Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-04
EXPLORER Tells OF HIS THRILLING
JOURNEY TO APEX OF THE WORLD

tube which | buried under the nag
That tube contains short statement
about my trip.
"I couldn't leave my visiting card
because l didn't have one with me.
Perhaps the explorer added dryly
| I should have stayed there longer had
it not begun to freeze us in our idle
ness.
1.-The Eskimos were uneasy and the
dogs howled fearfully.
Ion April %, therefore, I again
| turned my nose southwark, which was
much easier, as you cannot turn your
nose in any other direction when you
stand at the pole
Describing the return journey, DR..
Cook said: Fortune now smiled. We
did twenty miles per day until we
reached the ominous 87th degree.
Then I felt the ice moving east
ward, carrying us with it.
"a terrible fog swept around us and
kept with us for three weeks.
I'VE got no farther than the S4th
degree Then began a heavy walk
toward Heiberg's land and another
three weeks of fog.
Drifted Southward
"rWhen tha. cleared [ saw we had
drifted southwest to RingneSland,
where we found open water and tower
high screw ice, which stopped our way
eastward.
owe now began to suffer hunger.
Our provisions were becoming eX-
hausted and we were unable to find
depots.
owe entered Ringnesland, and on
June 20 found the first animals of our
return-bear and seal. We shot a bear.
And now our goal was the whalers
at Lancaster sound. We followed the
drift ice to the south eight miles a day,
but were stopped by pack ice in
Wellington channel, which was i'm
passable either by boat or sledge.
Here was lots of game, but we
did not dare shoot it. We had only
taken a hundred bullets to the pole
and now only Is were left.
We went into Jones' sound after
walrus and bears and found open,
calm water
awe met polar wolves with which
some of our dogs made friends and
ran away.
Lived in Open Boat
We spent day and night in an open
boat ten miles from shore. This lasted
for two months, while storms often
ragged over our heads.
"'At last we got ashore again, but we
had no fuel and were obliged to eat
uncooked food.
Next day we found fuel, and what
a feast we had! But we suffered much
hunger during this period. One night
a bear came and stole our food. We
had many fights with musk oxen which
attacked us. Our best weapon against
| them was the lasso'
The correspondents story quotes DR..
Cook as saying in conclusion:
"'Say that the day we reached our
provisions stored at Etah was greater
! = IAVarr fA "a nf
to civilization, to move among my fell
lowmen; long to press my wife to my
heart.
T am the happiest man living. Tell
the whole world l thank God 1 am
| back"
Some had hoped the Hans Egede
would reach port tonight, and DR.. Egap
had prepared to welcome DR.. Cook with
fireworks from the deck of the Fedora.
Boat Arrives Today
The quarantine station at Elsinore,
however, signaled that a gale was in
progress and THAI it was improbable
that the steamer would reach her des-
tination before tomorrow morning.
King Frederick will have an audience
with DIR. Cook tomorrow and will deco
rate him with the Danish gold medal,
awarded for merit.
The social activities will be begun as
soon the steamer Melchoir, bearing
the committee Of the Royal Geographi-
cal society, with Maurice F. Egan, the
American minister, as guest, meets
the Hans Egede.
DR. Cook will be given a reception
and banquet on the Melchoir.
The municipal banquet to the ex-
plorer will be given in the town hall
tomorrow night. The committee hav-
ing this entertainment in hand Includes
representatives of the ministry of COM
merce, the municipality, the Royal
Geographical society and the board of
trade.
Four hundred guests have been in
vited From this time on the dinners,
receptions and gayeties will be inces-
SAINT.
Many kilograms Come
Hundreds of kilograms from America
and all other parts of the world have
been received at the American legation
for the explorer.
A certain amount of skepticism Is
noticeable today among the Scandina-
Wan Arctic explorers who yesterday
accepted the discovery of the north
pole as an accomplished fact, and even
the Americans here admit they have
some doubt pending a full statement
from DIR. Cook himself.
DR.. Nathorst the Swedish professor
VINO QueSLlOuGu lHe cOII6ClleSS VI liz
first account of DR.. Cooks feat, added
today that in all events Dr. Cook had
made a good sporting trip"
The news that the Hans Egede had
passed Cape Skagen led to increased
activity on the part of those preparing
to celebrate the return of the explorer.
City Gay with Flags
The city already is gay with flags,
and everywhere the stars and stripes
are being intertwined with Danish en-
signs.
Many persons are preparing to stay
up all night for the possible arrival of
the Hans Egede, but the steamer can
not make port before tomorrow morn
ing.
The Melchor will meet the Hans
Egede twenty-five miles outside of the
harbor, and if Dr. Cook approves he
will be transferred to this vessel for
the run to Copenhagen.
The official reception will be held at
9 o'clock tomorrow morning.
The pier where the government and
city officials will welcome the explorer
| is being elaborately decorated.
Preparations are being made to
handle an enormous crowd