Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-09-05
COOK TELLS. 'I|HE: !.
STORY OF DASH .
fO|RN0]RTHP0LE
SAYS EsklMos AND DOGS WERE
GREAT HELP IN THE DIFFI-
CULT TASK. y al. l. :
. complete OBSERVATIONS
WILL OFFER HIS RECORDS FOR
THE INVESTIGATION or
SCIENTISTS.
Expected That He Will Now Make
an. Effort to Reach the South Pole
Planted United States Flag at Lo-
cation Of the Pole - Sorry He Did
Not Find Land There. .
complete OBSERVATIONS
CBy Associated Press.)

,,
Copenhagen, Sept. 4.-The most de-
tailed account of his polar journey
as yet given by DR.. Cook was gained
from him by g large body of news
paper correspondents whom he met
at the Hotel Phoenix. Cook, at the
request of the correspondents, con.
sented to answer all questions. First
he was asked whether OF not the first
account of his discovery of the pole
could be accepted as entirely his own
word. He replied in the affirmative
except for OBVIOUS errors in trans.
mission. He then explained the doubt
about the 10000 square miles discov-
cred, saying that he meant they were
able to see fifteen miles on each side
during their journey to- the, pole and
that therefore such unknown territory
Of 80, 900 square miles was now dis.
covered. Cook proceeded to show
that he was fully competent to take
all observations, saying that on pre-
vious exploring expeditions he did
"
ually was devided among the mem
bers of the party. -
"This time" he continued, "we had
started out to reach the pole and ev-
erything else was of a secondary con.
:sideration. It: was not possible, to
carry certain apparatus and - it was
impossible also to study the deep sea
or take soundings. We carried all
necessary instruments for astronomy
observations and we were very lucky
to obtain oberservations virtually
every day. The positions noted must
have been very nearly correct. We
had three chronometers, one watch,
compasses and pedometers. All were
carefully controlled by each other
from time to time. The watch, how.
ever, got out of order.
4s We had all instruments made for
taking observations which other ex-
plorers have had, including thermom-
eters, barometers and sextants of the
latest models. It is possible that our
observations We're better than those
of earlier days. but = do mot aassert
that I am familiar with making as;
.tronomicaI observations especially in
the polar regions. I think that all
explorers will be satisfied with my
data. %<::$* .'..@ = >:s.%g :@, T.
M "Why should Il sit down and invent
observations" he exclaimed. -,
sS II did not do this for anything but
sport and because had a real inter.
est in the problem. It would not do
me any good to invent these things
The only witnesses had are two es-
kimous Certainly, but in all expedi-
tions observations have been made
by one man. remark that eskimous
are much more intelligent in finding
Dositions than are white men in the
arctic regions. These people, as a
rule, are not absolutely ignorant
They know that the earth is round
They have aSname for the pole which
they call the Big Nail" They ap
lpreciate the work Of explorers when
participating therein.
II think Rasmussen has obtained
some information regarding my ex,
Deditions from eskimous, who have
learned it from two trips with me
Rasmussen was there much later and
his information will be published
shortly, possibly tomorrow.
Concerning the 4 Ice around the
pole, SO. far as could see, 1t was
Slightly more active than, at one or
two degrees south. It drifted some
what more To the south and east. It's
general character Is not very different |
from that at other places. We stay
ed around the pole for two days max.
ing MANY observations do not
claim to have out mys foot on It, butt
personally think we have been at |
the spot. When the observations
have been figured out again it is nos
sibIe that there will be found slight
errors and differences, but am cer-
tain that gunshot firad from where
Nc were would have passed over the
pole. Nd
I'VE planted the stars and stripes