COOK'S STORY OF HIS DISCOVERY OF NORTH POLE 45 



portation to Europe or America. He was received by the governor 

 of Greenland in a somewhat peculiar manner. Here is Governor 

 Kraul's report of the interview: 



"It was in the middle of the night when natives came to my 

 house crying that foreigners had arrived from the Far North. I 

 was somewhat surprised, because I had not heard anything of a 

 solitary man's northward trip. Nevertheless I rose from bed and 

 called to the man, who was standing at a short distance from my 

 house, 'Are you suffering from vermin?' Dr. Cook modestly replied, 

 'No, sir.' 'Then you can come in.' ' 



Dr. Cook entered the house, and Governor Kraul said: "For 

 every reason it will be best for you to take a bath." Dr. Cook 

 obeyed in silence, and after bathing, Kraul reports, "We talked to- 

 gether for more than half an hour before Dr. Cook, after having 

 shown me his route on the map, in reply to my inquiry, 'Then you 

 have been at the North Pole ?' quietly said 'Yes, I have.' ' 



From Upernavik the "Hans Egede" took him as passenger and 

 brought him to Copenhagen, his arrival preceded, as we are aware, 

 by the world-awakening telegram from Lerwick. 



It seems worth while here to supplement Dr. Cook's narrative 

 with a few particulars given by him in response to the questions of 

 interviewers, and covering interesting details of his momentous 

 journey. Here is one such remark: 



"A great fissure opened up behind us as we reached the Pole," 

 he said, "and it seemed as if we were isolated from the world. My 

 two Eskimos threw themselves at my feet, and, bursting into tears, 

 refused to continue either one way or another, so paralyzed were 

 they with fear. Nevertheless, I calmed them, and we resumed our 

 journey. 



"You ask my impression on reaching the Pole. Let me confess 

 I was disappointed. Man is a child, dreaming of prodigies. I had 

 reached the Pole, and now, at a moment when I should have been 

 thrilled with pride and joy, I was invaded with a sudden fear of the 

 dangers and sufferings of the return." 



