Norwich bulletin., 1909-10-09
By pr. Frederick A. Cook.

Herald Company. Registered in Can- ada in accordance with the Copyright act Copyright in Mexico under the laws of the republic of Mexico. All rights reserved.)
 During the first hour of April 23 backs were turned to the pole and to the sun. Our exploring ambition had been thoroughly satisfied. There were few giances backward.
 The eaSerness to solve the mystery had served its purpose and the me ory of the adventure for a time re- lnainet s.s a reminder of reckless dar- ing. As we now moved along the feeling of elation slowly subsided with the realization of the prospective diff faculties of the reurn. Though the mercury was still frozen and the suns perpetual flush was lost in frigid blue, the time was at hand in lower lati tudes for the ice to break and drift scuthward.
 With correct reasoning all former expeditions had planned to return to land and secure a line of retreat by May l. We could not hope to do so until early in June. It seemed, there fore. probable that the ice along the outskirts of the polar sea would be much disrupted and that open water, small ice and rapid drifts would se- riously interfere with our return to a sure footing on the shores of Nan sen Sound. All of this and many oth- CT possibilities were carefully con eidered before, but the conquest of the pole was not possible without risks.
 We had started earlier than all other polar aspirants and no time had been lost en route. If misfortune came to us it could not be because of wasted energies or unnecessary delay. In the last days of the onward rush to success there was neither time nor opportunity to ponder over the bitters of subsequent remorse, but now fac ing southern skies under which was home and all for which we lived, the back trail seemed indescribably long. In cold sober thought, freed Of the fntoxication of polar enthusiasm. the difficulties darkened in color. We now saw that the crucial stage of the cam paign was not the taking of the pole. The test of our fitness as boreal con- querors was to be measured by the outcome of a final battle for life against famine and frost.
 The first days, however, passed rap idly. With fair weather and favor able Ice long marches were made.
 We aimed to return along the one- hundredth meridian. There were three important objects to be gained by a route somewhat west of the north
 
 drift would thus be counterbalanced. We hoped to0get near enough to the new lands to explore a part of the coast and a wider belt would be swept out of the unknown sea.
 The pack drift proved quite active ana we were quickly carried east ward beyond our daily drift allow registered 121 miles, and by our sys- tenn of dead reckoning, which was us ually correct, we should have been at latitude S75e longitude 100. The nau- tical observations gave latitude SS.1, longitude 37.42. We were therefore drifting eastward with increasing speed and to counterbalance this a still more westerly course was set.
 At this time the exchanging Easneness of the daily routine was again felt. The novelty of the success and the passion of the home run were no longer operative. The scenes of shivering blue wearied the eye and there was no inspiration in the mov- ing sea of ice to gladden. the heart The thermometer rose and fell be- eween 30 and 40 below zero Fahren- heit, with a ceaseless wind. It was still very cold. The first of May was at hand. bringing to mind the bloss- orls and smiles of kindly world, but here all nature was narrowed to lines of ice. The sun circled the skies in lines of glaring. but its heat was sham and it's light a torment.
 With weary nerves and compass in hand. my lonely march ahead of the sleds was continued. Progress was satisfactory. We had passed the eigthy- ninth and eighty eighth par allels. The eighty-seventh and eighty sixth would soon be under foot and the sight of the new lands should compel action. These rd-fought times were days long 70 be remember cd, but only the marks of the pencil now remain to tell the story of a sup pressed existence.
 Fellow Feeling for Dogs.
 The long strain of the march had given a brotherly sympathy for the trio of human strugglers. Under the same strain was made the descent to canine levels. The dogs, though still pos sessing the savage ferocity of the wolf, had taken us into their community We now moved among them without nearing grvnt of discord, and their sympathetic eyes followed until we were n-ade comfortable on the cheer less snows. If our dogs happened to | be placed near enough they edged up and cncircled us, giving the benefit of l thsir anifnei fires. To remind us of 1 their presence frost-covered noses | WcTc lrcqucully pusneu under the bag l and occasionally a cold snout touched | our warm skin with a rude awaken ing. We loved the creatures. howev- | CT, and admired their superb brute | strength. Their adaptability was a frequent topic of conversation. With | a pek that was a guarantee against | all weather conditions, they threw themselves down to the sweep of winds |, in ppen defiance of death dealing storms They willingly did a prodig- | fouS amount of work each day, and then as bsdfellows they offered their 1 fur as shelter and bones as head rests | to their two-footed companions. We | had learned to appreciate the ad- vantage of their beating breasts. The | bond of animal fellowship had drawn | tighter and tighter in a long run of | successive adventures. And now there | was stronger reason than ever to | appreciate power, for altogether we | were seeking an escape from a. world | which was never intended for creat- | ures with thurnping hearts. Much very heavy ice was crossed | near the eighty eighth, but the end | less unbroken fields of the northward | trails were not again seen. The | weather changed considerably. The | light cutting winds from the west sn- | creased in fcree and the sDasmodic | squalls came at shorter intervals. | The clear purple and blue of the seas | were gradually changed to light gray | and rush of frosty needles came over fhe pack for several hours each daSs -