The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-15
Much OF Which Was Written
Before He Reached Home.
NGFROMPOLE
He Experienced His Greatest
Hardships and Sulferings
With Ammunition and Food
Exhausted He Nearly Dies.

twelve installments are devoted to his
| trip to the pole. In the twelfth he
covers briefly his return from the pole
to Copenhagen, describing some of the
suffering experienced.
Cooks greatest difficulty was coming
back. He and his two companions were
at times nearly dead from starvation,
being without food or ammunition to
Kill bears, yalruses or musk oxen.
+ In his lectures the explorer tells many
! incidents of his journey back to civil
Z 1zat1on that were not covered in his
Conquest of the Pole" printed in the
New York Herald and the Topeka State
Journal.
! The following portions of his lectures
now being delivered in various cities in
the country cover in the main incidents
not printed in his story proper with the
exception probably of a half column
preliminary and general:
DR.. Cooks Lecture.
The problem with which we have to
deal Is one that has engaged the minds
, of adventurous men for many success
i've ages. 1t is a race wherein lucky
combination of circumstances and
knowledge of the economy of human
endurance count for success In our
campaign there was nothing very won
derful We used no aeroplanes or SUBJ
marines.
We used no noted devices or startling
inventions in the trip over the ice We
reduced subsistence and the means of
transportation to the simplicity of prim-
tive man We lived life as simple
as that of : n, but there was no
silence. Civilized man does not de-
scend to the scientific limits of the
savage if he can succeed otherwise,
he nIn
ether way. This hard necessity we
Lave learned from our predecessors.
Therefore. I hasten to acknowledge at
the outset my debt of gratitude to the
early pathfinders of the pole
Recalls Predecessors.
The list of even the living explorers
ls too numerous to recount, but 1 can
not pass along without mentioning
some OF the names of those who have
been instrumental in building up the
road of arctic travel Let us, there
fore, share this present glory with
Melville and Greely. with Nansen and
SVerdrup with Abruzzi and Sagni and
with Peary and Emuney.
The expedition which you will follow |
in my talk was equipped at Gloucester, |
Mass. strong schooner was bought. !
down with supplies and all was ready t
CT the evening of July 3. The boys |
ashore were testing the fireworks for |
the morrow's celebration, but aboard |
whistles, no visiting crowds. The arc
tic expedition had been born without |
such public clamor.
There was no excuse for bombast
Neither government nor private help
had been asked. I was backed by no
polar trust. The expedition was given
life from the purse of John r. Bradley
of New York, and 1 shaped it's des-
tiny.
Ice-Paclx Causes Delay.
|
later the result of that expedition was
announced Again we asked for no
favor. The news was given as public
property to the world. If our success
las aroused YOUR enthusiasm II was
lot of our seeking. If you have made
our project your business it is because
you are interested in our conquest, and
he honor of that is the highest com
1liment which you could pay to our
Efforts.
This reconstructed schooner was given
yacht register. 1t was loaded with the
aw material for arctic equipment. We
possibly be of use for such work as ]
We had in mind. Captain Moses Bart ;
EFT, with crew of navigators, was
from Newfoundland to com
nand the yacht.
We left on the evening of July 3.
allied northward to Sydney across the
Sulf of St. Lawrence, through the
Strait of Belle Isle to Battle Harbor
n the southwestern point of Labrador.
from here a course was set across the
ough waters of Davis straits to the
vest coast of Greenland. sailing along g.,
he west coast of Greenland amid ice :.
,ergs. under the glories of the mid :
light sun.
Here the lecturer tells of incidents al \
'eady covered by the State Journal1 !
1t is needless to say, therefore, that l
when he reached the Polar Sea we
we're stocked with food for the men
md dogs. We had travelled the first
100 miles through darkness and in
he flercest cold of the year but we
lad lived well and had enjoyed life. j
We had gone to the Polar Sea there
'ore, in the best physical training for
he dash which was to follow later
Up to the end of Heiberg Island we
lived on the fat of the land; we ate i
nothing but the meat of S
he game which we secured. But we f
Knew in going out over the Polar Sea Y
hat our food supply was narrowly T
he dogs. We did not take a long list 4
If things to make us comfortable or +
o give us luxurieS in food.
Living the simplest possible life n
practically our only food was pemmi- E
an. d
Real Start for Pole. lc
In the current number of OutIooLr t.
dr. George Kenyon, for whom have t.
he highest regard. takes the ground C
hat with musk OK meat as food a
oad of 5000 pounds would be neces- S
lays. In this statement Mr. KENYON a
s entirely correct, but since we had II
lot used musk OK meat as dogs food
N the Polar Sea, the criticism has no
,earing on our problem.
1