Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1909-09-09
efferson County, West Virginia Thursday September 1909

ton OF man for so many ages An end
less field of purple SHOWS No life. No
land. No spot to relieve the mouotouy
of frost. They were the only pulsating
creatures in dead world OF ice.
They turned their backs to the Pole on
April q and began the long return march.
Counting on a continued easteriy drift,
the course was forced further west. With
fair weather, good ice and the inspiration
of the home nIn, long distances were al
first quickly covered. Below the eighty
seventh parallel the character OF the ice
changed very much, and it became evi-
dent that the season was advancing rap
idly. With good deal of anxiety, they
watched the daily reduction Of the food
supply, 1t now became evident that the
crucial stage OF the campaign was TO be
transferred from the taking OF the Pole TO
final battle for life against famine and
frost.
The clear blue OF the skies changed TO
a steady, dismal gray. Several days OF
icy despair followed each other in rapid
succession. There were some violent
gales, but usually the wind did not rise 10
the full force OF d storm. With starvation
as the alternative, they could not wait for
better weather. Some advance was made
every day, but the cost OF the desperate
effort pressed life to the verge OF extinc
ton. On May "a the sky cleared long
enough TO give set OF observations.
They reached the eighty-fourth parallel,
near the ninety seventh meridian. The
ice was much broken and drifted eastward,
leaving many open spaces Of water.
There remained on the sleds scarcely
enough food to reach the caches on Nan
sen Sound unless they averaged Is miles
daily. With the disrupted "lalack" and
reduced strength they were hardly equal
10 10 miles daily.
Trying TO make the best Of their hard
lot, straight course was made for the
musk OK lands of the inner crossing. Al
the eighty third parallel they found them
selves TO the west OF large tract extend
ing southwark. The ice changed TO small
fields. The temperature rose to zero and
a persistent mist obscured lhe heavens.
The events of the following days were
pressed into desperate action. With a
few lines on paper 10 register the life Of
suffering, the food Of man and dog was
reduced TO three-quzrter ration, while
the difficulties OF ice travel rose to dis
neaHening heights.
At the end OF Struggle of % days
through thick fog the sky cleared and
party found itself far down in Crown
Prince Gustav Sea, with open water and
impossible small ice as Z barrier between
US and Heiberg Island. In the next few
DAYS bears came along as life-sayerS.
The empty stomschs were spared, and
the horizon, for q time, was cleared OF
trouble.
With the return TO Annootok rendered
difficult by the unfortunate westerly drift,
they sought 10 follow the ice movement
south 10 Lancaster Sound, where they
hoped to reach a Scottish wfaler. Early
in July further southwark progress be-
came impossible, and in quest Of food
they crossed the Firth Of Devon into
Jones Sound.
The dogs were here given the freedom
Of their wolf propensities, and, by fold
ing boat and sleds, the party tried 10
reach Baifin's Bay. With but an occa-
sional bird TO eat and long line OF mis-
fortune they pushed eastward until the
frost OF early September stopped progress.
With neither TODD, fuel nor ammunition
they were forced TO wreSt winter supplies
from what seemed al first ike liieleSs
desert. Pressed by hunger, new imPle-
ments were shaped and Cape Sparbo
was picked as likely place to find life.
Game was located with the bow and
arrow, the line, the lance and the knife.
The musk OK, bear and wolves yielded
meat, skins and fa;. An underground
den was prepared and in If they remained
until sunrise Of 1909 On February Is
the start was made for Annootok. With
newly prepared equipment, the Green
land shores were reached on April Is.
Here they were greeted BY Harry Whit
ney and an anxious group OF Eskimo
friends, and the expedition had been
safely accomplished
DR.. Frederick A. Cook was born in
Calliooon. Sullivan county, NJ Y, June
10, 1854. He celebrated his fOrty-sifth
| birthday somewhere in the frozen north
last June. DR.. Cook IS one OF four child
/ ren, three sons and daughter. His par
ents are dead, his mother having lived
until two years ago, shortly before Dr.