Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-09-04
DECLARES THAT EXPLORERS DE-
LAY IN RETURNING SOUTH AZ
TER MAKING DISCOVERY is OF
LITTLE CONSEQUENCE.
TELLS OF SOME OF
HIS EXPERIENCES
EXPLORER OF SOUTH POLE TER
RIToRY WRITES OF DIFFICULT
TIES OF TRAVEL OVER THE
SHIFTING ICE.

LOHCOf'y SCpts Es--fAllCE ICdlihS
the summary of Cooks account
Of his dash to the North Pole,
Lieut.. Ernest n. Shackleton, who
recently led an expedition to the
South Pole regions, said nobody
has any right to be skeptical, that
there was nothing in the explorers
statement but what was perfectly
possible. After he got within two
hundred miles of the pole and
after reaching the pole and after
getting back to solid land there
was nothing to prevent Cook from
living with the Esqumos until
this year.
consequently" ShackIeton con-
tinued, ri do not think the time
it took him to return is against
his statement. The question is
what distance was he actually
from the pole when he started
with his Esquimos. He must have
done twelve miles day to cover
the distance given In thirty-five
days. No other explorer has been
able to do anything near this. In
the north one or two miles a day
is considered good progress, but
Cook must have travelled over
absolutely smooth ice, which is
condition that is unique"
London, Sept. 2.-The Daily Mail
prints this morning signed article by
Lieut.. Shackleton. 1t is as follows:
1.-The cabled statement that Dr.
Cook has succeeded in reaching. the
north pole will arouse widespread at
tention. At present there are few de-
tails at hand regarding the actual
journey. Dr. Cook has had much ex-
perience on polar conditions for he
was surgeon to the Peary expedition
in 1891 and also Il member of the Bel
gian antarctic expedition in 1918.
Early in 1907 it was announced that
new to southern polar regions, but he
did not obtain the financial support re-
CURED and in the summer of that year
he went north. The next news. follow
ing on a rumor of disaster. came
Rudolph F'rancke, Cooks COM
panion, and was to the effect that the
explorer had started on march to
polar regions with one Eskimo and
eight dog teams. He left Cape Hubbard
on March II. 1908, and the cablegram
now received states that thirty five
days later he reached the pole.
Call it Magnificent Feat.
"Cape Hubbard is the point selected
by Peary as Offering the best base for
a northern dash and it is approximate
ly thirty eight miles from the pole, so
that the feat is magnificent one.
What such a march must have meant
experience in polar exploration. The
difficulties of arctic travel are many.
No depots can be placed on the drift
ing sea of ice. and this means that a
traveller must not only carry food for
the onward march but also for the
journey back to solid land. After the
ice breaks up, long lanes of water APP
pear, barring the way and making 1t
necessary either to lose time in de-
tours or carry some form of boat. At
other times the pack of ice is screwed
and hummocked up in such fashion
that path has to be cut for the dogs
and sledges.
Then comes perhaps a blizzard
which may keep the sledger in his tent
for days at a time, while his precious
food is consumed and no progress is
made. Indeed, it sometimes happens
that when a blizzard has ceased and
an explorer takes his observations h Z
finds that he is farther south than he
was liie uiy DeiOfe Inc Qeldy, OWNING
to the movement of the drifting ice In
the polar basin hunger will dog his
steps all the time, for the amount of
food that can be carried by means of
dog teams is limited, and provisions
can be made to spin out only by
marching on short ration3.
May Have Gone Alone.
eve are at present in doubt as to the
number of men Cook had with him, for
though he is said to have taken two
sible he increased the strength Of his
party at that point. One the other hand
he may have marched alone or with
one Esquino, as it stated, though in
this case his difficulties would almost
certainly be increased If he encoun-
tered rough ice and open lanes.
In fact, such journey single hand
ed would seem to be almost super
human effort and no praise could be
too great for so fine feat Of courage
and endurance.
The return march must have beer
even more trying, for the summer
would be advancing and at that sea-
son snow and ice commence to go tc
pieces from the action of the sea un-
.derneath and the hot sun overhead an6
sledges must be pulled through pools
IhSSO, iothlAS SetH Uc lSdlued OLilSt
than Mr.. Bollinger had no insurance
on them. A partial list of the owners
of the stored goods follows:
Walter Coen, stove and household
goods.
Mr. fowler household goods.
Mr.. Smith, two stoves.
]. G. Booze, one stove.
R. G. Adams, one stove.
o. e. Milan. one stove. !
Bert Emery, one stove.