33o THE CONQUEST OF THE NORTH POLE 



On to the 89th parallel the ice was in large fields 

 and comparatively smooth. The noon observation on 

 19th April gave the latitude as 29 miles from the Pole, 

 and the longitude 94° 3'. The next march was made 

 under great excitement, and when camp was pitched it 

 was within 14 miles of the goal, in longitude 94° 52'. 

 Shortly after midnight of 21st April the party again set 

 out, and when the pedometer had registered 14^ miles 

 camp was made. The observation here gave latitude 89° 

 59' 45". A distance equal to the 15" was advanced, the 

 tent was pitched, and a snow-house was built so that the 

 party might stay long enough for two rounds of obser- 

 vations to be made. The temperature was 38 '7° below 

 zero. 



The North Pole had at last been conquered. The 

 struggle which had been carried on more than three 

 centuries was finally over. It had cost many lives and 

 unparalleled hardships before man's ambition was satisfied. 

 And what a desolate spot to have aroused the competi- 

 tion of nations ! No land was in sight, no life had been 

 seen within a long distance of it, and nothing but endless 

 fields of ice and snow stretched away to the horizon. 

 Yet here was the most interesting geographical point on 

 the surface of the earth ; here was the axis on which the 

 world turned. 



Soon after midnight of 22nd April, Dr. Cook and 

 his two companions began their return journey. They 

 set their course along the 100th meridian, and during 

 the first few days, with fair weather and good ice, 

 they succeeded in making long marches. On 30th April 

 the latitude was found to be 88° 1', and the longitude 

 97° 42'. As this showed a drift to the eastward, a 

 more westerly course was set. The temperature still 

 remained between 30° and 40° below zero, and the wind 

 was again troublesome. Dr. Cook, with compass in hand, 



