The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1909-09-09

starvation, OF freezing torture and
blighted hopes that the story Of the
search for the pole has been written
the year 1908 TO achieve what had
become TO be considered the impossi-
BILE, TO accomplish what Sc many
dauntless men had attempted, to win
immortal fame by actually penetrat-
Ing to the north pole.
And also he played sensational
part in battle of giants In as pretty
story Of intense rivalry between
strong men as has ever been imagined
by the most romantic fictionists. In
short. DR.. Cook fulfilled the dearest
wish OF his financial backer. John r
Bradley, a wealthy New Yorker, who
had registered grim determination
that Commander Robert b. Peary
should not be the first man TO reach
the pole. Bradley, millionaire who
has hunted and climbed mountain
peaks with Or. Cook. was confident
that Peary could be beaten to the pole.
Who was the man to do III That was
the question Cook? The very man,
thought Bradley-the very man to back
with million dollars In cash for such
venture
And Cook made good.
An Account of the Trip.
During the early part Of DR.. Cooks
trip into the unknown, where the one
certainty was the shadow OF deaths
grim specter, he met with immense
herds Of big game-m musk oxen, bears,
etc. His eleven Eskimos and 1903 dogs |
were In prime condition as in Febru-
AIRY, 1908. from Helberg island they be-
gan tortuous trek over the mysteri- |
GUS polar sea.
Averaging from ten TO fifteen miles
a day Of progress, week after week
passed. Strictest economy In the use
OF provisions was practiced, of course.
He discovered a large area OF hither-
10 unknown land. seemingly many
thousands OF square miles in area. and
reached the northernmost limit Of
rocky formation. From that point there
stretched before him the gray expanse
Of the northern polar ocean. dulliug to
the eve stupendous TO the imagination,
but treacherous as the quiyering quick
sands that softly and surely smother
aud kill
Overpowering winds often drove the
yenturcrs into cayerns or temporary
Ice huts. The cold was the coolest
ever experienced by white man who
ifterward lived In April DIR. Cook
was IN latitude 81 degrees 81 minutes,
ongiiude So degrees n minutes No
more land was 10 be seen. The Ice
Jack was moving with the currents
md threatened to sweep him far TO
he eastward Change Of direction.
therefore,. was frequently necessary.
On. on. on into the ghastly north
,lodded man and beast. No more seals
lor bears nor even the minute cres-
ures OF the sea were seen. Even they
lad snccumbed TO the strangling grip
4 the abysniai horrors OF the region. ,
And Il was In April that the orbit OF
be midnight sun carried It's brilliant
occupant over the horizon The glitter [
q The green white pack ice and the
uFpie iinged bergs was stisnulant to
be nerve worn Invaders of the grim
Hence. The dogs began 10 sieken
hose thai dropped dead To the stin /
ned harness were eagerly devoured
y their mates Thus the team OF /
askies became self supporting.
A temperature Of more than - de |
rpes below ze~o prevailed 10 spite of I
he rays % the midnight SUD The >
ay came Eisen but 100 miles of tce /
ack lay between Dr Cook and The '
crib pole-ou. on. around mp down
sea and again on. csrcUmyen,ing yhe {
alfting harfiers. oatwifling the frozen ! Q