My Attainment of the Pole Part 50

6 14 8.10 (A. M.) to 6.15 (P. M.). Snow hard. Ice flat. Few hummocks. Less wavy. Snow (shoes).

Sun faces.

7 14 11 to 10. Beautiful clear weather; even the night sky clear. Midnight sun first seen.

Ice 36 ft. (thick). (Another measurement gave 21 feet.) 8 9 Observation before starting, 86.36, 94.2. In spite of what seemed like long marches we made only 106 miles in 9 days. Much distance lost in crossings. (From field paper) bar. 29.50, rising; temp. -37; wind mag. N. E., 2; clouds St. 3; shadow (6 ft. pole), 32 feet.

9 14 9 A. M. to 5.30 P. M.; snow hard; ice about the same; wind cutting; frost bites. Clothes humid.

10 16 10 P. M. to 7 A. M. Working hours changed; big marches and long hours no longer possible; snow good; ice steadily improving; bodily fatigue much felt; wind 1-28 W.

11 15 10.30 to 8 A. M. Observation end of March, 87.20, 95.19; the pack disturbance of B. Ld.

lost; farthest north; little crushed ice; old floes less irregular; anxious about food; wind 3 W. (true); 300 miles in 24 days; work intermittent; too tired to read instruments.

(From other field notes, Temp. -39; bar. 29.90.) 12 21 11 P. M. to 7 A. M. Thoughts of return. Food supply reduced. Hope to economize in warmer weather. Very heavy ice. Much like land ice.

Wind 2 W. S. W. The awful monotony!

13 17 12 P. M. to 7 A. M. The same heavy glacier-like ice.... The occasional soup. Hummocks 15-20 ft.

Ahwelah in tears at start. W. black. Sun under rushing vapors. Ice changes. Leads.

14 23 11 P. M. to 7.10 A. M. 88.21, 95.52. Wind light but penetrating. Off the big field, ice smaller.

Some open leads. Little sign of pressure. Snow soft, but less precipitation. Dogs get up better speed. 100 miles from Pole. (From other observation papers: Bar. 29.90, falling; temp., -44; shadow (6 ft. pole) 30 feet.) 15 14 10 P. M. to 7 A. M. Ice same. Wind -1, S. W.

Working to the limit of muscle capacity. So tired and weary of the never ceasing tread!

16 15 10.30 to 8 A. M. Ice pa.s.sed. Several heavy old floes. Made 6 crossings. Wind 1-3, W. S. W.

17 13 10.15 to 8 A. M. Ice same. Creva.s.ses new.

7 crossings. Saw several big hummocks. Ice less troublesome. Temp., -40; bar., 30.00.

Sled friction less.

18 14 9 P. M. to 6. Ice, though broken, smooth. The horizon line not so irregular as that of more S. ice. Sky and ice of a dark purple blue.

(Bar. 30.02.) 19 16 11 P. M. to 8 A. M. (Position) 89.31. D. R.

94.03. Camp on an old field--the only one on the horizon with big hummocks. Ice in very large fields; surface less irregular, but in other respects not different from farther S. Eskimos told that in two average marches Pole would be reached. Extra rations served. Camp in tent.

(Bar., 29.98; Temp., -46.) 20 15 8 P. M. to 4 A. M. An exciting run; ice aglow in purple and gold; Eskimos chanting. Wind, S. 1 89; 46.45. (D. R.) 94.52. New enthusiasm; good march. Temp., -36; bar. (not legible on notes); course set for 97th.

21 13 1 A. M. to 9 A. M. Observations noon: 89; 59.45; ped. 14. Camp; sleep in tent short time; after observations advance; pitch tent; (also) made camp--snow--prepared for two rounds of observations. Temp., 37.7; bar., 29.83. Nothing wonderful; no Pole; a sea of unknown depth; ice more active; new cracks; open leads; but surface like farther south. Overjoyed but find no words to express pleasure. So tired and weary! How we need a rest! 12, night. Sun seems as high as at noon, but in reality is a little higher, owing to its spiral ascent. The mental elation--the drying of furs, and (making) photos--Eskimos'

ideas and disappointment of no Pole--thoughts of home and its cheer. But oh, such monotony of sky, wind and ice! The dangers of getting back.

(From other observation papers: Temp, ranged from -36 by mercury thermometer to -39 by spirit thermometer; clouds Alt. St., 1; wind mag. S., 1; ice blink E.; water sky, W.; shadow (of 6 ft. pole) 28 feet.) 22 0 Moved camp 4 m. magnetic S. Made 4 observations for alt.i.tude; S. at noon, W. at 6, N. at 12M, E.

at 6 A. M. Ice same; more open water; wind 2-3; temp., -41; (from field paper) W. S. W., 1 to 2. There are only two big hummocks in sight.

