The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-01-16
They took 900 pounds Of meat and
tallow, 103 dogs, II sledges with an

tallow, 103 dogs, II sledges with an
equal number Of expert drivers. After
long time the edge of the polar sea
was reached. In the meantime the
party had killed and eaten seven polar
bears, 23S arctic hares and 103 musk
oxen. The meat had to be eaten as
soon as killed to prevent it's freezing
SO hard that it could hardly be cut
with an axe. Elimination was neces-
sary, so six of the men were sent back
while. four men with "A dogs pressed
on, and in three days made 60 miles.
| Then two young men were selected
for the most arduous part, and to
these two, whose names though not
pronounceable and equally unspell-
able, are familiar, DR.. Cook paid a
glowing tribute for their courage and
fidelity. For some days the three with
two dogs and two sleds Travelled
! steadily, reaching the circumpclaT
sea. In two days the SD parallel had
been approached. Open water forced
turn west over young thin ice.
Hummocks and depressions limited
progress to 10 miles a day. March 30
the sky cleared and an observation
showed the party to be at $3.50. New
land which could not be explored, lay
on the west so miles away. The 85th
and Seth were passed at the rate of
Is miles a day.
Trying Times. ~. -.
And then came the most trying of
all the tortures of that frozen re-
gion, the burning sun which gave out
no heat, the cold, the biting winds.
One of, the Two boys broke down say
ing, 1--WE had as well die. It is hope
less beyond" But new courage was
gathered with the statement that the
pole lay only 100 miles away. And off
they started again, doubling the hours
of travel daily. Observations. with
a sextant were frequently taken. They
were not absolutely accurate because
the sun was so near the horizon, not
above IL degrees, that it was diff
cult to get its image on the, instru-
ment in the proper way and refrac-
ton could not be calculated on. But
the work was accurate enough for a
working hypothesis on which to plot
a chart to the pole. = J..
And so Dr.. Cooks narrative took
his auditors through the details Of
the borecal trip to its climax April 81,
1908, and when careful search was
made to see if anybody had been there
and 10 traces were found;
and then through the. long, weary
wanderings of months, on the return
trip and the battle for food, culrninat-
ing finally in safe arrival.
DR.. Cook then repeated in some de-:
tail his frequently made charges Of
conspiracy, bribery, forgery and, in
fact quite a fair proportion Of the
misdeeds in the catalogue of misdoing.
He declared that. he was ready to
back up his statements by documents
by personal witnesses, by his money
Or by his fist. /.
Dr.: Cook arrived in Newberry on
Friday noon and was entertained at
the Newberry hotel. A good many
citizens called on him and those who
did, found him quiet, modest, unas-
suming man, nothing striking or pc
culiar in his manner or conversation,
but one who leaves a favorable i'm.
preston upon those who come in con-
tact with hirn. He left on the morn
ing train on. Saturday for Gainesville,
Ca. =, g.. ..<.@. ..... *.- - T. - 1
DR.. Cook said his tour has been
most successful and that he is giving
this lecture for the purpose of get.
ting into contact with the people
throughout the country, and the hope
of establishing his claims of the dis
covery of the pole. "FoF," said he.
"after all, it is public opinion that
will reach the ultimate future"
DR.. Cooks wife and two daughters,
seven and twelve years Of age, are
in Paris, where he will join them in
March. So. f...... ..