The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1909-09-17

lex A. Cook, the American explorer,
returning to civilization from his dis
covery of the North Pole. came into
Copenhagen harbor on poard the
steamer Hans Egede from Greenland.
DR.. Cook was standing on the
bridge of the vessel, wh-~A flew the
American flag at her mizzen mast.
Crown Prince Christian Of DEN
mark, Maurice Egan, the American
minister; the Danish minister of COM
merce, and committees representing
public bodies, boarded the Hans
Egede and welcomed DR.. Cook in the
name Of the nation and the city.
DR.. Cook was escorted ashore by
Prince Christian. The explorer was
cheered by great crowds. An inn
Hlense throng followed through the
streets to the Meteorological Insti-
tute, where he made a brief speech.
DR.. Cook stood on the bridge of the
Hans Egede, wearing a shabby brown
suit that had, been loaned to him by
q seaman. On his head was a disrep-
utable old cap, and his feet were clad
in leather moccasins. His blonde hair
was long and shaggy and his mus
tache rough and struggling. His COM
plexion was sallow, but his face was
full. He was a strange figure for the
center of such a brilliant scene as
greeted his return to civilization.
Dr. Cook stepped ashore and in an
instant the police were powerless to
make a way for the party. DR.. Cook
and those about him were engulfed
and swept along by clamorous
crowd. Maurice F. Egan, the Ameri-
can minister and the Danish officials
literally chung to DR.. Cook. Together
the party fought it's way desperately
to the Phoenix Hotel, where, DR.. Cook
was the guest of the government
The members of the reception COM
mittee withdrew and were succeeded
by numerous delegation of tailors,
bootmakers and BARRIERS. The ex-
plorer placed himself in their hands,
and several tradeSmen- we're at work
on him at the same time.
At the end of an hour Dr. Cook
emerged with his hair neatly trimmed,
his mustache cropped close, and in a
new suit, hat and boots.
Dr. Cook will stay in Copenhagen
government, awaiting the arrival of
his wife. He will then go to Bel
GUM.
A banquet was held in the magnifi-
cent municipal building. Four hun
dred persons, many of them ladies',
attended.
The most detailed account Of his
polar journey as yet given by DR..
Cook was gained from him by large
body of newspaper correspondents,
whom he met at the Hotel Phoenix.
Dr. Cook, at the request Of the CORE
spondents, consented to answer all
questions.
First, he was asked whether or not
the first account of his discovery of
the Pole could be accepted as entirely
his own work. He replied in the af-
flrmative, except for the obvious err
rOrs in transmission. He then ex-
planned the doubt about the 10000
square miles discovered, saying that
he meant they we're able to see Is
miles on each side during their jour-
ney to the Pole, and that, therefore,
hitherto unknown territory of 3d.
600 square miles was now discovered.
Dr. Cook proceeded to show that he
was fully competent to take all OBJ
servations, though saying that on pre-
vious exploring expeditions he did
very little observation work, which
usually was divided among the mem
bers Of the party.
This time" he continued, 1--WE had
started out to reach the Pole. and
everything else was of secondary con-
sideration. 1t was not possibly to
carry certain apparatus, and it was
impossible also to study the deep sea
or take soundiugs.
Eve carried all necessary simple
instruments for astronomical obserya.
tions, and we were lucky to obtain
observations virtually every day. The
positions noted must have been near
ly correct We had three chronome-
tiers, one watch, compasses and pedo-
meters. All were carefully controlled
by each other from time to time. The
watch, however, got out of order.
1--WE had all the modern instruments
which other explorers have had in
Guiding thermometers, barometers and
sextants of the latest models. 1t is
possible that our observations were
better than those of earlier days, but
do not assert that / am perfectly
familiar with making. astronomical OBJ
servations, especially in the polar
regions. / think, however, that all ex-
plorers will be satisfied with my
data.
why should / sit down and invent
observations r. he exclaimed. Il did
not do this thing for anything but
sport, and because take real inter