Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-09-02
COOK 5 brave BATTLE
1OR[ACH NOR1APOLE
AMERICAN EXPLORER RELATES
HIS EXPERIENCES IN ACCOM-.
LlshlNG GREAT FEAT.
DISCOVERS NEW LAND
AND FINDS MUCH GAME
No Animal Life Of Any Kind Within
Many Miles Of Earth's Axis-Party,
Reduced to Few Men, Suffers Ex-
tremeIy From Bitter Cold Accom-
panied Only by Esquimos.

panied Only by Esquimos.
| LerWick, Shetland Islands, Sept. g.
In an interview on the steamer Hans
Egede, DR.. Frederick A. Cook briefly
described his trip to the north pole,
the obstacles he had encountered, the
discoveries he had made and his per-
| ilous return journey.
The reaching of the pole was not
accomplished without long and hard
fight with frost and famine, but an
interesting strip of animated creation
has been uncovered and the haunts of
big game discovered. From what was
hitherto an unknown waste, triangle
embracing 10000 square miles has been
explored.
After summer cruise on the Brad
ley in the Arctic seas DIR. Cook ar
rived, in August, 1907, at the limits
of navigation In Smith sound. Condi-
tions for the dash to the pole being
1 favorable, DR.. Cook literally provided
himself with provisions from the
Bradley. The emergency equipment
/
was found admirable for arctic travel
Much meat had been collected by the
Esquimos who had gathered at Anna
toak, on the shores of Greenland, for a
winters bear hunt and many strong
4 dogs were there. All these things
proved fortunate to the explorer
Aided by Northern Tribesmen.
With the assistance of this most
II nj <,.;l, 30
entered upon the problem of devising
an outfit to meet all possible require
ments. What was considered necessary
was arranged for at a point not over
700 miles from the pole. Before the
winter ended, a house and workshop
having been constructed out of pack
ing boxes. everything had been got in
readiness for the enterprise and plans
had been made to force a new route
northward, along the west coast Of
Greenland and thence out upon the
} polar sea.
Main Expedition Embarks.
Scouting parties were sent along the
American shores for the purpose of
exploration and of locating big game
haunts, but because of storms only a
partial success resulted. At sunrise
1908. which was Feb. 10, the embarka-
ton for the pole was made by the
main expedition. The expedition now
numbered eleven men. Eleven heavily
laden sledges We're drawn by 1O3 dogs
Leaving the Greenland shore, the par
ty pushed westward over the broken
ice in Smith sound A few hours OF
7 fitful daylight only broke the long
/ nights gloom and winters chill was
J at its worst. When DR.. Cook and his
followers crossed the heights of Blles-
; mere sound and began the descent to
/ the Pacific slope. the temperature
i dropped to 33 centigrade. The men
, were suffering greatly and a number OF
3 dogs were frozen. Fortunately game
: trails We're found and the way made
more easy.
Found Much Game.
/ DR.. Cook forced his way thru Nan.
3 sen sound to Lands End. securing il
the march 101 musk oxen, seven bear:
! and 335 hares. The entrance upon thu
, polar sea was made from Herber
Island on March 1S At that point 81,
t Esquimos turned back, leaving but fou
men and forty-six dogs to move sup
plies sufficient for eighty days. Unde
these conditions the crossing of th
circEm polar pack was undertaken AT
;, ter three days two other Esquimo
were forced to return. With two o
: the best mon and twenty-six dogs MI
;, Cook entered upon the final effort O
= the struggle.
Before him was his goal, but 1t wa
t60 mics away. Encouraging progress
was made during the first days, lon,
marches being made. and the big lea
separating the land from the ice of tn
central pack was quickly crossed Bit
a Ing winds added to the suffering cause,
= by the extreme low temperature Com
- fort was possible only when the part
!, were in their snow houses. devourin
= dried beef and tallow and drinking no
tea.
g Discovers New Land.
!. For several days after losing sight O
land, DIR. Cook was unable to determin
his exact position because of the over
h cast sky but on the 30th of March TIL
horizon had partly cleared and the din
outlines of land were discovered. OBJ
servations We're taken and showed lati
$ tude s4.47, longitude ss.9s.
}, The need of rapid advance was we
:, understood and time would not permi
d anexploration of the coast of the newl
found land. This was the point wher
e the party must leave all signs of soil
Y earth. Beyond nothing stable was i
: view.
e All Life Left Behind.
f Over an endless sea of moving
+ never changing ice, the party steadil
s advanced. Presently DR.. Cook foun
: himself beyond the furthest limits c
o signs Of life. Blow holes of seal q
$ footprints of bears could not be see,
d No longer were the features of the dee
Z, beneath them A desert of frost. shift
ing, uncomfortable, was the daily expert
ence and became almost maddening.
Now the weather improved. and tn
surface of the ice pack offered less re
sistance to travel. but the biting win
made the despairing men more des
perate. Physical action Of the mo,
violent form became necessity to pre-
{ serve life, and day after day long dis
I tances were covered.
t On April the sun burst forth I
; midnight. glistening on the endless ic
aFrost bites and sunburns now inte,
rt