Mexico Missouri message., 1909-10-14
EXPLORER SPEAKS TO ST. LOUIS.
ANS OF START AND FINISH
or EXPEDITION.
HAS PRAISE FOR HIS ESKIMOs
Pathfinder Of the North Says He Was
Backed by No North Pole
Trust-Relstes His Many
Hardships.

st. Louis.-Dr. Frederick A. Cook,
polar explorer and claimant to prior
fly over Peary in the matter of plant
ing the Stars and Stripes at the North
pole, gives the following account Of
his efforts to reach the long-coveted
goal in lecture here:
The expedition which you will follow
tonight was equipped at Gloucester,
Mass. 4 strong schooner was bought
She was selected for icy work, loaded
down with supplies and al was ready on
the evening OF July g. The boys ashore
were testing the fireworks for the NOR
rows celebration, but aboard all was
quiet; There was no footing Of whistles
no visiting crowds. The Arctic eXpedi-
ton had been born without such public
clamor.
There was no excuse for bombast
Neither government nor private help had
been asked. was backed by no polar
trust The expedition was given life
from the purse OF John r. Bradley, Of
New York, and ] shaped its destiny.
Ice Pack Delays Trip.
Two years and three months later the
result OF that expedition was announced.
Again we asked for no favor. The news
was given as public property to the
world II our success has aroused your
enthusiasm II was not of our seeking.
II you have made our project your BUSH
ness 1t Is because you are Interested in
our conquest. and the honor of that Is
pay to our efforts.
This reconstructed schooner was given
q yacht register. It was loaded With the
raw material for Arctic equipment. We
had on board everything that could pos
sibly be Of use for such work as we had
in mind Captain Moses Bartlett. with
a crew OF ice navigators, was brought
from Newfoundland TO command the
yacht
We left on the evening Of July 3. sailed
nOrthward to Sydney across the Gulf Of
ST. Lawrence. through the Strait of Belle
Isle to Battle HarbOr in the southeastern
point Of Labrador. From here a course
was set across the rough waters Of Davis
Straits to the west coast Of Greenland
sailing along the west coast of Greenland
amid icebergs, under the glories Of the
midnight sun. landing here and there to
study the Eskimos. cruising about to get
specimens Of animal life.
We then, rapidly moved northward to
Bay we were delayed somewhat by pack
ice. but this gave us an opportunity TO
have an interview with bruin, and ii was
here that Mr.. Bradley was rather sue
cessful in posing a bear for n picture.
Passing through Melville Bay we
reached Cape York and then sailed be-
yond along the crimson CULTS and the
great breakers of the North into Wilston-
holm Sound In Wilstonholm Sound the
yacht was anchored and we prepared for
a walrus hunt to get blubber and skins
and food and meat for our work farther
north. After a successful hunt Of few
days we managed to secure a number of
these huge animals.
We took them aboard the yacht and
then steamed nOrthward across Wales
Sound into Inglefield Gulf along the
northern shores 20 Cape Alexander and
into Smiths Sound; the northernmost
limit Of safe navigation.
Passing beyond Cape Alexander the
yacht was taken TO Etah. the only safe
harbor In this district The yacht was
prepared for the return voyage. Etah is
a historic place because II Is this point
which has been used as n base for nearly
all Of the American expeditions which
have gone north.
How Dash to the Pole Was Planned.
The Eskimos soon gathered on board
the yacht They told us their stories of
hunting adventure; they told us their
method Of gathering food; they told us
their mission in gathering TO this north
ern place. and we learned now that a
more vigorous settlement OF these people
was still farther beyond. In our motor
boat we planned to visit these.
We pushed around among the drift ice
Of smith Sound, and In the course Of FIVE
nurthward to AnnOotok.
At AnnOotok We found a rather vigor-
Gus settlement; about thirty-five people
were living here in seven or eight tents.
II was by afr the largest settlement of
tEese people. and numbers OF hunters had
gathered here for their winter bear hunt.
Their summer chase had been rather
successful. Large caches of meat were
6trewn along the shores; enough meat
and blubber had been harbored to feed
the natives and dogs for that winter and
a good portion. OF the next summer.
There was the help, the man-power and
the dog power, and the raw material for
a polar campaign.
On board Of our yacht there was every
thing else that was required The yacht
was brought TO Annotook; the things
were landed. Here, then, we had every
thing conveniently arranged within ZOO
| miles OF the north pole.
We had then. remarkable advantage.
| The expenditure OF million dollars, or
| the help Of an army Of men, would not
| have placed KS I'm a better advantage to
make the attack upon the pole
| j said goodbye to Mr.. Bradley. Mr.
| Rudolph FRANKIE, one Of the young men
/ on the yacht. volunteered to stay with
| me as my sole companion; then the yacht
| returned to civilization, and we were left
alone to work out the problem OF getting
/ TO the pole
| Of $50 people, the northernmost tribe OF
] Eskimos, were put to work to make an
equipment and gather supplies and, pre-
/ pare for the long journey northward.
| Our first important work was 20 build
| winter home workshop and headquar-
| tiers. This was done with packing boxes.
| All our materials had been placed In
| cases OF uniform size before we left
| Gloucester. These cases had been thrown
| ashore, and with them we built the
| house Al the end OF the first night we
/ lived under our own roof In a house
| W - had the comfortable advantage Of
hs .ag all OF our possessions within its
own walls.
In this house we lived and we worked.
| Here We built the sledges with which we
| made the journey later; here was made
most Of the equipment; but the clothing
as made among the various settlements:
men, women and children were still kept
busy throughout the long winter night.