The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1909-09-09
'.MY FEELING
AT THE POLE"
DOCTOR COOK TELLS HIS
SENSATIONS AT FINDING
TOP OF THE WORLD
First Interview With the Great
Explorer.

A~AS aAShA ohasSh oato.
Gas the steamer Hans Ag de
steamed by" the correspondent says,
81 caught through my glasses Wis
ion of small man in dark suit and
peaked cap shading his eyes with his
hands, as If straining to see the well
come civilization after years in icy
exile. II was Doctor Cook, the ex-
plorer whose name is on every
tongue. He was chatting with the
captain on the bridge, now smiling,
now waving his hands. Twas allow
ed to board the Hans Egede.
Somebody gave Doctor Cook a
boquet. Tears dimmed his eyes as
he buried his face in their fragrance.
It's years since have seen flowers
said the explorer with a culver of
emotion in his voice.
Il followed him to the cabin. His
face was tanned from Exposure. He
looked the picture of splendid health.
Only when he smiled one noticed the
loss of two teeth. "A fight with a
Polar bear did that he said. "You
can tell the world, the explorer con-
tinued, "that | am in better condition
than at any time and look forward
with an appetite to the festivities that
are promised me. My dinner has
been poor these last few years and |
shall have to make up for it,
doctor Cook then briefly describ-
ed his journey. Regarding his dis
covery he said:
Then came April 81. That was
the great day. We looked for the
sun. As soon as we got it / made
several observations. Great Joy came
over us. We were only sixteen miles
from the desired spot. | said to my
self, bully for Frederick. Then we
went on.
The Last Stretch Easy.
1.-THE last stretch was the easiest
ever made in my life, although | had
still to make two observations and
the ice was very broken here. But
my spirits were high and | shouted
like boy. The Eskimos looked at
one another surprised at my gayety.
They did not share my Joy.
81 felt that | ought to be there.
made my last observation and found
that was standing on the pole.
Too Tired to Feel Anything.
"My feelings! Well, l was too
tired really to feel any sensation.
planted the Stars and Stripes in the
ice field and my heart grew warm
when saw it wave in the wind.
"How does the North Pole look?"
was asked.
=" WELL said Mr.. Cook, smiling,
it amounts to the size of a twenty
five cent piece. There is nothing to
see but ice, ice; no water, only ice.
There were more holes here than al
the 87th degree which shows there is
more movement and drift here; but
this and other observations | made
afterwards-when got more settled.
| stopped TIVE days at at the the pole and
assure you it wasn't easy to say good
by to the spot.
AS | was sitting at the pole
could not help smiling at the people
who on my return would call the
whole expedition humbug. was
sure the people would say that | had
bought my two witnesses and that
my notebook with my daily observa-
tons had been manufactured on
board this ship.
Let Disbelivers Go There.
The only thing l can put up
against this is what the York Eskimos
have told Knud Rasmussen. Let the
skeptic who disbelieve my story 90
to the North Pole. There they will
find small brass tube which buried
under the flag. That tube contains a
short statement about my trip. |
couldn't leave my visiting card be-
cause didn't happen to have one
with me.
Perhaps the explorer added
dryly, Il should have stayed there