Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1909-09-18
cock DESCRIBES
DASH To POLE
Explorer Tells Of 460-MlIe
Trip Over the Ice.
FACED STARVATION FOR DAYS
Return Trip Was Far More Difficult
and Full Of Suffering. Than His UP.
ward Dssh-Had TO Forage For Food
While Weak and Exhausted.

While Weak and Exhausted.
London. Sept. 1s.-William T. Stead.
who is said to have been the only
Journalist to whom Dr. Frederick A.
Cook. the American Arctic explorer.
while in Copenhagen. Denmark. gave o
detailed account OF his trip to the
North Pole, tells OF his interview. DR..
Cook sailed from Copenhagen on the
steamer Oscar II. for New York. where
he will arrive on the 21st inst. Mr..
Stead tells OF the interview In the fol-
lowing words:
After describing the fortunate COM
bination OF circumstances that brought
him to the edge OF the Arctic circle
at time when good dogs, plenty OF
Eskimos and lots OF food were there.
DR.. Cook told me the story OF his polar
march as follows:
II started away from Annatook.
near Etah, on Feb. 10. which was the
sunrise OF 1908 had ten Eskimos.
eleven sledges. heavily laden with sup
plies. and 1903 dogs. II was the coolest
part OF the winter. The thermometer
registered SO degrees below zero as
We passed over the heights OF Els
mere strait.
I'VE were bound for Lands End. to
the west, where we were to begin our
ice journey. During the trip we struck
several fine game trails and secured
lO1 musk oxen, 1856 hares and seven
bears. We reached the end OF the
land and the beginning of the ice on
March IS, 1908.
460.Mile Dash to the Pole.
there we established supply sta
ton. and picked out the two best
men and twents-six OF the best dogs
for the dash across the ice. The Es
kimos were Eutikishook and Ahwelsh
bravest and strongest of the tribe.
1--WE were then at latitude $3.50. OF
400 miles from the pole. We started
our advance three days later. or
March 81. During the first days we
made long marches. The cold persist
ed and there were strong winds.
Il lived as the Eskimos did and
managed to get some comfort by sleep
ing In snow houses which we dug out
eating tallow and drinking tea. The
sky during these days was overcast
by smoky mist, so that no observation
could be taken, but on March 80 an OBJ
sa-~n'ion gave our position as latitude
So. Nc had covered, therefore. more
than 1870 miles In nine days.
Beyond this point we encountered
merely desert of Ice. There was nc
life. Tracks Of animals and blowholes
OF seals were absent. Nor was there o
trace of vegetation.
April was worthy OF especial note
because the sun at midnight appeared
over the edge OF the northern Ice The
next day made an observation which
placed our position at latitude 1886.
Our speed had increased slightly. We
had traversed more than $50 miles In
seventeen days.
I'VE were then q trifie more than
200 miles from the pole. We were sun.
burned and frostbitten on the same
day. but the light enabled us to ad.
vance more easily.
beyond the seth parallel the crev.
fees became fewer and narrower. and
between the S7th and SSth parallels
was surprised to find indications Of
land ice. For two days We travelled
over ice that looked like a glacial sur.
face. But there was no perceptible
elevation. and, therefore. It was impos-
sible to tell whether we were on land
or sea.
ION April II we reached latitude
ss.z1. and were within q little bit less
than 100 miles of the pole. We no
longer had energy TO make any snow
houses and slept in q silk tent which
we carried.
I'm the days that followed we saw
mirages, inverted mountains and queer
objects that seemed to dance about.
The horizon itself seemed to dance.
But I made careful astronomical OBJ
servations and always knew our po-
sition.
"On April u my observation--cor-
rected-showed that we had reached
latitude so degrees. 50 minutes and 40
seconds. and were therefore within q
stones throw, almost. OF the Goth par
allel We advanced the II seconds
approximately a quarter OF q mile
and there l made the double round Of
observations which confirmed our po-
sition.
This was at noon Of April Fl. 1908.
Ny observations showed that the lati-
tude was precisely 90 degrees. The
temperature was SO degrees below
zero. The barometer stood at 1888
inches. There was no land in sight
nothing but q depressing waste Of ice
and snow. which appeared purple In
the light.
RAISED Flag TO the Breeze"
"The Eskimos told me that at last
they had reached the Big Nail and