The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-10-27
By DR.. FREDERICK A. COOK
Copyright. 1909. by the New York
Herald Company. Registered In
Canada In Accordance With Copy
right Act. Copyright In Mex
leo Under Laws of the Republic
of Mexico. All Rights Reserved
.HE expedition was equipped at
Gloucester, Mass. All was ready
ON the evening of July 3. 1907.

1kkody wv OSS'N -
John r. Bradley, withdrew from the
pier, all was quiet. There were no
visiting crowds of curiosity seekers.
No footing whistles signalized u de-
parture.
An arctic expedition had been born
without the usual public bombast.
There was, indeed. no excuse for
clamor. Neither the help of the gov
eminent nor the contributions of pri-
waite individuals had been sought. The
project was quietly given life and its
expenses were paid by John R. Brad
ley. Its destiny was shaped by the
writer.
Mr.. Bradley was interested III game
animals Of the north. was interested
in the game of the polar quest. For
the time being the business concerned
us only. If the venture proved sue
cessful there would be time enough to
raise the banner Of victory. If it fail
ed none had the privilege Of heaping
upon us the unmerited abuse which
usually comes to the returning polar
Traveller.
In a brief mouth all had been pre-
pared for the peculiar mission. We
had purchased a strong Gloucester fish
Ing schooner, fitted with a motor, GOV
cred for ice and loaded down with
suitable supplies for a prolonged Pc
riod.
One morning the bold cliffs of Cape
York were dimly outlined in the gray
mist which screened the land. A storm
had carried so much ice against the
coast that a near approach was i'm
possible, and continued winds kept up
a sea which made it equally a difficulty
to land on the ice.
In Ice Free Polar Waters.
Though anxious to meet the natives
at Cape York. we We're forced to turn
and set q course for the next village.
at North Star bay. At noon the sooty
clouds separated, and in the north
through the narrow breaks we saw the
steep slopes and warm color of GRIM
son cliffs resting on the rising water.
Darling through the air were count
less guillemotS. gulls. little auks and
elder ducks. We were in the ice free
north waters, where creatures Of the
sea find q marine oasis IN midst of a
polar desert.
This kind Of coast extends poleward
to the lands end. 1t is the abundant
sea life which makes human habita-
ton just possible here, though land
animals are also important.
The people Of the farthest north are
crowded into a natural reservation by
the arctic ice wall Of Melville bay in
the south and the %stupendous line of
cliffs Of Humboldt glacier in the north.
, Homo of the Eskimos.
Widely scattered in small villages,
the northernmost Eskimo finds here q
good living. A narrow band of rocky
land between the land Ice and the sea
offers grasses upon which feed ptarmi.
gan, hare and caribous.
Numerous cliffs and Islands afford a
resting place in summer for myriads
of marine birds that seek the small
life Of the icy waters. Blue and white
foxes wander everywhere. Seal, walrus
narwhal and white whale sport in the
summer sun, while the bear, king OF
the polar wilds, roams over the sea al
all times.
The yacht lodged the icebergs and
dangerous rocks in the fog about
Cape Athol, then turned eastward tt
cross Wolstenholme sound.
AS we neared Table mountain
which guards North Star bay, many
natives came out In kayaks to meet
US. Some were recognized as old
friends. There "a Myah, he Of many
wives; Oobloiah, who had executed
Angodgibsah, styled the villain by
Gibson at Radcliffe House, and Pin
coota, husband of the queen, in whose
family are to be found the only by
Ibrid children Of the tribe.
Later, Knud Rasmussen, a Danish
writer, living as a native among the
people, came aboard. With him We
got better acquainted during the win
ter.
Late at night a visit was made t.
the town Of Oomanooi. There were
seven triangular sealskin tents, con
veniently placed on picturesque rocks
Gathered about these in large mum
hers were men. women and children
shivering in the midnight chill.
They were odd looking specimens o.
humanity. In height the men aver
aged but five feet two inches and thu
women four feet ten inches. All hat
broad, fat faces, heavy trunks ant
well rounded limbs. Their skin wa'
slightly bronzed. Men and womel
had coal black hair and brown eyes
The nose was short, and the hand'
and feet were short, but thick.
There was not much news to ex
change. After we had gone over tn
list of marriages and deaths the lucl
of the chase became the topic Of con
v~ersation.
1t was a period Of monogamy
Myah had exchanged a plurality o
wives for q larger team OF dogs, ant
there was but one other man in tn
tribe with two wives.
Women were rather scarce. Severa
marriageable men were forced to fore
20 the advantages of married lie De