184 RECEPTIONS OF COOK AND PEARY 



craft was tied down and for five minutes the brass bands were 

 drowned. Doctor Cook, surrounded by eight militiamen, came 

 up the gangway. The police threw a cordon around the party 

 and pushed them through to the automobile to which Mrs. Cook 

 and the children had preceded. A huge motor truck with a brass 

 band pulled out ahead and Cook's automobile followed. More 

 than 500 other automobiles, every one aflutter with bunting, fell 

 into line and the two-mile procession moved to the Bushwick 

 Club. 



It was just noon and thousands of school children lined the 

 streets, shouting one word in chorus, "Cook!" Trolley traffic 

 was paralyzed, business was suspended; there was only one per- 

 son of importance in Brooklyn Cook. Along the five miles of 

 avenues through which the explorer passed mounted police were 

 continually fighting a way for his automobile. 



Every street near the Bushwick Club was choked. First one 

 section of the crowd would charge toward the club, and by the 

 time the police had it under control again another wedge had 

 shoved forward. There was a full hour's tussel before Cook's 

 automobile came in sight. 



His friends, headed by John R. Bradley, surrounded the ma- 

 chine, while the crowd whooped and whistled. Doctor Cook 

 bowed and went into the house, but the mass of humanity cried, 

 "Speech!" "Speech!" If the explorer had chosen to make one he 

 could not have been heard. He stepped onto the balcony and 

 bowed. 



After an hour's rest, in which Dr. and Mrs. Cook were enter- 

 tained at luncheon, the public reception began. The crowd filed 

 through the billiard room, where the guest of honor stood, a 

 wreath of flowers about his shoulders, and passed out the back 

 door. Policemen stationed every few feet hurried the crush 

 along. Doctor Cook bowed smilingly, occasionally breaking the 

 rule, against the protests of the committee, and grasping the hand 

 of some old friend. 



