The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-09-08
THE NORTH POLE FOUND.
HDR. COOK, AN AMERICAN sue.
CEEDS WHERE MANY FAIL
ED.
After Overcoming Great Obstacles
And Enduring Terrible Hardsl,i,,s,
Intrepid Explorer Attains Farthest
notwithstanding Home by Way
OF De,mark

publishes signed statement from
DIR. Frederick A. Cook. which Is dat
ed "Hans Egede. Lerwick. wednes-
day on his experiences In the Arc.
tic regions.
AFTER a prolonged fight with
famine and FROST says DR.. Cook. "we
have ct last succeeded In reaching
the North Pole. A new highway.
with an interesting strip of animated
nature. has been explored and big
kgame haunts located. which will de-
lsghk sportsmen and extend the Esqull
sAAux horizon.
Land has been discovered on
watch rest the esrth's northernmost
rocks., A triangle OF $4,000 square
miles has been cut out of the terres-
rtrisl unknown. The expedition was
the outcome OF. summer cruise In
the Arctic seas on the schooner Brad
ley. which arrived at the limits of
navigation In Smith Sound late In
August. 1907. Here conditions were
found 20 launch o venture to the
pcas. ,. n. Bradley literally supplied
from his vessel suitable provisions for
local use. My own equipment for the
enereencies served well for every
purpose In the Arctic.
Many Esquimaux had gathered on
!, the Greenland shore at Annatoak for
I ne winter hunt Immense quantities
az meat had been collected and about
the camp were plenty OF strong dogs.
Tho combination was lucky for there
were good material for equipment
All that was required was conven-
iently arranged for at a point only
zee miles from the boreal centre. A
Shouse and workshop were built Of
packing boxes by willing hands and
this northernmost tribe of ESQ people
set themselves to the task Of devising
. suitable OUTFIT. Before the end Of
the long winter night we were ready
spr the enterprise and plans had ma
ytsred to force new route over Grim
neil Land northward along It's west
coast out on to the polar sea.
Tho campaign opened with few
scsuting parties being sent over the
\ American shores TO explore tho wny
ARd ssek the game haunts. Their mis-
teasU was only partly successful be-
Naese +of the storms At sunrise of
f1seS (February 1s)' the main expe-
oitson embarked on Its voyage to the
pole II consisted of IL men and 1913
doSn drawing IL heavily laden
sscdCcs. The expedition left the
Greenland shore and pushed west
ward over the troubled Ice of Smith
sound. The gloom OF the long night
was relieved only by few hours of
daylight. The chill of the winter was
felt at It's worst. As we crossed the
heights OF Eilsmere sound TO the Pa
>cifc slope the temperature sank to
minus So centigrade. Several dogs
were frosen and the men suffered se-
ve~ely but we soon found the game
trails along which the way was easy.
"We forced through Nansen sound
60 LAnds End. In this march we Sc
. cured io1 musk oxen. seven bears
sad sss hares.
We pushed out into the polar sea
frcm the southern point OF Herbert
Island on. March rs. Six Esauimaux
returned from here with four men
aad 6s dogs moving supplies for so
Savs, the crossing of the ctrcum- -po-
lar pack was .egun. Three days Ia
tee two other Esquimaux. forinius
the last supporting party. returned
and the trials had now been reduced
~ the survival Of the Httest. The two
best men and 2s dogs were picked
for .he final effort
There before us In an unknown
hne VI ESQ miles lay our goai. The
hrst days provided long march and
We shade encouraging progress. A
bt9 lead which separated the iand
from ice Of the central pack was
crossed with little delay. The low
Temperature was persistent and the
winds made life a torture. But coop
ed up In our snow houses eating
dried beef taliow and drinking hot
tea there were some animal comforts
occasionally to- be gained.
For several days after the sight of
known land was lost the overcast sky
prevented an accurate determination
OF our positions. On March 80 the hOr-
izon was partly cleared and new land
was discovered. Our observations gave
our position as latitude St.47. longi-
tude s6.36. There was urgent need
OF rapid advance. Our main mission
did not permit "A detour for the pur-