Washington telegraph., 1909-09-10
HARDSHIPS
TEST THE
EXPLORER
Brief Account of Experiences
in Making Perilous Trip
to the 'Big Nail"


north pole is foretold in the advance
statement which has been cabled TO
partially appease the demand for par
ticulars of an accomplishment which
amounts to nothing less than the sue
cessful crowning of an effort covering
a period of hundreds of years, and
entailing sacrifice of more than a
thousand lives.
The first official statement from DIR.
Cook, eabled direct to the Paris edi-
ton of the New York Herald, was as
follows:
After a prolonged fight with fam
inc and frost we at last succeeded in
reaching the north pole. A new high
way, with an interesting strip of ami
mated nature, has been explored, and
big game haunts located which will
delight sportsmen and extend the Es-
kimo horizon.
Land has been discovered on
which rest the earth's northernmost
rocks. A triangle of 10000 square
miles has been cut out of the terres-
tial unknown. The expedition was
the outcome of summer cruise in
the Arctic seas on the schooner Brad
ley which arrived at the limits of
navigation in South sound late in Au-
gust, 1907. Conditions were favor
able to launch a venture to the pole.
J. r. Bradley literally supplied from
his vessel suitable provisions for To-
cal use.
My own equipment for emergen-
cies served well for every purpose in
the Arctic travel. Many Eskimos
have gathered on the Greenland
shores at Annatoak for the winter
bear hunt. Immense quantities of
meat had been collected, and about
the camp were plenty of strong dogs.
The combination was lucky, for there
was a good material for equipment.
All that was required was convent
emily arranged for at point only
700 miles from the boreal center. A
house and workshop were built of
packing boxes by willing hands, and
this northernmost tribe of 25O people
set themselves to the problem of de-
vising suitable outfit. Before the
end of the long winter night we were
ready for the enter PRISE, and plans
mad matured to force a new route over
Grinnell Land northward along its
west coast out on to the Polar sea.
AT sunrise of 1908 february l9)
the main expedition embarked on its
voyage to the pole 1t consisted of
IL men and 103 dogs, drawing IL
heavily laden sledges. We forced
through Nansen sound to Lands End
In this march we secured 101 musk
oxen, seven bears and 1896 hares.
We pushed out into the Polar sea
from the southern point of Herbert
island on March IS. Six Eskimos re-
turned from here. With four men
and As dogs moving supplies for 80
days the crossing of the circum-Polar
pack was begun. Three days later
Two other Eskimos, forming the last
supporting party, returned, and the
trials had now been reduced by the
survival of the fittest. The two best
men and 26 dogs were picked for the
final effort.
For several days after the sight
OF unknown land was lost the over
cast sky prevented an accurate de-
termination of our position. On
March 30 the horizon was partly
cleared and new land was discovered.
Our observations gave our position as |
latitude S4.47, longitude 1886. There
was urgent need of rapid advance. |
Our main mission did not permit a
detour for the purpose of exploring
the coast. Here were seen the last
signs of stable earth; beyond there
was nothing stable to be seen.
The night of April was made
notable by the sinking of the sun at
over the northern ice. Sun
burns and frost bites now were re.
corded on the same day, but the dou-
Ole days glitter infused quite an in.
centivo into ones life of shiyers.
Our observation on April 6 placed
he camp in latitude 86.36, longitude
AZ. On April 21 we had reached 80
iegrees, SO minutes and 46 seconds.
me pole was in sight. We covered
he remaining ID seconds and made
few final observations. told Etuk,
shok and Ahwelsh (the accompany.
ng Eskisos) that we hal reached the
treat Nail Everywhere we turned
'as south. With single step we
ould pass from one side of tae eartn
D the other; from midday to MD
light, AT last the flag foated to the
reezes at the pole 1t was April 21,
1OS The temperature was minus 80