The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1909-09-09
DR.. FREDERICK COOK
REACHES NORTH POLE
Following is His First Ac.
count of His Trip

After a prolonged fight with ram
inc and FROST" says DR.. Cook, I'VE
have at last succeeded in reaching the
North pole. A new highway, with an
interesting strip Of animated nature,
has been explored and big game
haunts located which will delight
sportsmen and extent the Eskimo hor-
lion.
Land has been discovered on
which rests the arth's northernmost
rocks. A triangle of 10000 square
miles has been cut out of the ter
restial unknown.
1.-THE expedition was the outcome
of summer cruise in the Arctic seas
on the schooner Bradley, which ar
rived at the limits of navigation at
Smith sound in August, 1907. Here
conditions were found favorable for
launching a venture to the pole. ]. R.
Bradley literally supplied from his
vessel suitable provisions for local
use. My own equipment for emer-
gencies served well for every purpose
in the Arctic.
MANY Esquimaux had gathered on
the Greeland shores. at Annatoak for
the winter bear hunt Immense guam
tieies Of meat had been collected and
in camp were plenty of strong dogs.
The combination was lucky, for there
was good material for equipment.
"All that was required was conve-
niently arranged for a point only 700
milss from the boreal center. A house
and work shop were built of packing
boxes by willing hands and this
northernmost tribe of $50 people set
themselves to the program of devising
suitable outfit. Before the end Of
the long winter night we were ready
for the enterprise and plans had ma
tured to force new route over Grin
nell Land northward along its west
coast out on to the Polar sea.
"The campaign opened with few
scouting parties being sent over the
American shores to explore the way
and seek the game haunts Their
mission was only partially successful
because of the storms. At sunrise
of February 10, 1908, the main expedi-
ton embarked on its voyage to the
pole. 1t consisted of eleven men and
1903 dogs, drawing eleven heavily lad
en- sledges. The expedition left the
Greenland's shore and pushed west
ward over the troubled ice of Smith
sound The gloom of the long night
was relieved only by few hours OF
daylight. The chill of the winter was
felt at its worst. 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.
1--WE forced through Nasen's isound
to Lands End. In this march we Sc
cured 101 musk oxen, bears and 1886
hares. We pushed out into the Polar
sea from the southern point of Her.
bert Island on March IS. Six Esqui-
maux returned from here. With four
men and forty-six dogs moving sup
plies for eighty days the crossing OF
the circumpolar pack was begun. Two
days later two other Esquimaux, form
ing the last supporting party, return
ed, and the trials had now been re-
duced by the survival of the fittest
The two best men and rs dogs were
picked for the final effort.
There before us in an unknown line
of 460 miles lay our goal The first
days journey provided long marches
and we made encouraging progress
A big lead which separated the lane
from the ice of the central pack was
crossed with little delay. The low
temperature was persistent and the
winds made life torture. But coop