The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-10-26

First. Start of the expedition and
the route. The start from Anoratok
took place, according to the Eskimos.
exactly at the time given by Cook.
me expedition went over IIlesmore
land and through the sound which
separates that land from Heiberg
Land away from the shore and our
on the actual Polar Sea ice. Helping
with the Siedges went only Cook and
his two men, Ah-Pe-Lah and Took
a-ShOO.
After they reached the polar ice
ana the little party had gone directly
70 the north, the two Eskimos knew
tfat the goal was the pole. The di-
rect1on was well known to them
lnrOugh Peary's many expeditions. in
winch most of the men Of the tribe
at one time or another had taken
part.
While Peary used to start from
the north point of Grants Land, Cook
Selected a western route, because he.
on the basis of Peary's observations.
expected to find better ice conditions
mere, a SuppOSitiOn which turned out
TO be correct, SO the Eskimos who
know the conditions north of Grants
Land say. The friends of Ah-Pe-Lah
and 1-IoOk-a-ShOO assert thai the ex-
petition had good ice and good
weather and that the ice became bet
ter the further they came out on the
Polar Sea.
Second. How far did the eypedi-
ton go from shore? The Eskimos.
Of course, cannot give the distance in
hsures, but they say that on the jour
ney over ice field from the shore the
sun began to appear and stood high
IN the sky, n at last did not disap-
pear at all, SO that it was almost sum
mer before they reached land again.
furthermore, they have said that it
was autumn before they decided to
go into winter quarters, before they
tried the return journey to Anoratok.
Journey Traced on Map.
These statements, therefore.
amount to the same as Cooks, who
gives september as the month in which
he decided to go into winter quarters
at Cape Sparbe, on the south side Of
Jones Sound. The Eskimos, who are
accustomed to tax their bearings on
q map, have themselves, on my map
given the route of the expedition tC
quarters at Jones Sound, a district
which they know from their bear
hunts. Ah-Pe-Lah and I-Took-a-
Shoe, have, furthermore, told how
they, on the way back, were prevented
by deep crevices in the ice from coins
to Heiberg's Land. where they haC
depots, and hat that was the reason
they went to North Devon.
Had Cook not taken a small can.
vas oat with him to serve for a ferry
when they met open water, the Eski
NOS think they should never a got,
ten home alive from the pole trip.
Cooks statements about how they
SOt Yer the wintering, fighting musk
| oven and WalruS ammunition are also
correct, compared with the statements
Of his companions. as is his statement
q hnrt tho slow and 6jfion1t Wander
ing from Cape SparbO to AnoratOk
| where they had to drop their sledges
for two months.
Cooks Statements Truthful.
81, therefore, reach this conclusion:
That whenever Cooks statements are
compared with the statements of his
companions they appear to pe quite
truthful.
Third. Were there special obsta-
cles which hindered going further?
The Eskimos have tOlC their friends
that they were very much surprised
when Cook told them the goal was
reached, because the spot was not the
least different from all the other ice
| they had passed over. They had often
asked Cook to return, but that was
only because they had a feeling that
they were very, very TAR from SHORE
and that they would never get back
awe again. II is, lIIti ClOiC, dppoA Cilt
that the expedition was not lorced
back by the hindrance of ice, but be-
cause the leader sale the goal had been
reached.
Fourth. How was the equipment?
The Eskimos, who have often seen
the start of expeditions, have only
praise for the ann IN which
Cook reduced his equipment to
the minimum, by which he increased
the chances of making quick Journeys.
The food he carried along was greatly
compressed and did not weigh more
than the dogs could drag. Further
more, the expedition had a great ad-
vantage during the voyage over Els
mere Land. through hunting musk
oxen to get the dogs well fed, SO that
they, when the final start began, were
in splendid condition. Th6 Esklmos
-arant IN 40 TT q nee Ihlf The