The people's recorder. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1893-1925, 1909-09-11
.T'HE:IQR[TH: | n o. Poll: is FOUND
Dr. Frederick Cook, OF Brooklyn, Wins the Goai---
Reaches Pole April ~, I9o8---Land at tho a.
EEs*4s3S#N Point Where With Ono Step You Pass
sSs sS5zs From Side to Side Of the Earth

big lead, whish separated the land
from the Ice Of the central pack, was,
crossed with little delay. The low
temperature was persistent and the
winds made life torture. But COON
ed up IN our snow houses. eating
dried 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 determina-
ton Of our position. On March 30
the horizon was partly cleared and
new land was discovered. Our OBJ
servatlons gave our position as lati-
tude 84.47, longitude 8G3G. 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 tho last
signs Of solid earth; beyond there
was nothing stable to be seen.
- We advanced steadily over the
monotony Of moving sea-ice and now
found ourselves beyond the range of
all life-neitkcr footprints Of bears
nor the blow-holes of seals we're de-
tected. Even the microscopic Great
ures 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. The surface of the pack offer
ed less and less trouble and the
weather improved, but there still re-
manned the life-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 day s. efforts.
"The night Of April 2 was made
notable by the swinging Of the sun at
midnight over the northern ice. Sun
burns and frost bites were now re-
corded on the same day, but the
double days glitter infused quite an
incentive, into one's life of shivers.
"Our observation April 6 placed
the camp in latitude 86.36, longitude
94.2. In spite of what seemed long
marches we advanced but little over
hundred miles. Much of our work
was lost in circuitous twists, around
troublesome pressure lines and high
irregular fields. A very old ice drift,
too, was driving eastward with suffi-
cient 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 us earlier were
no longer possible. We we're now
about 200 miles from the pole and
sledge loads were reduced. One dog
after another went into the stomechs
OF the hungry survivors until the
teams We're considerably diminished
in number, but there seemed to re-
main sufficient balance for man and
brute to push along into the heart Of
the mystery tc which we had set our
selves.
con April 81 we had reached 80
degrees SO minutes 4G seconds. The
pole was in sight. We covered the
remaining fourteen seconds and made
few fna, observations. I told
Etukishook and Ahwelsh (the accom-
panying Es!;imos) that we had reach
ed the 'great nail Everywhere we
turned was south. With single step
we could pass from one side of the
earth to the other; from midday to
midnight. At last the flag foated to
the breeze at the pole. It was April
21, 1908. The temperature was minus
80 centigrade, barometer 1888, lati-
tude 90; as for the longitude it was
nothing, as it was but 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
ont 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 frightful monotony.
con April % we started on our re-.
turn.'