Mexico Missouri message., 1909-09-09

reach tho pole many valuable lives
have been sacrificed, was reached by
DIT. Cook on April Fl, 1908.
A telegram from the inspector OF
Greenland to the Danish government
confirms the news OF the discovery.
The Greenland official was on board
the steamship Hans Eyed, homeward
bound, which picked up the explorer.
Following is the message Of the in.
spector Of Greeland, dated Lerwick, to
the Danish government:
"Dr Cook, American explorer, reach.
ed the North Pole on April 21, 1908.
He is now aboard Hans Eyed, bound
for Copenhagen. DR.. Cook arrived in
Nay 1909, at Upernavik from Cape
York, accompanied by the Eskimo
members Of his party. The Eskimos
confirm the truth of the explorers
statements that he located the
geographic pole"
Geographic North Pnle.
The telegram is from Lerwick in
Shetland an island in the north At.
lantic ocean, about So miles northwest
Of the Orkney islands. Shetland COW
ers about as much space on the map
as Scotland.
In announcing DIR. Cooks triumph
the government officials lay stress on
the fact that the pole discovered is
not the magnetic pole, which has long
been established, but the geographic
north pole, the unreached goal of
Peary, Nansen and other Artic ex-
plorers of the past century.
Lerwick, in the Shetland Island, is
the first point on the route taken by
Danish colonial steamers at which
telegraphic communication with this
country could be had. AS 1t is a coal
ling station for practically all vessels
Of the colonial service, it is possible
additional dispatches will be received
by the government when DR.. Cook
stops on the last leg Of his long return
trip to civilization.
No mention is made OF the personal
Of his party, but 1t is taken for grant
ed by the government authorities that
as the Danish officials made no men
ton Of any other white man being
with DR.. Cook, the latter was unac-
companied save by his Eskimo follow
ers.
Bradley gave his consent, furnished
the outfit requested, and Dr.. Cook was
soon answering the call Of the frozen
north. 1t was DR.. Cooks plan to land
NJ Euly Nd IN
North Greeland, where he was to equip
himself with dogs and sledges with
which to make his dash to the Pole.
In the TrackIess North.
That he was successful in securing
the necessary equipment was indicated
by his having reached Cape Hubbard
1t appears from what his friends in
Brooklyn learned about the plans of
DR.. Cook that he set for himself a
quite impossible task. Leaving Brad.
ley. Dr. Cook set out for Etah and
Smiths Sound, going by way of Cape
Hubbard and hansen Strait into the
trackless region beyond in an effort to
reach the Pole. 1t was his plan to re-
turn by the same route and then cross
over an unexplored stretch Of Central
Greenland and reach the Danish settle
ment on the coast.
Nothing more was heard Of the ex-
plorer until when his wife received a
message from Commodore Perry, who
is heading another expedition to the
pole. The message was sent from
Etah down to st. Johns, New Found
land, by the steamer Erik, the tender
to Perry's ship, the Roosevelt, and
was telegraphed from the later place.
Perry advised Mrs. Cook not to be
disturbed about the safety Of her hus-
band, as he was in land where game
was plentiful.
Six Weeks Overdue.
Six weeks before this message was
sent from Etah, on Aug. II, Com
modore Ferry had received word from
Annatok, about 80 miles north Of
Etah, where Cook had established a
base. 1t was to the effect that DR..
Cook was overdue six weeks on his
return to Annatok from the north.
Ralph Frank, one Of Cooks men, was
brought back from Annatok, and sent
to New .Foundland on the Erik by Per-
ry, who sent two of his own men to
take his place at Cooks headquarters.