The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1909-10-07
Ready For the Dash to
the Worlds Farthest
Neutrality-suspicious. Well
Planned and Equipped
SECOND ARTICLEI

| tiloFhinE Oh Aug II Tor man ultima
Thule.
1t was n beautiful day, with light
air from the sea Passing inside of
Littleton island, we searched for rel,
les along Lifeboat cove. The desolate
cliffs of Cape Hatherton were blaze
Of color and light, but the sea was
refreshmgly cool, with fleets of blue
towering bergs to dispel the fire OF
arctic midsummer.
AS We rushed In comfort past the
Ice polished and wind swept head,
| lands the sea was alive with birds,
seal and walrus. but little shooting
was done, for we were bent on en-.
joying the quiet sport of motorboat,
ing.
Arrival at Annootok.
As we passed The sharp rocks of
Cairn Point we located nine tents In
Il small bay under Cape lngledeld
"Look-there is Annootok"' said
Tungan, our native guide.
Looking up Smith sound, we noted
that the entire channel beyond was
blocked with Il jam OF hard blue ice.
The northernmost limit of motorboat-
Ing had been reached perpcndicu-
iar cliff served as pier to which to
fasten the boat. Here it could rise
and fall with the tide, and the drifting
tee did not give much trouble.
| A diligent exploration Of he town
disclosed the fact that we had reach.
ed not only the northernmost town.
| but the most prosperous settlement OF
the Greenland shore. The best hunt
ers had gathered here for the winter
| bear hunt.
, Their game catch had been very
| lucky. Immense catches OF meat were
| 5lrewn along the shore, More than Il
hundred dogs voiced the hunt force,
with which Eskimo prosperity Is
measured, and twelve long haired
wild men came out to meet us as
| friends.
The wealth In food and furs OF this
place fixed my determination ON this
spot as Il base for the polar dash.
We were standing mt point within
700 miles of the pole. The strongest
force of men, the best teams of dogs
and an unlimited supply of food, com
bined with the equipment on board
the yacht, formed an Ideal plant from
which to work out the campaign. The
seeming hopelessness OF the task had
a kind of weird fascination for me.
Many years of schooling in both polar
zones and in mountaineering would
I serve useful purpose.
Conditions Right For Dash.
Here was my chance. Here was
everything necessary conveniently
placed within the polar gateway, The
| problem was discussed with my col
league. Mr. Bradley generously vol
, unteercd to land from the yacht the
! food. fuel and other supplies we had
provided for local use There was
/ abundant trading material to serve
as money
My own equipment aboard for
, sledge travelling could be made TO
serve every purpose IN the enterprise.
The possible combination left abso-
lutely nothing to be desired to insure
success
Only good health endurabie wealth.
or and workable ice were necessary.
The expenditure Of million dollars
could not have placed an expedition
at better advantage. The opportu-
nifty was too good to be lost. We
therefore returned to Etah to prepare
for the quest
Strong efforts had been made to
reach the pole from every available
quarter. Only the angle between
Alaska and Greenland had been left
untried In our prospective venture
we aimed to pierce this area of the
globe
IL we failed in our main effort we
would at least make track over n
blank spot With the resources for
transportation which the Eskimos Of
fered | hoped to carry ample supplies
over Elesmere Land and along the
west coast Of the game land
There was reason to suppose that
we would avoid the troublesome pack
agitated by the Greenland currents.
The Eskimos were willing to trust to
the game resources of this region to
feed and fire the expedition en- route
to the lands end.
Splendid Advantages offered.
If thelr faith proved correct, 1t Of
fered me series of advantages de-
MED to every other leader of polar
expeditions, for the movement would
not only he supplied at the expense of
Ahe land which 1t explored, but men
aud dogs would be taken to the battle
ground in superb training, with their
vigorous bodies nourlshed by whole
some fresh meat. not the nanseating
laboratory stuff which Is usually
crowded into the unwilling stomach.
Furthermore, it afforded me chance
to test every article OF equipment In
actual Geld work. and. above all. after
n hard campaign Of this kind | could
select with some chance of success the
most likely winners for the final race
over the circumpolar sea,
A compact was made with the little
men of the farthest north to push the
venture into the torea center. When