The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1909-09-03
DR.. r'4s;'y TELLS EXPERIENCE
Explorer -aphs of HardshIps En-.
counte 'aching the Pole.

farlS, Sept lie TdrlS eulllon vi
the New Yor g I'D this morning
publishes a sign, ~ ement from DR..
Frederick A. Coo1 mich is dated
Hans Egede, LerMick, Wednesday"
Concerning his experience in the Arc
tic regions, after a prolonged fight
with famine and frost" says DR.. Cook,
1--WE have at last succeeded in reach
ing the north pole. A new highway,
with an interesting strip of animated
nature, has been explored and big
game haunts located, which will de-
| light sportsmen and extend the Es-
kimo horizon.
Land has been discovered on which
rests the earth's northernmost rocks.
A triangle of 10000 square miles has
been cut out of the terrestrial I'M
known"
The expedition was the outcome
Of a summer cruise In the Arctic seas
on the schooner Bradley, which ar
rived at the limits Of navigation in
Smith Sound late in August, 1907.
Here conditions were found favorable
for launching a venture to the pole.
j. r. Bradley literally supplied from
his vessel suitable provisions for To-
cal use. My own equipment for emer-
gencies served we'll for every purpose
I in the Arctic.
MANY Eskimos had gathered on
the Greenland shores at Annatoak for
the winter bear hunt. Immense guam
titles of meat had been collected and
about the camp were plenty of strong
rugs. The combination was lucky, for
there was good material for equip
ment.
"All that was required was c0nven-
iently arranged for at point only 700
miles from the Boreal center. A
packing boxes by willing hands and
this northernmost tribe of $50 people
set themselves to the problem Of de-
tvising q suitable outfit. Before the
end Of the long winter night we were
ready for the enterprise and plans
had been matured to force new
Iroute over Grinnell and northward
along it's coast out toward the polar
seas.
| Strtke LOW temperature.
"The campaign opened with scouting
parties being sent over the American
shores to explore the way and seek
the game haunts. Their mission was
only partly successful because Of the
storms. At sunrise of 1908 (February
1917 the May expedition embarked on
its voyage to the pole. 1t consisted of
eleven men and 103 dogs, drawing
J eleven heavily laden sledges. The ex-
petition left the Greenland shores and
: pushed westward over the troubled ice
of Smith sound. The gloom of the
long night was relieved only by few
hours of daylight. The chill was felt
, at its utmost and as we crossed the
} heights of Ellesmere sound to the Pa
. cific slope the temperature sank to
minus SO centigrade. Several dogs
were frozen and the men suffered Sc
, verely, but we soon found the game
trails along which the way was easy
I We forced through Naison sound to
! Lands End. In this march we secured
} 1O1 musk oxen, seven bears and 1896
, hares. We pushed out into the polar
sea from the southern point OF Her
5 bert Island on March IS. Six Eskimos
3 returned from here. With four mer
: and forty-six dogs moving supplies fol
3 eighty days, the crossing Of the cir
? cumpolar pack was begun. Three
t days later two other Eskimos, forming
3 the last supporting party, returned
4 and the trials had now been reduced
. by the survival of the fittest. The
two best men and twenty-six dogs were
e picked for the final effort.
d There before us in an unknown lint
Q OF 400 miles lay our goal. The day,
journey provided long marches ant
r we made encouraging progress. A
r big lead which separated the land from
i the ice Of the central pack was crossed
= with little difficulty. The low tempera
d ture was persistent and the winds
y made life a torture. But, cooped up II
y our snow houses, eating dried beef tai
low and drinking hot tea there wer'
some animal comforts occasionally t,
be obtained.
A Region Of No Life.
For several days after the sight o
n known land was lost the overcast SIX.
" of our positions. On March 80 tn,
o horizon was partly cleared and nov
s. land was discovered. Our observa
l. tons gave our position as S4.47, long
tude 1886. There was urgent need O
B. rapid advance. Our main mission di
II not permit detour for the purpose o
C. exploring the coast. Here were seen tn
o late signs Of solid earth. Beyond Their
IS was nothing stable to be seen. We at
u vanced steadily over the monotony O
y moving seas and found ourselves be
8 yond the range Of all life-neithe
footprints Of bear nor the blow hol
q OF seals were detected. Even the m
u croscopic creatures OF the deep wer
"a no longer under. The maddening ir
d fluence OF the shifting desert of tn
D. frost became almost uncomfortable 1
10 the daily routine. The surface of tn
- pack offered less and less trouble, tn