The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-04
Intrepid Explorer Describes His Feelings Upon Reach
 ing North Pole
BRASS TUBE IS BURIED
 UNDER AMERICAN FLAG
Heavy Fogs Make Return Trip Very Slow But Cook and His Party Finally Make Their Way
 Back to Civilization.

London, September IA special dis patch received here from Skagen says:
 AS the steamer Hans Egede steamed by caught through my glasses vision of a small man in a dark and peaked cap shading his eyes with his hands as ii straining to see the welcomed civiliza- tion after years in icy exile. It was Dr. Cook the explorer, whose name is on every tongue. He was chatting with the captain on the bridge, now smiling, now waving his hand. l was allowed to board the Hans Egede.
 Somebody gave Dr. Cook a bouquet. Tears dimmed his eyes as he buried his face In their fragrance. It's years since l have seen flowers said the explorer with a quiver of emotion in his voice.
 T followed him to the cabin. His face was tanned from exposure. he looked the picture of splendid health. Only when he smiled one noticed the loss of two teeth "A fight with polar bear did that he said. You can tell the world the ex- plorer continued that 1 am in better con- dition than at any time and look forward with an appetite to the festivities that are promised me. My dinner has been 1 have to make up for it.
 pr Cook then briefly described his journey. Regarding his discovery he said
 The Great Day Arrives.
 Then came April 2l That was the great day. We looked for ffie sun. As soon as we got 1t 1 made several obser- vations. Great joy came over us. We were only IS miles from the desired spot l said to myself, Bully for Frederick" Then we went on. The last stretch was the easiest 1 ever made in my life, al- though l had still to make two observa- tions and the ice was very broken here. But my spirits were high and l shouted like boy. The Eskimos looked at one another, surprised at my gaiety They did not share it.
 I felt that l ought to be there. I made my last observation and found that l was standing on the pole.
 My feeling Well, I was too tired really to feel any sensation. 1 planted the Stars and Stripes in the ice field and my heart grew warm when 1 saw it wave in the wind
 How does the north pole look?" was asked.
 ''Well.'' said Dr. Cook, smiling, "it amounts to the size of a 25-cent piece. There is nothing to see but ice, ice-no Wdter-Only Ice. mere were more nOleS here than at the S7th degree, which shows there is more movement and drift here; but this and other observations I made afterward when I got more settled. I stopped two days at the pole. and I as- sure you wasn't easy to say goodby to the spot
 Anticipation of Doubt.
 AS I was sitting at the pole, couldn't help smiling at the people who on my re- turn would call the whole expedition a humbug. I was sure the people would say that I had bought my two witnesses and that my notebook with my daily ob- servations had been manufactured on board this ship.
 "The only thing l can put up against this is whta the Yorke Eskimos have told Knud Rasmussen. Let the skeptics who dsbelieve my story go to the north pole. There they will find a small brass tube, which I buried under the flag. That tube contains a short statement about my trip. I could not leave my visiting card because l did not have one with me.
 Perhaps" the explorer added, dryly, "I should have stayed there longer had 1t not begun to freeze us in our ideness The Eskimos were uneasy and the dogs howled fearfully. On April 2S. therefore, again turned my nose southward. which was much easier. as you cannot turn your nose in any 6ther direction while standing at the pole"
 The Return Journey.
 Describing the return journey, Dr. Cook said:
 Fortune now smiled. We did 20 miles per day until we reached the ominous S7th degree. Then I felt the ice moving east ward carrying us with it. A terrible fog swept round us and kept us for three weeks. We got no further than tile s4th degree. Then began a heavy walk to- ward Heiberg's Land, and another three weeks of fog. When that cleared I saw we had drifted southwest to Ringnes Land, where we found open water and tower-high screw ice which stopped our way eastward.
 "We now began to suffer hunger Our provisions were becoming exhausted and we were unable to find depots. We en- tered Ringnes Land and on June 20 found the first animals on our return-bear and seal. We shot bear.
 And now our goal was the whalers at Lancaster Sound. We followed the drift Ice to the south 80 miles a day. but were stopped by pack ice in Wellington chan nel, which was impossible 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 15 were left. We went into Jones Sound after walrus and bears and found open. calm water. We met polar wolves, with which some of our dogs made friends and ran away.
 In an Open Boat.
 Now we spent day and night in an open boat 10 miles from shore. This last ed 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 birds raw. One day we found fuel and what feast we had. But we suffered much hunger during this period. One night bear came and stole
 
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