252 WHAT SCIENTISTS SAID 



"Later on I had opportunity to speak with the young Norwegian, Eivind 

 Astrup, who was also with the Peary expedition on the sledge trip through the 

 inland ice of Greenland. From him I got a most distinct impression that the 

 expedition of Peary owed its good results to Cook in a very high degree 



"This was Cook's matriculation in polar exploration. Later on he made 

 other trips to polar regions, but it was not until six years later that I got to 

 know him more closely and concluded a friendship which should last for life. 

 This was in the Belgian expedition to the Antarctic on the Belgica, where he 

 was surgeon, anthropologist and photographer, and I was first oificer. This was 

 from 1897 to 1899. 



"The Belgian Antarctic expedition had as its purpose to seek down toward 

 South Victoria Land to ascertain more closely the conditions existing around 

 the magnetic South Pole. The plan was that a party of four men should be 

 left behind there while the ship returned to Melbourne. 



"Cook and I were well equipped to take part in this party, which was to 

 spend the Winter there. When the expedition reached Punta Arenas, in 

 Magellan Straits, where the steamer should coal, the original plan was aban- 

 doned, and the intention of searching the regions around Graham's Land, just 

 south from South America, was decided on. Before going there we made sev- 

 eral researches in less known parts of Terra del Fuego, and much good work 

 was done by Dr. Cook among the natives there. He took an endless number of 

 photographs during the whole journey. 



"On the first of March, 1898, we made our way southward on flowing ice 

 and we were stuck so fast in the ice that we were prisoners for a whole year on 

 the same spot. 



"Here it was that I learned to know Cook and learned to appreciate him as 

 one of the ablest, most honest, most reliable men I have ever met. The Belgica 

 wasn't prepared for Wintering either with equipment or provisions. 



"During the Winter scurvy broke out. At the same time several of the 

 party showed signs of mental trouble. In such circumstances it was very im- 

 portant to have a surgeon who was equal to the situation. That was just what 

 we had in Dr. Cook. Quietly he went from one to another, cheering them and 

 always trying to keep up their courage when it showed signs of failing them. 

 There was only one who died and his death was owing to long standing weak- 

 ness. All of Dr. Cook's patients recovered. 



"But it was not only as a physician and friend I learned to appreciate him ; 

 it was also, and particularly, as a practical polar explorer. It was under very 



