The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1909-12-03
AGAIN.
SAYS Or. COOKS TALE is SELF
EVIDENT AND EVEN DELHI
crate lMPosTuRE.
REVIEWS POLAR STORIES
lntimates Journey and Reports Weru
PIanned-Peary's Narrative "Pre.
else, WorkmanIiI<e, Consist.
ent, and Credible"

Washington, D. G. - Walter Well.
man, whose preparations for a conquest
of the North Pole in an airship were
abandoned upon the announcement of
the claims of DR.. Frederick A. Cook
and Commander Robert e. Peary, is.
sued a long statement in which he
analysed the narratives of the two ex-
plorers, declaring that of Peary "pre.
else. workmanlike, consistent, credible
in every particular" and denouncing
that of DR.. Cook as a self-evidept and
even deliberate imposture.
Cooks story is suspicious both in
what it does tell and what it does not
TELL" Mr.. Wellman declares. "He is
generally vague and indefinite, but. like
most men of his class, altogether too
precise at the wrong place. Nowhere
does his story ring true. It is always
an approximation of reality itself. This
is true of his figures, his descriptions,
everything.
Those of us who have had a share
in artic work." says Wellman, in con.
Guiding his analysis, land who have
felt anxiety that no blot of fraud should
stain the proud record of effort and
sacrifice, had first hope that DR.. Cook
would be able to demonstrate his good
faith. This has dissolved in an analy.
sis of his own story.
"a second hope that he was the vic
tim of some hallucination or mental
illness, and himself believed he had
been to the pole. though, of course,
he has not, vanishes in the light Of
earlier and subsequent events.
There remains, though one says it
with keenest regret, only the wretched
alternative that the journey which he
did make, and the report which he
gave of it, were deliberately planned
from the outset"
The gist of Mr.. Wellman's finding
is that with his meagre party and
equipment DR.. Cook could not possibly
have accomplished the feat for which
he claims credit, that his astronomical
data are too minutely precise to have
been made, under the claimed condi-
tions in the field, and that the explor.
er's dash for the lecture platform and
his acceptance of Crowns of flowers
placed upon his head by innocent wo-
men and children" before submitting
his field records to scientific examina.
ton, all conspire to his discredit. ~.
Mr.. Wellman attacks first Cooks
story of his journey. He points out
that Arctic sledging is not new ven
ture nor an experiment, but has been
reduced almost to a science. He pro-
ceeds to the proposition that the first
thing to be done in advancing over the
ice fields is the reduction to the mini.
mum of the food and fuel to be car
ried, and secondarily, the organization
of supporting parties that can be sent
back from the dwindling main body
until the few who are hardest enter
on the final struggle to the goal. The
longer the route he, sets forth, neces.
sarily the greater the weight of food
and fuel, and in consequence a much
slower pace.
Passing his argument mainly on
these, principles. Mr." Wellman takes
these comparisons of the. supposed
achievements of Peary and Cook. He
quotes from the records to show that
the former took his ship to within
400 miles Of the pole, advancing sup:
plies and his party AZ miles closer
during the autumn and spring. Cook,
he points out. started ffom Annatok,
700 geographical miles from the pole
and went 40 geographical miles west.
ward before turning northward. &C
cording to his, own story. *
Peary,. ;Wellman continues, mapped
out his plans. carefully for the ad
vance and started with so. or. 60 men
146 dogs and 81 sledges. He divided
his party SO that he had four support
ing parties who kept open the back
trail. and, in leaving the main body
lfghtened the loads that men and dog;
were compelled to draw. ~.
. . : ~