The Acorn volume seven november number one The Dash for the Pole Picture of the Author (Special to the Acorn.) By Avagadro Jones. For months the North Pole controversy has been raging and has now reached proportions which are almost disgusting to the thinking men of America. From the first it has been a childish absurdity and the time has come when a definite, scientific proof should be given to the world. It is almost criminal to sit back and allow such a childish squabble to be enacted before the eyes of intelligent people. In the first place I wish to state absolutely that neither Cook nor Peary ever reached the North Pole. Neither explorer has submitted any real, tangible proof which the world could accept as conclusive evidence of the alleged discovery. Neither explorer has stated nor even claimed to know what the pole is made of, to say nothing of its diameter, height, etc. Then where is the base of their argument? I, on the other hand, broke off several large pieces, of which I will speak later. THE ACORN 3 I wish to explain, also, that I have not submitted my proofs before any geographic society for investigation because, as I stated before, I do not wish to be dragged into any public brawls and expose myself to public slander; as my fellow-explorers have done. However, I now feel it my solemn duty to smother my modesty long enough to tell the world how I am the only white man of all ages to reach the North Pole. It was on March 27, 1908, that I started with my two Esquimo guides, Kayak and Kubel, on the only successful dash for the pole ever attempted. I took with me two Esquimos, not because I wanted to be the only white man to discover the pole, but because an Esquimo can go longer without eating than can a white man. Our outfit was not a sled with a pack of eatable dogs nor an ocean liner, but a snow-sled built from original designs conceived by myself. The sails were very similar to those of a racing yacht, while the runners were of special drop-forge steel. A small cabin was mounted on the deck and back of this were our provisions. We took with us for supplies two 100-pound crates of Swiss milk chocolate, for, as you know, chocolate is a perfect food and also serves as dessert. I allowed my companions a whole crate of chocolate and kept the other for myself. Now I reasoned that the cold air rushing down from the pole to take the place of the rising air at the equator would cause a steady north wind. This conclusion proved true and the wind became more noticeable as we approached the pole and increased so suddenly that we had hard work in keeping the boat right side up. We tacked diagonally against the wind, all the way traveling at an average rate of 72 miles per hour. Four sleeps after we left Etah (for the sun was not due for another week) we noticed that the thermometer rose from 190 F. to 93 below zero. At first I thought that the compass was wrong and that we had got turned toward the south, but finally I remembered that the earth is flattened at the poles and that the increased temperature was due to the fact that we were getting closer to the center of the earth, where the heat is greater. To our great surprise the temperature went up to 20 above zero. We now felt quiet comfortable and enjoyed the ride. At the beginning of the fifth sleep the wind gradually died out