Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-10-16
INTRODUCTION BY PPARY


Some OF my reasons for saying that
Or. 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 60. 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 I-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 az the very first settlement I
touched (Nerke. near Cape Chalon, in
August. 1909. aud nine days before
reaching Etah. the Eskimos told me,
In general way, where DR.. Cook had
been; that he had wintered I'm Jones
Sound aud that he had told the white
men at Etah that be had been a 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 70 members OF my party and my
self. This they did in the manner
stated below.
(Signed, r. Z. PEARY.
SIGNED STATEMENT OF PEARY.
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 DR..
Cook while he was away from Anora-
tOk in 1908 and 1909. we're questioned
separately and independently, and
were corroborated by Panikpah. the
father OF one OF them Q-took as hool.
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 Dr. Cook.
Notes Of their statements were taken
by several OF us. and no one OF US has
any doubt that they told the truth.
Their testimony was mistaken by
cross-examination. was cOrroborated
by other men In the tribe. and was
elected neither by threats nor prom
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 the
boys was called in. and. with a chart
c. the table before him. was asked TO
show where he had gone with DR.
Cook. This he did. pointing out with
his finger on the map. but not making
any marks upon IL.
As be went out. the other boy came
IN and was asked to show where he
had gone with DR.. Cook. This he did,
also without making any marks. and
indicated the same route and the same
details as did the first boy.
When he was through. Panikpah.
the father OF I-took-a-shoo, q very in
felligent man. who was in the party
OF Eskimos that came back from DR..
Cook from the northern end OF Nan
sens Strait. who Is familiar as a hunt
er with the Jones Sound region, and
who mas been IN Commander Peary's
various expeditions for some fifteen
years, came IN and Indicated the same
localities and details as the two boys.
TteD the first boy was brought in
again. and with a pencil he traced on
the map their route. members OF our
party writing upon the chart where,
according to the boys statement, they
had killed deer, bear, some of their
dogs. seal, walrus and musk-oxen.
The second boy was then called In
and the two went over the chart to-
gether. the second boy suggesting
some changes as noted hereafter.
Finally, Panikpah. the father, was
again called in 20 verify details of the
portions OF the route with which he
was personally familiar.
The bulk OF the boys testimony was
not taken hy Commander EearY. nor