The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-09-22
Cooks Own story Of Finding the
Pole.

COOK own story on FINDING the
POKE.
There are three statements which
Or. Cook persists in making with
unfailing uniformity, and they are,
according to an interview for the
American by w. r. Stead
First-He had discovered the
North Pole
Second--tIo had his data. in the
shape Of scientific observations, u
diary and the like, by which he
could convince any competent scien-
title authority as 10 the truth OF his
assertions.
Third--That until he had made
good his claim by the production OF
these data he asked for nothing more
than to be left alone TO complete his
book and present his case as a
whole to the scientific world.
The points upon which his state
ments vary are few and relate al
most exclusively to the question Of
where he has the documents upon
which he relies for his vindication.
Certain reports represent Cook as
saying that all his documents We're
aboard the Jennie and were well on
their way to New York. This may
be u mistake of some of the cor
respondents; for it certainly does
not agree with a statement made by
DR.. Cook last Sunday at luncheon
at the American Embassy.
When asked what he had done to
safeguard them, as it was of vital
Importance that he should be able
to produce them, DR.. Cook replied:
IN order to avoid any risk of
their loss l divided them into two
portions. The finished result of
my calculations l brought here to
Copenhagen; the rough material
upon which these results were based
l sent to New York by the Jeanie."
To the question that although he
had divided his documents into two
parts, the loss of either would still
leave him adequate material to
make good his claims, he replied
''That is true. The calculations
would have to be worked out over
there"
This statement was made in the
presence of Minister Egan and half
a dozen guests and naval officers,
all of whom heard DR.. Cooks reply.
Cook always asserted that at the
proper time, before the proper au-
thority, he would produce evidence
which, he said, would be entirely
conclusive.
His confidence in his ability to
produce this evidence was immut-
able, even when the news came that
Peary had reached the Pole. DR..
Cooks first remark upon hearing
this news was that he hoped it was
true because Peary's evidence would
confirm his own.
DR.. Cook deprecated producing
his evidence piecemeal at Copen-
hagen. He produced no document
to any one. He drew sketches of
his route and he penciled diagrams
as to the position of the sun at vari-
Gus points, but beyond showing Cap
tain Sverdrup a book containing a
map on which he traced his route, he
showed nothing. This book he took
from a small handbag which was
tightly bound and sealed and which
he guarded jealously.
After describing the fortunate
combination of circumstances that
brought him to the edge of the Arc
tic circle at time when good dogs
plenty of Eskimos and lots of food
were there, DR.. Cook told the story
of his Polar march as follows
ST started away from Annatok
near Etah, on February 10, which
was the sunrise of 1908. 1 had ten
Eskimos, eleven sledges, heavily
laden with supplies, and 103 dogs
1t was the coldest part of the win.
ter. The thermometer registered
83 degrees below zero as we passed
over the heights of Ellsmore Strait.
1--WE were bound for Lands End
| to the west, where we were to be-
gin our ice journey. During the
trip we struck several fine game
trails, and secured 101 musk oxen
3S5 hair and bears. We reached
the end of the land and the begin
ming of the ice on March 18, 1908.
There we established a supply
station, and I picked out the two
best men and twenty-six of the bes
dogs for the dash across the ice
The Eskimos were Eutikishook anC
Ahwelsh, bravest and strongest o
the tribe.
eve were then at latitude S2.S3
or 46O miles from the Pole. W.
started our advance three days lat