The San Francisco call., 1909-09-02

tor Cooks expeditionis that he journeyed
over route. despite floating ice fields.
struggles with starvation and the thou
sand periIs that turn an arctic explorer
from his goal. which he had mapped out
in detail before setting his face. to the
north. He planned to advance and re-
turn over a certain stretch of country,
and has done so. In only one respect
have his plans miscarried-he was al
most one year longer in getting back
to civilization than he expected to be-
1t was the night of August 26. 1907,
that the schooner John r. Bradley, In
which Doctor Cook went north for
hunting trip, began discharging stores at
Etan, Greenland, in preparation for
the doctors dash toward the pole. only
Doctor Cook and Rudolph FRANKIE left
the vessel and she weighed anchor
and sailed for New York, bringing the
news that the explorer and his one
white assistant had remained behind
in the wilds TO attempt to reach the
north pole. whether Doctor Cook in
tended to make the trip when he start
ed on the hunting excursion is not now
known. 1t is very probable. consider
ing his supply of provisions and stores
that he did so.
EXPLORERS ESTABLISH STATION
At Annotoak, which is some 20 miles
north of Etah, on the northwest coast
of Greenland, fronting on Smith sound,
the two men, with Eskfmos, began
building houses and preparing to lay In
a supply of meat and furss for the trip
some months later. The idea, as planned
by Doctor Cook. was to- get together as
much food as possible. during the long
arctic night and then begin a forced
advance with the first appearance of
the summer sun.
The month. of September was spent in
hunting and preparing the meat for
future use and then the arctic night
set in. The time@was spent In building
sleds and packing dog meat for the
spring campaign. -
1t was February 26, 1908, when Cook.
FRANKIE and their Eskimo started out
from Annotoak. 100 fat dogs drawing
provisions promising food for a long
journey The first days march
brought the expedition out on the ice
covering the wide stretch OF strait at
Kane basin, and the second day they
reached the. opposite shore, at Cape
Sabine, on the northeast corner OF
EIlesmere land The third day the
party reached Rice Straits, 10 miles
northwest OF Greelys winter quarters
of 1SS3-S4, where starvation attacked
the famous explorers men. and the
final march participated in by FRANKIE
was made TO Flagler bay. At the head
of. this frozen body of water Cook
cached some provisions and then
FRANKIE and his Eskimo. were sent
back to Annotoak to guard the winter
stores. Cook and his eight natives
pressed on, travelling in forced
marches.
GOOD CONDITIONS. FOR DASH
FRANKIE, reluctant. was. sent back
March 3, for Cook. confidently expected
to be. back at sAnnatoak in September
and he must have provisions there to
last him through the winter. After
14O days of darkness the arctic day
dawned and conditions for the dash
were. as ideal as they can be in the
north. The temperature was then. 13
degrees below zero.
FRANKIE returned to sAnnotoak and
Cook turned northward- The sailor
remained at the station until June. and
in May. received "a letter from Cook.
brought by two Eskinos. The note
was dated March II and gave the ex-
ploring party's location 80 miles north
of Cape Thomas Hubbard and headed
northward. The expedition then had
gone 40 miles on the ice and was do
ing we'll IT was easy to see that Cook
intended to. profit by the discovery Of
Peary. ON his. voyage In 1905-6sin the
Roosevelt, and get. over on Crocker
land, a piece of ground, thought to be
a chain of islands. merely sighted by
Peary.. This, Cook would use as
stepping stone to the pole making a
base of supplies there. and thus gain
ing an advantage never before had by
any explorer.
The letter from . Cook instructed
FRANKIE to journey down the Green
land coast and take a whaler for New
York if Cook did not appear by June
5. and the sailor followed these in
structions, arriving in this country the
next month. He communicated his
news to the world, and all that was
known was that Cook was out in the
arctic some place, perhaps living In
an Eskimo settlement. perhaps dead
So from the date of the letter, writ
ten on the fee off Cape Hubbard. March
IL, 1908, until yesterday, the world be-
low 10 degrees north latitude knew
nothing of the well known physician
and explorer, and 1t was feared that
he was lost.
PLANNED RELIEF EXPEDITION
Last March fears for his safety re-
suited in the sending of circular let
ter to the American people by the
Arctic Club of America, asking for
funds to fit out a relief expedition.
which Dillon Wallace. author of The
Lure of the Labrador Wild" was TO
lead. Admiral Winfield S. Schley.
president of the Arctic club, who. when
a commodore in the navy, brought re-
lief to Greely's i'll fated expedition.
signed the letter asking for a donation
of $50, 900. and preparations TO send the
relief vessel in an endeavor to find
Doctor Cook were under way until the
moment that yesterdays cablegram
from Copenhagen told OF the explorers
success and safety.
Cook came back. 1t develops. just as
he told FRANKIE that he would. and
almost the same way that he took
toward the pole. It is certain that.
after reaching the pole. he was winter
bound on. the north coast near Cape
Hubbard. and unable to journey south
to the Danish settlements until this
spring. Then, it is known. he came