The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1909-09-10
INTREPID AMERICAN LANDS IN
MIDST OF REMARKABLE De.
MoNsTRATIoN.
CANPROvE HIS DISCOVERY
Stayed Two Days at Pole and Made
Numerous Observations. - Under
It 10 Brass Tube Containing
Story Of Or. Cooks Trip.

Copenhagen.-Al Denmark awaited
the arrival of DR.. Frederick A. Cook.
A regal welcome awaited the man
whose announcement from Lerwick,
on Sept. l, that he had discovered
the North pole startled the entire civil
lized world.
The steamer Hans Egede, on which
the explorer returned from the frozen
north, passed Skagen, the northern
extremity of Denmark, at 2 o'clock in
the afternoon and steamed into the
sound dock here at daylight. He
landed at 900 a. m.
DR.. Cook received a newspaper cor
respondent who went out on a launch
to meet him and briefly described his
journey. He said:
Then came April Fl. That was
the great day. We looked for the sun.
AS soon as we got it l made several
observations. Great Joy came over
US. We only Is miles from the
desired spot. I said to myself, bully
for Frederick. Then we went on.
81 felt that l ought to be there.
l made my last observation and found
that I was standing on the pole.
"'My feelings? Well, l was too
tired really to feel any sensation. I
planted the stars and stripes in the
ice field and my heart grew warm
when l saw it wave in the wind"
LAS I was sitting at the pole I
could not help smiling at the people,
who, on my return, would call the
whole expedition a humbug. was
sure the people would say that I had
bought my two witnesses and that my
notebook with my daily observations
had been manufactured.
1.-The only thing l a put up
against this is what the York Eskimss
have told Knud Rasmussen. Let the
skeptics who disbelieve my story go to
the North pole. There they will find
a small brass tube which I buried un-
der the flag. That tube contains a
short statement about my trip. I
could not leave my visiting card be-
cause l did not happen to have one
with me.
01dEIS NCsufU SOuTfeys
perhaps, the explorer added dry
ly, \ should have stayed there longer
had it not begun to freeze us in our
idleness. The Eskimos were uneasy
and the dogs howlad fearfully. On
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 20
miles per day until we reached the
ominous 87th degree. Then I felt the
ice moving eastward, carrying vi with
it. A terrible fog swept around us
and kept us for three weeks. We got
no further than the saith degree. Then
began q heavy walk towards Hell
bergsland and another three weeks of
fog. When that cleared l saw we had
drifted southwest to Ringnesland,
where we found open water and tow
er-high screw ice, which stopped our
way eastward.
"fWe now began to suher hunger.
Our provisions were becoming ex
hausted and we were unable to find
depots. We entered Ringnesland and
on June 20 found the first animals on
our return bear and seals. We shot
a bear.
".Now we spent day and night in an
open boat ten miles from shore. This
lasted for two months while storms
often ragged ove our heads.
"'Say that the day we reached oui
provision stores at Etah was q greater
day than April 81. l long to get back
to civilization. to move among my fell
low men; / long to press my wife to
my heart. I am the happiest man lfv-
ing. Tell the whole world I thank God
I am back"