The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-09-11
DR., COOKS OWN STORY Of
THE CONQUEST OF THE POLE


circuitous twists around troublesome
pressure lines and high, irregular fields
of very old ice.
The drift, too, was driving eastward
with sufficient force to give some anx
iety, though we were still equal to
about fifteen miles daily. The extended
marches and the long hours of travel
with which fortune had favored us
earlier were no longer possible.
We were now about 200 miles from
the pole, and the sled loads were re-
duced, One dog after another had
gone into the stomach of his hungry
survivors, until the teams were con-
siderably reduced, but there seemed to
remain sufficient balance of man and
brute to push along into the heart of
the mystery to which we had set our
selves. Beyond the eighty-sixth par
allel, the ice fields became more extern
sive and heavier, the crevices fewer
and less trouble, with little or no
crushed ice thrown up as barriers.
Surprised by Land Ice.
From the eighty-seventh to the
eighty eighth, much to our surprise,
was the indication of land ice.
For two days we travelled over ice
which resembled a glacial surface. The
usual sea ice lines of embarkation
were absent, and there were no hum
mocks or deep crevices. There was,
however, no perceptible elevation and
no positive sign of land or sea.
Observations on the 14th gave Lati-
tude IS degs., q min, and Longitude
95 degs., 25 min.
We were now less than 100 miles
from the pole.
The pack was here more active, but
the temperature remained below 40,
cementing together quickly the new
crevices. Young ice spread on the
narrow spaces of open water so rap
idly that little delay was caused in
crossing from one field to another.
The time had now arrived to muster
energy for the last series of efforts.
In the enforced effort, every human
strand was strained, and at camping
times there was no longer sufficient
energy to erect a snow shelter, though
the temperature was still very low.
Magic of Midnight Sun.
The silk tent was pressed into serv-
ice, and the change proved agreeable.
1t encouraged more careful scrutiny
of the strange world into which fate
had pressed us.
Signs of land were still seen every
day, but they were deceptive illusions
or mere fight of fancy.
1t seemed that something must be
across the horizon to mark the i'm
portant area into which we were push
ing
When the sun was low the eve ran
over the moving plains of color to
dancing horizons. The mirages turned
things topsy-turvy, inverted noun
tains and queer objects ever rose and
fell in shrouds of mystery, but all of
this was due to the atmospheric magic
IF the midnight sun.
Slowly but surely we neared the
turning point. Good astronomical OBJ
servations were daily procured to fix
the advancing stages The ice stead
lily improved. but still there was a.
depressing monotony of scene and life
had no pleasures, no spiritual recrea-
ton, nothing to relieve the steady
physical drag or chronic fatigue.
But there came an end TO this as
to all things. On April q the first
corrected altitude of the sun gave
SO deg, SO min, 46 sees. The pole.
therefore, was in sight.
Flag Flies at Pole.
We advanced the fourteen seconds.
made supplementary observations and
prepared to stay long enough to per-
1T adouble round of observations.
Etukeshooke and Aswelab were told
that we had reached the sFNeig
,Nailuj'' and they sought to celebrate
by an advance of savage Joys.
At last we had pierced the boreal
center and the flag had been raised to
the coveted breezes of the North Pole
The day was April 81, 1905 The sun
Indicated local noon, but time was a
negative problem, for here all NERD
lans meet.
With step it was possible to go
from one part of the globe to the OPP
posife side.
From the hour of midnight to that
OF midday the latitude was 90. the
temperature 50 and the barometer
2983.
North, east and west had vanished
1t was south in every direction. but
the compass, pointing to the magnetic
pole, was as useful as ever.