The people's recorder. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1893-1925, 1909-09-11
THE NORTH POLE IS found
Dr.. Frederick Cook, OF Brooklyn, Wins the Goal---
Reaches Pole April ~, I908---Land at the
Point Where With One Step You Pass
From Side to Side of the Earth.

u "HASh oSPdIut Luc l0nQ
from the ice OF the central pack, was
crossed with little delay. The low
temperature was persistent and the
winds made life q torture. But COOP
ed up III our snow houses, eating
arled beef tallow and drinking hot
tea, there was some animal comforts
occasionally TO be gained.
For several days after the sight
OF known land was lost, the overcast
SKY prevented al accurate tletcrmiiia-
ton of our position. On March 30
the horizon was partly cleared and
new land was discovered. Our OBJ
sorvations gave our position as lati-
tude 64.47, longitude 8G.3G. There
was urgent need Of rapid advance.
Our main mission did not permit a
detour Tor the purpose of exploring
the coast. Here were seen the last
signs of solid earth; beyond there
was nothing stable to be seen.
1--WE advanced steadily over the
monotony Of moving sea-ice and now
found ourselves beyond the range of
all ife-neitl:cr footprints of bears
nor the blow-holcs Of seals were de-
tccted. Even the microscopic Great
nres OF the deep were no longer under
us: The maddening influence of the
shifting desert of frost became al
most uncomfortable in the daily rou-
tine. Tie surface Of the pack offer
cd less and less trouble and the
weather improved, but there still re-
manned the lifc-sapping wind which
drove desair to its lowest recess. The
extreme cold compelled action. Thus
day after day our weary legs spread
over big distances. Incidents and
positions were recorded, but adven-
ture was promtly forgotten in the
next days efforts.
The night Of April 7 was made
notable by the swinging of the sun at
midnight over the northern ice. Sun
burns and frost bites were now re-
corded OH the same day, but tile
double days glitter infused quite an
incentive into ones life of shivcrs.
Our observation April 6 placed
the camp in latitude s6.3G, longitude
94.2. In spite of what seemed long
marches VIC advanced but little over
hundred miles. Much of our work
was lost in cireuitous twists, around
troublesome pressure lines and high
irregular fields. A very old ice drift,
too, was driving eastward with sufli-
clcnt force to give some anxiety.
Although still equal to about fifty
miles daily, the extended marches
and the long hours for travelling with
which fortune favored lis earlier were
no longer possible. We were now
about 200 miles from the pole and
sledge loads were reduced. One dog
after another went into the stomachs
Of the hungry survivors until the
teams were considerably diminished
in number, but there seemed to re-
main a sufficient balance for man and
brute to push along into the heart of
the fnystery tc which we had set our
selves.
con April 81 we had reached 80
degrees so minutes 46 seconds. The
pole was in sight. We covered the
remaining fourteen seconds and made
few finas observations. I told
Etukisliook and Ahwelsh (thc accom-
panying Esi;imos) that we had reach
ed the "grcat nail Everywhere we
turned was south. With Il single step
we could pass from one side Of the
earth 10 tnc other; from midday to
midnight. At last the flag floated to
the breeze 4! the pole. 1t was April
81, 1908. The temperature was minus
3S centig-adc, barometer 29.S3, lati-
tutle 90; as for the longitude it was
nothing, as it was but n word.
"Although crazy with JOY our
spirits began to undergo feeling of
WEAKNESS. Next day after taking all
our observations, sentiment Of in
tense solitude penetrated us while we
looked at the horizon. Was it pos
sible that this desolate region, with
out patch Of earth, had aroused the
ambition Of so many men for so many
centuries7 There was no ground,
only an immensity of dazzling white
snow, no living being, no point to
break the friShtful monotony.
"On April % we started on our re-
::urn."