Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1909-09-25
Explorers COIored Aid Says stars
and Stripes Were Hoisted
Twice at Pole.

Twice at Pole.
Battle Harbor. Labrador by wire
less telegraph via Cape Ray. y. F..
Sept live hOisted the Stars
and Stripes twice at the north pole.
said Matthew Henson. Commander
Robert +. Pearys colored lieutenant
and the only other civilized man. ac-
cording 60 Peary. who ever reached
the pole.
Henson gave to the Associated
Press tonight an account OF the one
night and two days he and Com
mander, Peary and four Eskimos
camped at 90 degrees north latitude.
Henson personally assisted I'm rails
ing the American Gag and he led the
Eskimos in the cheers, and an extra
cheer for the United States flag in
the Eskimo tongue.
Having spent eighteen years with
Commander Peary. and a consider
able portion OF that time I'm the arc
tics" said Henson, Il have acquired
a knowledge OF the vHalect OF the
northern Greenland Eskimos. who
probably are superior 20 any other.
As Is commonly known 60 travellers
in the far North, the Eskimo enter
tains strange prejudice toward any
tongue but one. and is therefore
necessary for successful dealing with
them 90 study their unwritten Ian
guage.
ARRIVES JUST BEFORE NOON.
I'VE arrived at the pole just be-
fore noon. April 6. the party con-
sisting OF the commander. myself.
four EskimOs and thirty-siX dogs. dl-
vided into two detachments equal I'm
number and headed respectively by
Commander Peary and myself We
had left the last supporting party
at 81 degrees So minutes. where we
separated from Captain Bartlett.
who was photographed by the com
mander. Captain Bartlett regretted
that he did not have a British flag
10 erect on the ice at this spot. so
that the photograph might show
this as the farthest north TO which
the banner of Britain had been ad-
vanced
Il kept a personal diary during
this historic dash across the ice field.
Our first task on reaching the pole
was 70 build two igloos, as the
weather was hazy and prevented TAX
ing accurate observations TO confirm
the distance travelled from Cape Co
lumhia. Having completed the
snow houses, we had dinner. which
included tea made on our alcohol
stove. and then retired 10 rest. thus
sleeping one night at the north pole.
HOIST FLAGS ON APRIL z.
The arctic sun was shining when
! awoKe and found the commander
up There was only wind enough to
blow out the small flags. The en-
signs were hoisted toward noon from
tent poles and tied with fish lines.
We had figured out the distance
pretty closely and did not go beyond
the pole. The flags were up about
midday April z and were not re-
moved until late that evening. The
haze had cleared away early, but
we wanted some hours to make OBJ
servations. We made three close
together.
when we first raised the Ameri-
can flag its position was behind the
IgloOs. which, according TO our ini-
tial observations. was the position
OF the pole. but on taking subse-
quent observations the Stars and
Stripes was moved and placed $50
yards west of the first position, the
difference in the observations being
due perhaps TO the moving ice.
when the flag was placed Com
mander Peary exclaimed in English:
We will plant the Stars and Stripes
at the north pole!' In the native
language / proposed three cheers,
which were given in the Eskimos'
own tongue.