Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-10-07
Explorer Tells Of Re-
turning to Upper
Navik and Finding
His Supplies Had
Been Used for
Barter.

Ottawa, Ont Oct b-Captain Berncr
" the Canadian steamer Arctic to- day
made public a letter written to him by
Or. Frederick A. Cook on May % and
delivered to Captain Bernler on Septem-
Der 3. Upper Navk, Greenland Tho
iettcr opens:
MY Dear Captain:
Il have to write YOU the first letter
after being sealed behind ice barriers
for two years It was your supplies 80
kindly left in charge OF Mr.. Whitney
which aided me greatly in getting to
upper Eavik. All my other property had
been taken BY Pcary under the guise Of
relief station for DR.. Cook Murphy,
the man in charge OF the station. how
ever. was instructed not to engage In
any relief efforts, not 10 allow EskImos
to cross and search until March of the
following year. 1909. My large store Of
supplies and my station was used for
barter with natives to satisfy Pearys
commercial greed. -
Fortunately we were able to work
out our problem without relief efforts
except as you offered We have pushed
into the boreal center and picked up the
polar prize but the effort was danger
Gus beyond conception.
THE splendid assistance which you
have given and the liberality of the
Canadian government in sending the
ship is a happy contrast to the hind
rance and injustice of one of my own
countrymen."
DESCRIBES JOURNEY TO POLE.
Describing the journey to the pole.
Or. Cook says:
Starting from Annatok on Fehru-
airy 10, 1908. we crossed Ellsmere
Land. pushed along its western coast
TO the polar sea. feeding ten Eskimos
and 1913 dogs en- route on musk oxen
and bears.
"From SO north I started with two
young Eskimos and 2s dogs pulling
two sleighs and supplies for so days.
The ice was fine after crossing 81 de-
gress. Crocker's land was sighted
and passed and a new land found to
the north OF 1t extending IS degrees.
Beyond no land was seen. The Pole
was reached April p. 1905 The re-
turn was forced slightly westward on
the northward route, but about SIS de-
gross were drfted east and south.
Below "a we had drifted with open
water and an active pack.
I'VE We're helplessly carried to the
west. unable to reach our caches along
Nansen's sound. We We're pushed into
Prince Custave sea with food and fue
exhausted. Still unable to press east
ward. went with the ice to the south
food and fuel now exhausted. Polar
bears came to our rescue life savers
We then went into Wellington channel
hoping to be able to reach whalers ir
Lancaster sound. but soor
foil NJ
young. small Ice.
SITUATION ALMOST HELPLESS.
with no game this short route to ar
early ship was no longer possible and
20 satisfy the pangs Of hunger we work
ed to Jones sound. Here. after long
run OF hard adventure by boat and
slcdge, a cruel necessity forced into
winter camp in September at Cape Spar
DO without fuel or food. ammunition or
winter clothing. with no dogs, no guns
Our situation was almost hopeless but
fortune came our way. Bows and ar
rows, harpoons, lances and other com
PIGMENTS were made. The musk oxen
and bear were taken with lines The
lance and knife secured small game
Foxes were trapped, walruses and sea s
attacked and secured in our little fold
Ing canvas boat. An underground dam
vas built and the winter Of l90s-09 passed
with a taste Of everything save fresh
meat
"FOr we had not n morsel Of civilized
food. not even salt. new equipment
was devised and soon as tho sun CT
W9 rose over the hills of North Devon
we started FOR Annatok IN February 1909;
IRA gg1ng dried musk oxen meat as food
md melted tallow ss fuel FOR thirty days
IN our sleigh. Deep snow, bad Ice. open
Eater and continued storm made the re-
hirn slow and arduous. We reached
Annatok after n run OF hard luck on
April 5. Here we were met by Whitney
only to find that Peary's men had mis-
used our station with It's equipments
Under the protection Of Mr.. Whitney
we enjoyed good health at all times"