Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1909-09-09
How the North Pole Was Found.

North Pole. The New YORK Herald
published the first news OF this most i'm
porant matter and gave the details OF DR..
Cooks achievement.
DR.. Cook started on this expedition IN
the summer OF 1907, sailing from North
Sidney, B. c., on the yacht John r.
Bradley. The party was reinforced with
sledges, dogs and Artic equipment al
Etah, Greenland, whence they sailed
March 3, 1908.
The expedition was the outcome OF a
summer cruise in Artic seas. The yacht
Bradley arrived at the limits OF navigation
in Smith Sound late in August, 1907.
Here conditions were found favorable 10
launch venture for the Pole. John R.
Bradley literally supplied from the yacht
suitable provisions for local use, and my
own equipment for emergencies served
well for every purpose OF Aruc travel.
Many Eskimos had gathered on the
Greenland shore at Annootok for the
winter bear hunt. immense catches OF
meat had been gathered. About the camp
were plenty OF strong dogs.
The combination was lucky, for there
was good material for an equipment, ex-
pert help and efficient motor force, and
all that was required was conveniently
arranged al a point only 100 miles from
the boreal center.
A house and a workshop was built OF
packing boxes. The willing hands OF
this northernmost Tribe of250 people were
set to the problem of devising suitable
outfit and before The end Of the long win
ter night We were ready for the enter
prise.
Pans were ulatured 10 force a new
route over Grimmel Land and northward
along its west coast out TO the Polar Sea.
Soon after the polar midnight the cam
paign opened. A few scouting parties
were sent over to the American shores TO
explore way and seek game haunts.
Their mission was only partly successful
because storms darkened the January
moon.
At sunrise OF 1908 February lel the
main expedition embarked for the Pole.
Eleven men and lOs dogs, drawing II
heavily loaded sledges, left the Greenland
shore and pushed westward over the
troubled ice OF Smith Sound. The gloom
OF the long night was relieved by only d
few hours OF daylight. The chill of win
ter was felt al its worst. As they crossed
the heights OF ElleSmore Sound 10 the
Pacific slope the temperature sank TO s.
degrees below zeror. Several dogs were
frozen and the men suffered severely, but
they found game trails, along which al
easy way was forced through Nansen
Sound 10 the Lands End.
In this march were procured l0l musk
oxen, seven bears and 335 hare, and then
they pushed out into the polar sea from
the southern point Of Heiberg Island.
On March Is, six Eskimos returned
from here with four men and 46 dogs,
moving supplies for 50 days.
The crossing Of the circumpolar PACK
was begun three days later, the other Es-
kimos forming the last supporting party
returned. The trains had now been re-
duoed by the survival OF the fIttest. Ell
ukishook and Aslewab, the two best men
and D dogs were packed for the ina
dash. There was before US an unknown
line Of go miles TO our goal.
The first days permitted long marches
and with encouraging progress the big
lead which separated the land ice from
the central pack was crossed with LITTLE
delay.
Low temperature and persistent wind:
made life torture, but. cooped in Snow
houses, eating dried beef and tallow and
was depressing monoiouy OF scene, and
life had no pleasures, no spiritual recreea-
ton nothing TO relieve the physical drag
OF chronic fatigue
But there came an end TO all this. as tC
all things. On April p the first corrected
attitude Of the sun gave s. degrees, 5
minutes and IS seconds.
The Pole, therefore, was in sight.
They advanced the II seconds, nladS
supplementary observation, and prepared
TO stay long enough 10 permit 4 doubl'
round of observations. Etukishook anC
AsweIah were told that the party haC
reached the "neig nail" and they sough
10 celebrate by an outbreak of savage ioY
AT last men had pierced the boreal cen,
ter and the flag had been raised to III
coveted breezes Of the North Pole, Tit
day was April q, 1908. The sun indi.
Gated local noon, but time was negatiy;
problem, for here all meridizns meet
With step II was possible to 60 iron
one part OF the globe TO the opposite slce
From the hour Of midnight 10 that OF mid
day the iatitude was 90 degrees, the TEN
perature IS degrees and the baromete
1888.
North, East and West had vanished ]
was south in every direction, bun tn
compass, pointing to the magnetic pole
was Is useful Is ever
Though overioyed with the success Q
the conquest, the spirits of the men bega
to descend on the following day after a
the observations had been taken with
careful study of the local conditions,
sense OF intense Loneliness came with IN
further scrutiny OF the horizon What
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