COOK'S RETURN 263 



remained during the rest of the voyage up and down the North River. Dr. 

 Cook did not appear on deck again until the steamer approached the pier at the 

 bottom of South 5th street, Brooklyn, where the local reception committee was 

 gathered to receive him. 



It was still half an hour before the time fixed for his landing, however, so 

 the Grand Republic kept on up the river, while the band on deck played "Auld 

 Lang Syne" and "Home, Sweet Home," and Dr. Cook with his family and 

 a few others stood in the pilot house, where they were in view of the thousands 

 gathered on the Brooklyn shore. The steamer turned and came back to land 

 the party at 11.35. 



About 100 automobiles and 5,000 persons were on the pier and along South 

 5th street when Dr. Cook landed. There was a rush to see him and to form a 

 parade. After much confusion the police made a passage for an automobile 

 carrying the explorer, and the other vehicles, headed by a band, fell into a line 

 a mile long. The parade passed through five miles of cheering, crowded 

 streets. At Dr. Cook's former home in Bush wick avenue the procession passed 

 under an arch bearing the inscription : 



"We believe in you." 



Thousands of school children lined Bushwick avenue and cried "Cook! 

 Cook!" as the explorer passed on his way to the Bushwick club, where a 

 reception in his honor was held during the remainder of the day. 



Dr. Cook gave out the following signed statement : 



"On Board the Oscar II. — After one of the most delightful trips of my 

 life across the Atlantic, I am indeed glad once more to see the shores of my 

 native land. I have come from the pole. I have brought my story and my 

 data with me. The public has already a tangible and a specific record of that 

 trip. In a short time, the narrative, with all the observations, will be published 

 «^nd placed before the world for examination. 



"It is as easy for you as for me to understand why I cannot, on the impulse 

 of the moment, read off a manuscript which covers the work of two years. As 

 said upon several occasions, all the charges, accusations and expressions of dis- 

 belief are based upon entire ignorance of the supplementary data which i 

 possess. 



"No one who has spoken or written on the subject in opposition to my claim 

 knows of the facts with which such work of exploration is measured. All of 

 the criticisms have been based upon obvious errors in the reproductions of my 

 first dispatch or upon the discussions of petty side issues presented by unfair 

 critics. 



