The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1909-10-02
TH1BoDAUx. Ii. .sATURDAY. OCTOBER T. 1909

But you who know will appreciate
that no explorer can start and say
that he will reach the pole. Many
good men have tried before. all have
failed. All who understand the pro.
blem know that success is but bare
ly possible when every conceivable
circumstance is favorable. 1t is only
necessary to make announcement
| that an expedition embarks for the
pole to start undesirable bombast
and flurish of trumpets. This ]
chose to escape. Mr.. John r. Brad
| ley furnished the funds. shaped
the destiny of the expedition. For
| the time being, the business concern.
ed US only. l believed then as I be-
lieve now, that If we succeed there
would be time enough to fly the
banner of victory. You are here to-
night-Mr. Bradley is here and
am here. We have come together
to celebrate the yicf0ry,
6w. gent flaaas 4 Appssl ID you
las explorers and as men. Am |
bound to appeal to anybody? To any
man or any body of men-for a IL
cense to look for the pole?
Another criticism is the charge Of
our insufficient equipment. We have
met this. You know that we had
every possible aid to success in sledge
travelling. A big ship is no aid. An
army of white men at best are nov
ices, is distinct hindrance, while a
cumbersome luxury of equipment is
fatal to progress. We chose to live
life as simple as that of Adam and
we forced the strands of human en-
durance to scientific limits. If you
will reach the pole there is no other
way. For our simple needs, Mr..
Bradley furnished sufficient funds.
We were not overburdened with the
usual aids to pleasure and comfort,
but did not start for that purpose.
"Now, as to the excitement of the
press to force things of their own
picking from important records into
print: In reply to this, I have TAX
en- the stand that I have already CIV
en- tangible account of our journey.
It is as complete as the preliminary
reports of any previous explorer. The
data, the observations, the records,
are of exactly the same character.
Heretofore, such evidence has been
taken with faith and the complete
record was not expected to appear
for years, whereas, we agree to deliv-
er all within few months.
Now, gentlemen. about the pole.
We arrived April 21, 1908. We dis
covered new land along the 1921
meridian between the saith and 85th
parallel. Beyond this, there was abb
solutely no life and no land. The
ice was in large heavy fields with
few pressure lines. The drift was
south of east, the wind was south Of
west. Clear weather gave good regu-
lar observations nearly every day.
These observations combined with
those at the pole on the 21st and the
22nd OF April are sufficient to guar
antse our claim. When taken in
connection with the general record
you do not require this. can see
that, but this and all the other re-
cords will come to you in the due
course Of events.
Il cannot sit down without ac-
to you, and to the liv-
ing Arctic explorers, my debt of
gratitude for their valuable assist
ance. The report of this polar sue
cess has come with a sudden force,
but In the present enthusiasm we
must not forget the father of the art
of polar travel There is glory
enough for ali. There Is enough to
go to the graves Of the dead and to
the heads Of the living.
Many are here tonight. The
names are too numerous to mention.
Special mention for honors must be
made to Greeley, schley, Melville,
Peary, Fiala, Nansen, Abruzzi, Cagni,
Amundsen, Nordenskjold
and a number Of English and other
explorers"
WIFI, SELL, WATERS-PfERCE co.