Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-09-08
COOK TELLS STORY
or HIS ACHIEVEMENT

from the ice of the central pack was
crossed with little delay The low
temperature was persistent and the
winds made life a torture. But
COPIED up in our snow houses, eating
drief beef tallow and drinking hot
tea, there We're some animal COM
forts occasionally to be gained.
For several days after the sight of
the known land was lost, the overcast
sky prevented an accurate determin-
alton of our positions March 80 tn
horizon partly cleared and new land
was discovered. Observations gave
cur position as latitude STAT. longi-
tude $685. The urgent need of a
| rapid advance on the main mission.
did not permit detour for the pur-
pose of exploring the coast Here
we're seen the last signs of solid
earth; beyond, there was nothing
stable to be seen.
I'VE advanced steadily over the
monotony of moving sea of ice and
now found ourselves beyond the range
! of all neither the footprints of
! bears nor the blowholes of seals were
detected. Ever microscopic creatures
of the deep no longer were under us.
1.-THE maddening Influences of the shift
ing desert of frost became almost I'M
endm able in the daily route. The sur
face of the pack offered less trouble
and the weather improved, but still
there remained the life-sapping wind
which drove despair to the lowest
recess. The extreme cold compelled
physical action. Day after day our
weary legs spread over the big dis
tanees. The night of April Z was
made notable by the swinging of the
sun at midnight over the northern
! ice. Sunburns and frostbites were
now recorded on the same day.
Our observation on April placed
| the camp in latitude 1886, longitude
! 942.
April 81 we reached SO degrees,
50 minutes and 46 seconds. The pole
was in sight, We covered the re-
naming Ia seconds and made a few
final observations. l told Etukishook
and Ahwelsh, the Eskimos, that We
had reached the great nail" Every
where we turned was south A single
step we could pass from one side of
the earth to the other; from midday
to midnight. AT last the flag foated
to the breezes at the pole. It was
April 81, 1908. The temperature was
| minus IS centigrade. the barometer
2a.5S, latitude 80; as for longitude
it was nothing.
Although crazy with joy, our spirits
began to undergo a feeling of weari-
ness. The next day, after taking all
observations, a sentiment of intense
solitude penetrated us while we
looked at the horizon. Was it possi-
BILE this desolate region, without a
| patch of earth, had aroused the am
bition of so many men for so m1ny
/ centuries? There was no ground.
My an immensely of dazzling white
snow, no living being, no point to
break the frightful monotony.
"On April 90. I'VE started on our re-
/ turn"
The Early Report.
Copenhagen, Denmark, Sept. DIR.
Cook, the American explorer, reached
the north pole April q, 1908, accord
ing to telegram just received at thu
colonial Office here yesterday from
Lerwick, Shetland islands, on the
| north coast of Scotland
| DR.. Cook is on board the Danish
| government steamer, Hans Egede.
+, which passed Lerwick, Shetland is
lands, at noon yesterday, enroute for
| Denmark.
The telegram announcing DR.. Cooks
achievement was sent by Greenland
official on board the steamer and
reads as follows:
I'VE have on board the American,
DR.. Cook. who reached the north pole
April 81, 1868. DR.. Cook arrived at
Upernivik 1.-THE northernmost Danish
settlement in Greenland. on an island
of the west coast, in May of 1909,
from Cape York Gin the northwest
part of Greenland. on Baffin bay).
The Eskimos of Cape York confirm
DR.. Cooks story of his Journey
story of Successful Quest.
/ New York, Sept. 2.-Dr. r. A. Cook,
who has reached the north pole, start
ed on his present expedition in the
summer of 1907, sailing from North
Sydney, c. b., on board the schooner,
John R. Bradley, with Captain Moses
Bradley, as sailing master The party
was reinforced with sledges, dogs
and arctic equipment at Etah, Green
land. whence they sailed March 3,
1908. DR.. Cooks plan was to set
aside all tradition by making the dash
to the pole during the winter months.
/ when the elements are considered
least advantageous for an advance
northward.
Nothing was heard from DR.. Cook
for is months. A special committee
of the Arctic club has, however, made
careful calculations upon his probable
whereabouts and had reached the con-
elusion that DIR. Cook had discovered
the pole.
Camp 20 Miles North of Etah.
1t was DR.. Cooks plan to make his
base of supplies or permanent camp
at Annatoak, in Greenland. about 20
miles north of Etah This would