354 Arctic and Antarctic Exploration [parti 
250 Eskimos were established with their dogs. During 
the winter Cook was busy making sledges. These were 
of hickory, 12 ft. in length and only 2 \ ft. wide, the width 
of runner 1^ in. The dress adopted was much the same 
as that of the Eskimos. The principal food was to be 
pemmican made by Armour of Chicago. A 10 ft. 
collapsible canvas boat with wooden frame was considered 
essential. The party which started from Anoatok on 
February 19th, 1908, consisted of Cook, Francke, nine 
Arctic Highlanders, and 103 dogs in prime condition, 
with 11 sledges carrying 4000 lbs. of supplies. 
The party crossed Smith Sound to Cape Sabine, and 
then took the route discovered by Sverdrup across 
Ellesmere Island and proceeded up the west coast of 
that island. Abundance of game was met with, and 
Svartevaeg, the most northern point of Axel Heiberg 
Island, was reached. This was to be Cook's point of 
departure for the Pole. He took leave of his Arctic 
Highlanders, only retaining two lads of about 20, named 
Etukishuk and Ahwilak, as his companions, and proceeded 
with two sledges, 26 dogs, and the collapsible boat. 
Francke had already returned. The provisions were 
almost untouched, as the party had been able to live 
on the game its members had shot during the journey 
of 400 miles from Anoatok. An important depot was 
left at Svartevaeg. 
The final start was made on March 18th, 1908, the 
travelling being difficult owing to the lines of hummocks 
caused by ice pressure and the lanes of water. On 
March 30th Cook sighted land to the westward in 
84 0 50' N. which he named Bradley Land, but he did 
not alter his course to examine it. On April 21st he 
reports having taken a sun's meridian altitude which 
gave a latitude of 89 0 57', but he must have been mistaken, 
both overrating his distances and failing to make sure 
of his direction by observations. He doubtless did 
make a long journey over the ice, in a more or less 
northerly direction ; but without observations to obtain 
true bearings, no reliance can be placed upon his positions. 
Cook's instruments were a sextant and a glass artificial 
horizon adjusted by screws and spirit levels. He also 
relied on shadow observations, and on an odometer 
