The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-09-08

who. on Ny Return, Would Call
Ire whole Expedition Hum bug"
London. Sept. s.-A special dis
patch received here from skagen
says:
"As the steamer, Hansegede steam
ed BY caught through my glasses
vislon Of = small man In dark suit
and peaked cap shading his eyes
with his hands. N II straining to see
the welcome civilization after years in
Icy exile. It was DR.. Cook. the ex-
piorer. whose name IL on every
tongue He was chatting with the
captain on the bridge. now smiling.
now waving his hand. was allowed
to board the Hansegede.
Somebody gave DR.. Cook a bou-
quet. Tears dimmed his eyes as he
buried his face In their fragrance.
It's years since have seen flowers.
said the explorer with q CULVER Of
emotion In his voice.
when he sm,led one noticed the
loss OF two teeth. "A fight with q
Polar bear did tnat. ne said.
You can tell the world the ex-
plorer continued. thatsI am in better
condition than at any time and look
forward with an appetite I'D the fes-
tivities that are promised me. NJ
dinner has been poor these last few
ears and shall have to make up for
| IT.
"Dr. Cook then briefly described his
journey. Regarding his discovery ne
| said:
'Then came April 21. That was
the great day. We looked for the
sun. AS soon as We got 1t made
several observations. Great Joy came
over as. We were only sixteen miles
from the desired spot. said to my
self. Bully Tor Frederick.' then we
went on. 5frSnS
"rhe lasx stretch Vas the easiest 1
ever made In my life. although had
Fstfffto mike two observations and the
Ice was very broken here But my
spirits we're high and shouted like
boy The Eskimos looked at one
another, surprised at my gsyety. They
did not share my Joy.
IL felt that ought TO be there. 1
made my last observation and found
that I was standing on the pole.
"'My feelings? Well. 1 was too tir-
ed really to feel any sensation, /
planted the Stars and Stripes in the
Ice field. and my heart grew warm
when I saw 1t wave in the wind.
-How does the Nomth Pole look ?''
| was asked.
WELL said DIR. Cook, smiling, 1T
| amounts to the size of a TWENTY-FIVE
cent piece. There Is nothing to see
but ice. ice: no water. only Ice. There
were more holes here than at the s7th
degree. which shows there is more
movement and DRIFT here; but this
| and other observations / made after
.sards--when I got more settled. ]
| stopped two days ut the pole, and I
assure yo, II wasn't easy to say good
"" to the spot.
AS was sitting at the pole !
could not help smiling at the people,
who. on my return. would call the
whale expedition humbug. 1 was
sure the people would say that !
t"ught my two Witnesses, and that
pis note book with my daily observa-
tions had been manufactured on
board this ship.
The only thing i can put against
this is what the York Eskimos have
told Knud Rasmussen. Let the scep-
tics who disbelieve my story go to the
North Pole. There they will find a
small brass tube. which I buried un-
Der the nag. That tube contains a
short statement about my trip. /
could not leave my visiting card, be-
cause ! did not happen TO have one
with me.
Perhaps the explorer added dr.
ly. should have stayed there long
er had II not begun to freeze us in our
'oleness. The Eskimos were uneasv
md the dogs howled fearfully. On
ALril 23. therefore. again turned my
rose southwark which was much
c,sier. as YOU cannot turn your nose
IN any other direction when you stand
at the pole.
Describing the return journey, Dr.
Cook said:
Fortune now smiled. We did 20
miles per day until we reached the