POLAR EXPLORATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 202, 30 September 1909, Page 2

POLAR EXPLORATION.

NEWS BY MAIL. DR. COOK'S STORY. By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright •Perth, September 20. English files contain Dr, Cook's' account of his dash to the Pole. lie [says: "The expedition was the outcome of a summer cruise in the Arctic sens in a yacht, with Mr. Uradley. 1 arrived at the limits' of navigation in Smith's Sound lute in August, 11)07, when the conditions were found to be favorable to venture to the Pole. Mr. J. It. Uradley liberally supplied provisions and equipment.

THE EXPEDITION STARTS. At sunrise, February, 11)08, the main expedition embarked for the Pole. It consisted of lfnien and 103 dogs, drawing eleven heavily-laden sledges. The gloum of the long night was relieved only with a few hours' sunshine. As We crossed the heights of Etlesmore Sound 83 degree* l below zero was registered. Several dogs were frozen, and the men suffered severely. But soon they found the game trails, along which an easy way was forced through to Nansen Sound to Land's End. In March we secured 101 musk oxen and 355 hares. We pushed out INTO THE POLAR SEA I from the southern point of Heibcrg I Island. On Mnn-h 18 six Esquimaux

returned from here with four men and 4(1 dogs, moving supplies for 80 days. The crossing of Hie circuinpolar pack began three days later, when two other c Esquimanx, forming the last supporting \ party, returned. Eukishook and Welsh, | two of the best men, and 27 dogs were , picked for the final 400 miles to the ( goal. On March 30 the horizon partly , cleared. There was a smoky agitation, | and ovef the western mist we discovered |

NEW LAND. Observations gave the position as latitude 84 deg. 47 mill., longitude 8(i deg. 3(i min. Urgent need for a rapid advance did not permit of a detour to explore here. Since the last signs m solid earth we advanced steadily over the monotony of moving sea ice, und found ourselves beyond the range of all life and under the maddening influence of a shifting desert. The frost became

ALMOST UNENDURABLE in tlic daily routine, but the surface of tlie li»<:k" offered less trouble. Tlie weather improved, lull still remained life-sapping, with n wind which drove despair to its lowest recess. The night of April 7 was made notable by the setting of the sun nt midnight over the northern icelands. An observation on I April 8 placed the camp in latitude 94dcg. 2scc. In spite of what seemed a long inarch we hud advanced a little over a hundred miles in nine days. Though still equal to about 15 miles daily, the extended nmrtlies and long hours of travelling with which fortine had favored us earlier were no longer possible. Now, about

200 MILES FROM THE POLE. the sledge loads were reduced. One dog after another bad to go into the stomachs of the surviving champions until the teams were considerably reduced. The ice-lields became more extensive und heavier, and the crevasses fewer and less* troublesome. From the 87th to the 88th parallel much of our surprise wn caused by the indication of land ice, which for two days had been travelled over. The ice resembled a glacial surface, though there were no positive signs of land qr sea. The temperature remained below 40 degrees, cementing together quickly the new crevasses' of young ice, spread open by water, so rapidly that little delay was caused in crossing from one field to another. The time arrived to muster our energies, tor a last effort. Signs of laud were still seen every day, but they were deceptive illusions. On April 21, the first corrected latitude of the sun gave 88dcg. 58 min. 40sec. \

THE POLE IX SIGHT. - The pole was therefore hi sight. We advanced to 14 seconds, made supplementary .observations, and prepared to stop long enough to permit of double sound observations. At last we bad PIERCED THE BORAL MYSTERY, and the (lag was raised to the coveted breezes of the Pole. The day was April 21, and the sun indicated local noon, but the time was a negative problem. The north, east, and west had vanished. There was south in every direction, but the compass pointing to the magnetic pole was useful as ever. Though overjoyed at the success of conquest, a SENSE OF INTENSE LONELINESS came with the further scrutiny of the horizon and the endless fields of purple snows. There was no life, no land, and no spot to relieve the monotony of frost. Wc were only pulsating breathers in a dead world of ice. We

TURNED OUH BACKS TO THE POLE o-a April 23. The return journey was made in a more westerly direction. With fair weather and good ice the long distance was at first quickly covered, but later the weather became had and food so very scarce that we suffered severe privations until we reached the open water at Crown Prince Gus'tav Sea, where we obtained bear meat. Thrace we made way to Cape Spurto, where wc managed to live on game till the sunrise of 11109, reaching the shore of (ireenlnnd on April 150). •

Dr. Cook declares that the nonarrival of his records is immaterial. He has duplicates to establish his claim. TOE RETURN JOURNEY. CONTINUOUS FIGHT FOR LIFE. | Received September 20, 5 p.m. Perth, September S). Dr. Cook, describing the return jouriiey, continues: "Some violent gales wero experienced, but with starvation as the only alternative we could not wait for better weather. Our desperate efforts pressed life to the verge o( # extinction. On May 24th We got an'observation showing we had reached the 84th parallel, near the 07th 'meridian. Scarcely enough food remained to reach the caches at Xnnscn Island, unless we made hi miles daily, with our reduced strength hardly equal to 10. The food of man and dog was reduced to three-quarter rations. After a struggle for 20 days wc struck open water at Crown Prince Gus'tav sea and obtained a

SUPPLY OK BEAIt MEAT. From there we sought to follow the ice inover)iciit to Lancaster Sound, but early in July tho southward progress was blocked. Then, crossing the Firth of Devon, using a folding boat and sledge, we attempted to reach Baffin liny, with but an occasional bird to eat and a 1 LONG LINE OF MISFORTUNES. We pushed eastward until frost early in September popped progress. Without food, fuel, or ammunition we were forced to wrestle for winter supplies in what seemed a lifeless desert. Pressed by hunger new implements were shaped, and nt Cape Spnrto game was located. Using bows and arrows and a lance-line a supply of meat and skins was obtained from musk-ox, bear and wolf. I

" An underground den was' prepared, where we remained till the sun rose again in 1009. On February 18th we started for Annostook with newlyprepared equipment, and reached tie shores of Greenland on April l.>th where we were greeted by a group of anxious friends."

WHO IS TO BE RELIEVED? PEAKY CONTROVERTS COOK'S CLAIMS. WHAT THE ESQUIMAUX HVII). Received September 21), IUO p.m. New York, September 21) Commander Peary raises numerous technical points controverting Dr. Cook's claim. He declares that Dr. Cook violated the custom of not bringing back the records found in enirns. He eontends it is Impossible for Dr, Cook to have travelled 2."> l / :! degrees in one sledging season, when the best previous record was eleven degrees, and his (Peary's) 1009 performance fourteen degrees. He conclude* by criticising Dr. Cook's equipment adversely, «nd declares that

he (Peary) and Uensoii talked to every member of the Smith Sound tribe of Eskimos and obtained testimony corro« huraling tlic statement of the two accompanying Dr. Cook that the latter did not go out of night of land. COOK'S RECORDS. Received September 30, 12.45 a.ni. London, September 20. Whitney, writing from St. Johns (Newfoundland) states tliat Dr. Cook left him no record* nor told him of the presence of any in the boxes or among his belongings at the cache.