The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1909-09-09
THE NORTH POLE Is FOUND
Dr. Frederick Cook, of Brooklyn, Wins the GoaI---
Reaches Pole April ~, I9oS---Land at the
Point Where With One Step You Pass
From Side to Side Of the Earth


from the ice of the central pack, was
crossed with little delay. The low
temperature was persistent and the
winds made life torture. But coop
ed up in our snow houses. eating
dried beef tallow and drinking hot
tea. there was some animal comforts
occasionally to be gained
For several days after the sight
of known land was lost. the overcast
sky prevented an accurate determina-
tlon of our position. On March 80
the horizon was partly cleared and
new land was discovered. Our OBJ
servations gave our position as lati-
tude S4.4T, longitude S6.36. There
was urgent need of rapid advance.
Our main mission did not permit a
detour for the purpose of exploring
the coast. Here were seen the last
signs of solid earth; beyond there
was nothing stable to be seen.
''We advanced steadily over the
monotony of moving sea-ice and now
found ourselves beyond the range of
all life-neitl.er footprints of bears
nor the blow-holes of seals were de-
tected. Even the microscopic Great
ures of the deep were no longer under
us. The maddening influence of the
shifting desert of frost became al
most uncomfortable in the daily rou-
tine. The surface of the pack offer
ed less and less trouble and the
weather improved, but there still re-
mained the life-sapping wind which
drove desair to its lowest recess. The
extreme cold compelled action. Thus
day after day our weary legs spread
over big distances. Incidents and
positions were recorded, but adven-
ture was promtly forgotten in the
next days efforts.
'The night of April Z was made
notable by the swinging of the sun at
midnight over the northern ice. Sum
burns and frost bites were now re-
corded on the same day, but the
double days glitter infused quite an
incentive into ones life of shivers.
"Our observation April placed
the camp in latitude 1886, longitude
94.2. In spite of what seemed long
marches we advanced but little over
a hundred miles. Much of our work
was lost in circuitous twists, around
troublesome pressure lines and high
irregular fields. A very old ice drift,
too, was driving eastward with suffi-
cient force to give some anxiety.
Although still equal to about fifty
miles daily, the extended marches
and the long hours for travelling with
which fortune favored us earlier were
no longer possible. We were now
about 200 miles from the pole and
sledge loads were reduced One dog
after another went into the stomachs
of the hungry survivors until the
teams were considerably diminished
in number, but there seemed to re-
main a sufficient balance for man and
brute to push along into the heart Of
the mystery to which We had set our
selves.
"On April 81 we had reached 80
degrees SO minutes 46 seconds. The
pole was in sight. We covered the
remaining fourteen seconds and made
a few final observations. told
Etukishook and Ahwelsh (the accom-
panying Eskimos) that we had reach
ed the "great nail Everywhere we
turned was south. With a single step
we could pass from one side of the
earth to the other; from midday to
midnight. At last the flag floated to
the breeze at the pole. 1t was April
Il, 1908. The temperature was minus
3S centigrade, barometer 1888, lati-
tude 90; as for the longitude it was
nothing, as it was but word.
Although crazy with joy our
spirits began to undergo feeling Of
weariness. Next day after taking all
our observations, a sentiment of in
tense solitude penetrated us while we
looked at the horizon. Was it pos
sibie that this desolate region, with
out patch of earth, had aroused the
ambition of so many men for so many
centuries7 There was no ground,
only an immensity of dazzling white
snow, no living being, no point to
break the frightful monotony.
"On April % we started on our re-
turp >,