Norwich bulletin., 1909-09-18

I that the entire channel beyond was blocked with a jam of hard blue ice l The northernmost limit of motor boat ing had been reached. A perpendicu-
 lar cliff served as a pier to which tc | faSten the boat. Here it could rise and fall with the tide and the drifting ! ice did not give much trouble. ig A diligent exploration of the town | disclosed the fact that we had reach | ed not only the northernmost town l but the most prosperous settlement of the Greenland shore. The pest hunt CTS had gathered here for the winter l bear hunt.
 Their game catch had been very lucky. Immense catches of meat were strewn along the shore. More than g hundred dogs voiced the hunt force with which Eskimo prosperity is measured, and twelve long-haired wild | men came out to meet us as friends.
 The wealth in food and furs of this place fixed my determination on this spot as base for the polar dash. We were standing at a point within seven hundred miles of the pole. The strongest force of- men, the best teams of dogs and an unlimited supply of food, combined with The equipment on board the yacht, formed an ideal plant from which to work out the campaign. The seeming hopelessness of the task IdQ d klIlu Ol WeITO IdSclnaIlOn TOT me Many years of schooling in both polar zones and in mountaineering would serve a useful purpose
 Conditions Right for Dash.
 Here was my chance. Here was everything necessary, conveniently placed within the polar gateway. The problem was discussed with my col- league. MT. Bradley generously vol unteered to land from the yacht the food, fuel and other supplies we had provided for local use There was abundant trading material to serve as money.
 My own equipment aboard for sledge travelling could be made to serve ev- cry purpose in the enterprise. The possible combination left absolutely nothing to be desired to insure suc- cess.
 Only good health, endurable weath- CT and workable ice were necessary. The expenditure of a million dollars could not have placed an expedition at better advantage. The opportunity was too good to be lost. We there fore returned te Etah to prepare for
 Strong efforts had. been. made to reach the pole from every available quarter. Only the angle between Alas ka and Greenland had been left un- tried In our prospective venture we aimed to pierce this area of the globe.
 If we failed in our main effort we would at least make a track over a blank spot. With the resources for transportation which the Eskimos of fered l hoped to carry ample supplies over Ellesmere land and along the west coast of the game land.
 There was reason to suppose that we would avoid the troublesome pack agitated by the Greenland currents. The Eskimos were willing to trust to the game resources of this region to feed and fire the expedition en route to the lands end
 Splendid Advantages Offered. If their faith proved correct it of Tered me a series of advantages de- nied to every other leader of polar expeditions, for the movement would not only be supplied at the expense of the land which 1t explored, but men and dogs would be taken to the battle ground in superb training, with their vigorous bodies nourished by wholesome fresh meat, not the naus- eating laboratory stuff which is usual ly crowded into the unwilling stom- ach.
 Furthermore, 1t afforded me a chance to test every article of equip- ment in actual field work, and, above all, after a hard campaign of this kind I could select with some chance Of success the most likely winners for the final race over the circumpolar sea. r
 A Acnmpact was made With the little men of the farthest north to push the venture into the boreal center. When | it was noised about at Etah that preparations were in progress to try for the pole. most of the men on board the yacht volunteered to serve. Captain Bartlett, skipper of the John R. Bradley, said that he also would like to stay, but, if compelled to re- turn, he required at least a cook and an engineer to take the yacht hack to Newfoundland
 The situation was eased when the captain was told that but one man was wanted. No group of white men could possibly match the Eskimo in his own element. The willing hands of tribe of $50 people were at my disposal. More help was not required.
 But companion and general ov- erseer was in demand for this post. Rudolph Francke was selected. An nootok was to he the base of opera tions.
 But there is no harbor near this village to facilitate a rapid landing of supplies. and to hasten the depart ure of the yacht on her homeward run everything for the polar cam paign was brought on deck while the vessel was still at anchor in Etah and below all was prepared for the expected storms of the return voyage.
 Starting for Annotook.
 Late in the evening of September i the entire village of Etah was taken aboard. the anchor was tripped and soon the Bradley's bow was put out on the waters of Smith sound for An nootok. The night was cold and clear. frightened by the charm of color. The sun had just begun to dip under the northern horizon, which marks the end of the summer double days of splendor and begins the period of storms leading into the long night Early in the morning we were off An- nootok.
 The weather was now changed strong wind came from the sea. With shallow, water, unknown rocks and much ice drifting about no .comforta- ble berth could be fonnd for the yacht. If the overloaded decks were to be cleared at all 1t must be done quickly
 The launch and all the dories were lowered and filled Eskimo boats were pressed into service and loaded. The boats were lowed ashore. Only a few reached Annootok itself. for the wind increased and a troublesome sea made haste a matter of great importa nee