(Made a series of observations for the sun's alt.i.tude, 2 on the 21st at the first camp, 4 on the 22nd at W. M. camp, and another midnight 22-23. Before we left deposited tube.) 23 20 Start for home. 12.30 to noon. Fairly clear--ice smooth, but many new creva.s.ses. Temp., -41.

Course for 100 mer.

24 16 11 P. M. to 9 A. M. These records, being made at the end of the day's journey, give the doings of the day previous--this note for the 24th is in reality written on the morning of the 25th, when comfortable in camp. Wind 1-2 W. Temp., -36.

Ice smooth--fields larger; 5 crossings; the pleasure of facing home.

25 15 8-8. Temp., -37; Wind 1-2 W. S. W.; ice same.

The worry of ice breaking up for me, signs of joy for the Eskimo.

26 14 9 to 7. Still much worried about return; possibility of ice disruption and open water near land; wind light; ice shows new cracks, but few have opened; seems to be little pressure; few hummocks; snow hard and traveling all that could be desired.

27 14 9.30 to 8. Ice same; wind S. E. 1; good going; crossings not troublesome; dogs in good spirits; Eskimos happy; but all very tired. Temp., -40.

28 14 9.15 to 7.45. Ice same; wind 1 W.; snow moderately hard; few hummocks and no pressure lines.

29 13 Midnight to 8.45 A. M. Ice more active; fresh cracks; some open cracks but no leads. Wind 1 S.

30 15 Midnight to 8 A. M. Ped. registered 121 m. from Pole; camp by D. R., 87.59-100; observations 88.01, 97.42. Course half point more W.

Temp., -34. Start more westerly.

May 1 18 12.30 to 9 A. M. Much color to the sunbursts, 1908. but the air humid; the temperature persistently near -40, but considerable range with the direction of the light winds and mists when they come over leads. Much very heavy smooth ice--undulating, not hummocky like S.

2 12 2 A. M. to 11 A. M. Fog, clouds and wet air.

Temp., -15. Hard to strike a course.

3 13 1 A. M. to 10 A. M. Thick weather; wind E. 2; ice friction less; occasional light snow fall.

4 14 3 to 11 A. M. Air clear but sky obscured; ice very good, but hummocks appearing on the horizon.

5 11 11 P. M. to 6 A. M. Strong wind; occasional breathing spell behind hummocks; squally with drifts.

6 0 In camp. Stopped by signs of storm; tried to build igloo but wind prevented; in a collapsed tent for 24 hours; eat only half ration of pemmican.

7 10 8 A. M. to 3 P. M. Wind detestable; ice bad; life a torture; sky persistently obscured; no observations; pedometer out of order, only time to gauge our distance.

8 12 2 A. M. to 10. Weather bad; windy, S. W.; some drift; heavy going.

9 13 1 to 8 A. M. (Weather) thick; wind easier; ice in big fields; snow a little harder, snowshoes steady.

10 13 11 P. M. of the 9th to 6 A. M. Heavy going but little friction on sled; some drift; see more hummocks.

11 0 May 11. In camp. Strong wind; heavy drift; encircle tent with snow blocks.

12 11 12.30 to 8.30 A. M. Wind still strong; cestrugi troublesome, but temperature moderate; sled loads getting light.

13 12 11 P. M. of 12th, to 7.30 A. M. of 13th. Wind easier, S. S. W.; snow harder; ice very thick and very large fields; fog.

14 9 3 A. M. to 9 A. M. No sky; strong wind compelled to camp early.

15 13 1 A. M. to 10. Fog; ice much creva.s.sed; pa.s.sed over several cracks--some opening.

16 14 May 16. 11 P. M. of the 15th to 6 A. M. Cl. 10; wind again troublesome; light diffused, making it difficult to find footing.

17 11 2 A. M. to 10. Thick; ice more and more broken; smaller and more cracked--cracks give much trouble.

18 11 1 A. M. to 9.30. Wind more southerly and strong; ice separating; some open water in leads.

19 12 11 P. M. to 7.30. Wind veering east; fog thicker; ice very much broken, but snow surface good.

20 6 Midnight to 9 A. M. Open water; active pack; almost impossible.

21 8 11 P. M. to 9. Conditions the same; our return seems almost hopeless; no observations--cannot even guess at the drift.

