The San Francisco call., 1909-09-16
NEGRO WITH P[ARY
ON DASH TO POLE
CoIored Lieutenant Tells Of His
Reaching big Nail' With
Commander and Eskimos
Continued From Page 1

I did not go to the pole said Henson.
II went the whole distance
Henson said that he knew that some
on board did not wish him to go to
the pole if they could prevent it. He
also said that he saw Peary Write the
records which were left in the ice.
The Eskimos who were with them,
with the exception of Ouzaueeah, un-
derstood English and one of them
could count a hundred.
AT the pole" continued Henson, I'VE
could see no open land and we went
no distance beyond the flags. The ice
near the igloes was at least 10 feet
high and the flags were on hummock
20 feet in height. The ice at the pole
was about the same.
Nearly all the winds we had We're
from the northeast. Commander
Peary had three thermometers and
the coldest day was 81 degrees below
zero Fahrenheit. ! believe there Is q
little difference in the temperature at
the north pole from that some distance
SOUTH
that for thfee days in Whale sound
last month they saw a cloud OF smoke
and there was an odor like birthstone.
The natives were greatly frightened
and Henson thought new volcano
had erupted and so informed them.
Henson made his first trip north In 1871.
He went there because he was inter
year.
Negro Praises Peary
"He is the best man that we could
have for arctic expeditions. He has
wonderful endurance and the weather
is never too cold for him. Many times
I would not leave the camp except 1or
him. A compass course is all ne de-
sires. So long as a man does his
work half decentiy the commander
never complains The Eskimos think
that there is no man like him.
Matthew Henson was born in Wash
fnRston. but lived for time in Florida
He is quite proud to be the only negro
to go to the farthest north. he Is ~
good health, but lost SO pounds In the
SIS days march to the pole and return
The only frost bites he suffered were on
the cheek and fingers He thinks sons
negroes can endure as much exposufe
as a white man, although he Is not sure
that he stood the cold the first year
as we'll as hsi white companions.
Speaking of the Eskimos. Henson
said they could draw as good cnar'
of that country as any person Ines
do not know the length OF. mile, pu'
can estimate distance very exactly. Ie
tell dates within a few days. Iney
can not take observations, but they
know what they are taken for.
Henson said that he would go to the
south pole tomorrow If he had q
chance. as he was interested in explor-
ing and it would be hard to discon-
tinue.
Scientists Substantiate Cook
NEW YORK, Sept. 15.-Further sub
stantiation of Doctor Cooks discovery
of the north pole. months before he
was able to telegraph it, was unex-
pectedfy received today by the arrival
of the Cologne Evening News, dated
Monday, September s, in which dis
patch is printed from the Berlin Mon
tag. giving an account of the members
of the Stolberg-De Quervain expedi-
ton, who incidentally met Doctor Cook
in Egesminde, in Greenland, many
months after they had heard of his
having reached the pole.
This expedition was purely scien-
tific one into North Greenland. and
when the party reached. the extreme
limit of North Greenland, months ago,
they were informed that lone Doctor
Cook had discovered the great NALL
At that time the mebers had no idea
that on their return trip they would
meet Doctor Cook himself and accom-
pany him back to civilization.