Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-09-15

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THE WAY DR.. COOK DISCOVERED
THE NORTH POLE.
In August 1907 the Doctor estab.
lished headquarters among the Eski-
mos Of Smith Sound. 700 miles, from
the Pole, and on February 10Th, 1908,
he started for the Pole with II men
and lO3 dogs drawing II heavily load
ed scedges.
AS the Doctor journeyed north
ward he sent back supporting par
tiles, the last one on March 81, 1905.
He was then ago miles from the
Pole and he made his final dash from
that point, taking with him his
two best Eskimoes and 26 of his
best dogs. Thence forward there was
naught but ice.
I'VE now found ourselves beyond
the range of all life. Neither the
footprints of bears nor the blow.
holes of seals were detected. Even
the microscopic creatures of the deer
We're no longer under US.
The night of April was made
notable by the swing of the sun at
midnight over the polar ice."
At length but 100 miles lay be
tween the explorer and the Pole.
Signs of land We're still seen ev
cry day. but they We're deceptive il
lnsions or mere flight of fancy
1t seemed that something mus
cross the horizon to mark the i'm
portant area into which we wer,
l pushing.
when the sun was low the ey,
ran over the moving plains of colo,
TO dancing horizons The mirage
turned things topsyturvy.
Inverted mountains and queer oh
jects ever rose and fell in shroud
of mystery, but all of this was due t.
the atmospheric magic of the mid
night SUM-
i j"Sldway but surely we neared thu
turning-point. Good astronomical oil
seryations were daily procured t,
Tx the advancing stages.
"The ice steadily improved, bu
still there was depressing monot
ony of scene and life had no pleas
lres, no spiritual recreation, nothing
TO relieve the steady physical dra,
Of chronic fatigue
But there came an end to this a.
to all things. On April 81 the firs'
corrected latitude of the sun, CAV
SO degrees SO minutes 46 seconds.
"The Pole, therefore, was in sight
I'VE advanced the IA minutes
made supplementary observations
and prepared to stay long enough tx
permit a double round of observa
tons.
Stmckshook and Ahwelsh wer,
told that we had reached the .Neis
Nail and they sought to celebrate
by a dance of savage joy.
AT last we had pierced the borea
center and the flag had been raised
to the coveted breezes of the NORTH
Pole.
"The day was April 81, 1908. The
sun indicated local noon, but time
was a negative problem, for here
all meridians meet.
with step it was possible to &c
from one part of the globe to the op
posite side.
From the hour of midnight tc
that of midday the latitude was so
the temperature SS, and the baron
eter 1888.
North, east, and west had van
'slled. 1t was south in every direc
ton, but the compass pointing tt
the magnetic pole was as useful as
ever.
Tho overjoyed with the success O,
the conquest, our spirits began IL
descend on the following day. After
all the observations had been taken
with careful study of the local con
ditions, a sense of intense loneliness
came with the further scrutiny Of
the horizon
j What cherries spot to have
aroused the ambition of man for SC
many ages.
"An endless field of purple SHOWS
No life. No land. No spot 10 re
lieve the monotony of frost We
We're the only pulsating creatures in
a dead world of ice"
On April 2srd, 1908, the Doctor
and his two trusted companions
started south. The long Arctic win.
ter overlook them at Cope Sparbo,
Where they established winter
quarters in an underground den, and
lived on musk-ox and bear until the
following February.
On February IS, 1909, they resum.
ed their journey southwark, and
reached the shores of Greenland Oh
| the 18th of April.