22 0 In camp. Gale N. E.; temp, high; air wet; ice breaking and grinding; worried about the ultimate return; food low.

23 5 3 A. M. to 7 A. M. Still squally, but forced a short march.

24 12 12 noon to 8 A. M. Short clearing at noon; the first clear mid-day sky for a long time; west still in haze. Water sky W. and S. W.; no land in sight--though the boys saw the land later when I was asleep; ice much broken.

84 02'-97 03'.

25 14 10 P. M. to 6 A. M. Ice better; no wind; thick fog; snow hard. Temp., -10.

26 12 11 P. M. to 7.45 A. M. Ice in fields of about 1 M. somewhat hummocky; crossings hard; no wind.

27 11 11.30 P. M. to 9.30 A. M. Ice same; thick fog.

28 13 12 m. night to 10 A. M. Ice still same; fog; wind 3, shifting E. S. E. and S. W.

29 11 11.30 P. M. to 9.30 A. M. As we came here the water sky in the southwest to which we had aimed, gradually working west, led to a wide open lead, extending from north to south, and almost before knowing it, in the general plan of the ice arrangement, we found ourselves to the east of this lead. Temp. rose to zero. Ice much broken; air thick; light vague; impossible to see irregularities. Food 3/4 rations; and straight course for Nansen Sound.

30 10 12 to 11 A. M. Ice in heaps; open water; brash the worst trouble; little fog.

31 11 11.15 P. M. to 9 A. M. Ice little better; snow hard; sleds go easy; much helping required (over pressure lines).

June 1 12 10.45 to 8. Ice in large fields; many hummocks; 1908. few heavy fields.

2 12 10 P. M. to 9 A. M. Ice steadily improving.

3 11 10 P. M. to 8 A. M. Ice begins to show action of sun. Temperature occasionally above freezing.

4 10 9.30 P. M. to 7.30 A. M. Fog; ice offering much trouble, but friction little and load light.

5 11 9.45 P. M. to 7 A. M. Hummocks exposed to sun have icicles.

6 0 In camp. Strong N. W. gale.

7 0 In camp. Gale continues, with much snow; the ice about breaks up; anxious about map. (Not knowing either drift or position, were puzzled as to proper course to set.) 8 14 1 A. M. to noon. Ice bad, but snow hard, and after rest progress good; wind still blowing west.

9 10 11 P. M. to 9 A. M. With thick ice and this kind of traveling it is hard to guess at distances.

10 0 10.30 P. M. to 8. Bad ice; open leads; still no sun.

11 14 10 P. M. to 8 A. M. Large smooth ice; little snow; wind S. W., 1; no fog, but sky still of lead.

12 15 10.30 to 5. Small fields but good going; sky black to the east.

13 14 10 to 8 A. M. Fog cleared first time since last observation. Land in sight south and east.

Heiberg and Ringnes Land; water sky; small ice; brash and drift eastward. We have been carried adrift far to the south and west, and examination of ice eastward proves that all is small ice and open water. Heiberg Island is impossible to us. What is our fate? Food and fuel is about exhausted, though we still have 10 bony dogs. Upon these and our little pemmican we can possibly survive for 20 days. In the meantime we must go somewhere. To the south is our only hope.

NOTE.--_June 14_ and thereafter to _September 1_, all notes were briefly jotted down in another diary, a collection of loose leaves in which the observations of the return were made. This diary was left with the instruments at Etah with Mr. Whitney. The data, however, had been rewritten at Cape Sparbo, so that the notes had served their purpose and were of no further value when no pretentious publication was antic.i.p.ated.

Other notes were made on loose sheets of paper or on leaves of the note books. Many of these were destroyed, others were rubbed out to make room for recording what was regarded as more important data, and a few were retained quite by accident.

QUESTIONS THAT ENTER CALCULATIONS FOR POSITION OF THE NORTH POLE.

By FREDERICK A. COOK.

Much abstruse, semi-scientific and academic material has been forced into the polar discussions about proofs by observation. The problem presented is full of interesting points, and to elucidate these I will ask the reader to go back with me to that elusive imaginary spot, the North Pole. Here we find no pole--and absolutely nothing to mark the spot for hundreds of miles. We are in the center of a great moving sea of ice and for 500 miles in every direction it is the same hopeless desert of floating, shifting crystal. I believed then that we had reached the Pole, and it never occurred to me that there would be a cry for absolute proof. Such a demand had never been presented before. The usual data of the personal narrative of the explorers had always been received with good faith. But let us reopen the question and examine the whole problem.