St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1909-10-13
INTRODUCTION BY PEARY.

INTRODUCTION BY PEAR1.
Some of my reasons for saying that
DR.. Cook did not go to the North Pole
will be understood by those who read,
the following statements Of the two
Eskimo boys who went with him. and
who told me and others of my party
where he did GO Several Eskimos
who started with DR.. Cook from An
oratok in February. 1908. were at Etah
when ! arrived there In August. 1908.
They told me that DR.. Cook had with
him, after they left. two Eskimo boys
or young men. two sledges and some
twenty dogs. The boys were l-took-a-
shoe and Ah-pe-lah. had known
them from their childhood. One was
about eighteen and the other about
nineteen years OF age.
On my return from Cape Sheridan
and at the very first settlement
touched (Nerke. near Cape Chalon) In
August. 1909 and nine days before
reaching Nah, the Eskimos told me,
in a general way. where DIR. Cook had
been; that be had wintered In Jones
Sound and that he had told the white
men at Etah that he had been long
way north. but that the boys who were
with him. l-took-a-shoo and Ah-pe-lah,
said that this was not so. The Eski-
mos laughed at DR. Cooks story. On
reaching Etah, | talked with the Eski-
mos there and with the two boys and
asked them to describe DR.. Cooks jour-
ney to members of my party and my
self. This they did in the manner
stated below.
(Signed, r. E. PEARY.
SIGNED STATEMENT OF PEAPY.
BARTLETT. MCMILLAN, BORUP
AND HENSON. IN REGARD TO
TESTIMONY OF COOKS TWO
ESKIMO BOYS.
The two Eskimo boys, I-took-a-shoo
and Ah-pe-lah. who accompanied Or.
Cook while he was away from Anora-
tok In 1908 and 1909. were questioned
separately and independently, and
were corroborated by Panikpah, the
father of one of them Q-took-a-shoo).
who was personally familiar with the
FIRST third and the last third of their
Journey. and who said that the route
for the remaining third, as shown by
them. was as described to him by his
son after his return with Or. Cook.
Notes of their statements were taken
by several of us. and no one OF us mas
any doubt that they told the truth
Their testimony was mistaken by
crosse Examination, was corroborateo
by other men In the tribe. and was
ELECTED neither by threats nor prom
lses. the two boys and their father
talking of their journey and their ex
periences In the same way that they
would talk of any hunting trip.
To go more into details: One OF th'
boys was called in. and. with a char
on the table before him; was asked u
show where he had gone with DR.
Took. This he did. pointing out WIFI
his finger on the map, but not making
'hny marks upon 1t.
AS he went out, the other BOY CANE
In and was asked to show Wnere III
had gone with Or. Cook. This he did
MISC without making any MARKS ah'
indicated the same route ana the sanl'
details as did the first boy.
When he was through. fanlkpan
the father of I-took-a-shoo. very IN
telligent man. who was in the parry
of Eskimos that came back from 1T
Cook from the northern end OF nan
sens Strait. who Is familiar as huh'
or with the Jones Sound region an(
who has been in Commander Peary
various expeditions for some n1'ee'
years. came in and indicated the SAM
localities and details as the two povs
Then the first boy was brought II
again, and with a pencil he traced OF
the map their route, members Oh gu
party writing upon the chart wnere
according to the boys statement, the.