gathered on the Greenland shores at
Annatosk for the winter bear hunt.
Immense quantities of meat had been
collected and in camp were plenty of
strong dogs. The combination was
lucky, for there was good material for
equipment.
"All that was required was con
veniently arranged for at a point only
700 miles from the boreal center. A
house and workshop were built of
packing boxes by willing hands and
this northernmost tribe of 250 per
sons set themselves to the problem of
devising a suitable outfit.
"Before the end of the long winter
night we were ready for the enter
prise and plans had matured to force
a new route over Grinnell land north
ward along its west toast out on to
the Polar sea.
"The campaign opened with a few
scouting parlies being sent over the
American shores to explore the way
and seek the game haunts. Their mis
sion was only partly successful be
cause of the storms.
"At sunrise of 1908 (February 19).
the main expedition embarked on Its
voyage to the pole. It consisted of
eleven men and 103 dogs, drawing
eleven heavily laden sledge 3. The ex
pedition left the Greenland shore and
pushed westward over the troubled ice
of Smith sound.
"The gloom of the long night wns
relieved only by a few hours of day
light. The chill of the winter was felt
at its worst. As we crossed the
heights of Ellesmere sound to the Pa
cific ilope the temperature sank to
LOS ANGELES HERALD SUNDAY MAGAZINE
minus S3 centigrade. Several dogs
were frozen and the men suffered se
verely, but we soon found the game
trails along which the way was easy.
"We forced through Nansan Sound
to lands end. In this march we se- I
cured lot musk oxen, seven bears and
335 hares. We pushed out into the
polar sea from the southern point of
Herbert island on March 18. Six Es
quimaux returned from here.
"With four men and forty-six dogs
moving supplies for eighty days, the
crossing of the Circumpolar pack was
begun. Three days later two other Es
quimaux, lorming the last supporting
party, returned and the trials had now
been reduced by the survival of the
fittest. The two best men and twenty
six dogs were picked for final effort.
"There before us in an unknown lin^
of 460 miles lay our sroal. The first
day's journey provided long marches
and we made encouraging progress. A
big lead which seperated the land from
the Ice of the central pack was chos
sed with little delay.
"Low temperture was persistent
and winds made life a torture. But
cooped up in our snow houses eating
dried beef tallow and drinking /lot tea
there were some animal comforts oc
casionally to be gained.
"For several days after sight of
known land was lost the overcast sky
prevented an accurate determination o)
our positions. On March 30 the horizon
was partly cleared and new land was
discovered. Our observation gave our
position as latitude 84.47, longitude
86.36.
"There was urgent need of rapid ad
vance. Our main mission did not per
mit a detour for the purpose of ex
ploring the coast. Here we saw ths
last signs of solid earth; beyond, thert»
was nothing stable to be seen.
"We advanced steadily over the mon
otony of moving sea ice and now found
ourselves beyond the range of all life-'
neithei foot prlntT of bears nor the
blow hole of seals were detected. Even
the miscroscopic creatures of the deep
were no longer under us. The madden
ing influence of the shifting desert of
frost became almost unendurable in tha
daily routine.
"The surf of the pack offered less
and less trouble and the weather im
proved, but there still remained the life
sapping wind which drove despair to its
lowest recess. Extreme cold compelled
physical action.
"Thus day after day our weary legi
spread over big distances. Incident?
I ■
>
Eskimo man and Dogs. It was big, husky men of
this type that helped th c intrepid explorer on hit
tucceifful quest <3i th« P» le.
SEPTEMBER 12, 1909.
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•^ "' ft
W^ mi Wk
Eskimo girl who was a member of Dr.
Cook's former expedition.
and positions were recorded, but ad
venture was promptly forgotten In the
Text day's efforts. The night of April
/ was made notable by the swinging of
he sun at midnight over the northern
Ice. Sunburns and frost bites now were
-ecordect on the same day, but the
double day's slitter infused quite an
Incentive Into one's life of shivers.
"Our observation April 6 placed the
camp in latitude 86.36, longtitude, 94.2.
"In spite of what seemed long
marches we advanced but little over
a hundred miles. Much of our work
was lost in circuitous twists around
troublesome ice pressure lines and
high Irregular fields. A very old Ice
drift, too, was driving eastward with
sufficient force to give some anxiety.
"Although still equal to about fif
teen miles daily, the extended marches
and the long hours for traveling with
which fortune favored us earlier, were
no longer possible. We were now
about 200 miles from the pole and
sledge loads were reduced.
"One dog after another went into
stomachs of the hungry survivors un
til the teams were considerably di
minished in number, but there seemed
to remain a sufficient balance for man
and brute to push along into the heart
of the mystery to which we had set
ourselves.
"On April 21 we had reached 89 de
grees 39 minutes 46 seconds. The pole
was in sight. We cleared the remain
ing 14 seconds and made a few final
observations. I told Etuklshook and
Ahwelsh (the accompanying Eskimos)
that we had reached the 'great nail.'
"Everywhere we turned was south.
"With a single step we could pass
from one side of the earth to the
other, from midday to midnight.
"At last the flag floated to the breeze
at the pole. It was April 21, 1908.
The temperature was minus 38 centi
grade, barometer 29.83; latitude 90; as
for longitude, it was nothing, as It
was but a word.
"Although crazy with joy, our spirits
began to undergo a feeling of weari
ness. Next day, after taking all our
observntions, a sentiment of Intense
solitude penetrated us while we looked
at the horizon. Was It possible that
this desolate region, without a path
of earth, had aroused the ambition of
so many men for so many centuries;
there was no ground, only an Immen
sity of dazzllnjr white snow, no liv
ing being, no point to break the fright
ful monotony. On April 23 we started
on our return."