Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-10-15
INTRODUCTION BY PEARY.

INTRODUCTION BY PEARY.
Some of my reasons for saying that
DR.. 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 go. Several Eskimos
who started with DR.. Cook from An
oratok in February, 1908, were at Etah
when I 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. l 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 at the very first settlement I
touched Nerke, near Cape Chalon) in
August, 1909, and nine days before
reaching Etah the Eskimos told me,
in general way, where DR.. Cook had
been; that h, had wintered In Jones
Sound and that he had told the white
men at Etah that he had been long
way north, but that the boys who were
with him, I-took-a-shoo and Ah-pe-lah,
said that this was not so. The Eski-
mos laughed at DR.. Cooks story. On
reaching Etah, I talked with the Eski-
mos there and with the two boys and
asked them to describe DR.. Cooks jour-
ney to members of my party and my
self. This they did in the manner
stated below.
(Signed) R. E. PFARY.
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, were questioned
separately and independently. and
were corroborated by Panikpah, the
father of one of them Q-took-a-shoO),
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
ises, the two boys and their father
talking Of their journey and their ex-
periences in the same way that they
would talk of any hunting trip.
To 60 more into details: One Of the
boys was called in, and, with chart
on 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 1t.
As he 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, very in
telligent 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 hunt.
er with the Jones Sound region, and
who has been in Commander Peary' 8
various expeditions for some fifteen
years, came in and indicated the same
localities and details as the two boys.
Then the first boy was brought in
again, and with 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 to verify details Of the
portions Of the route with which he
was personally familiar.
The bulk of the boys testimony was
not taken by Commander Peary. nor
in his presence. fact that obviates
any possible claim that they were
awed by him.
Certain questions on independent
lines from the direct narrative Of the
Fsh'rnn h"vs were suggested by Com
mander Peary to some Of US, and were
put by us to the Eskimo boys.
Still later, Commander Peary asked
the Eskimo boys two or three casual
questions on minor points that had
occurred to him.
During the taking Of this testimony,
it developed that DR.. Cook had told
these boys, as he told Mr.. Whitney
and Billy Pritchard, the cabin boy,
that they must not tell Commander
Peary or any of us anything about
their journey, and the boys stated
DR.. Cook had threatened them If they
should tell anything.
The narrative Of these Eskimos Is
as follows:
They, with DR.. Cook, Francke and
nine other Eskimos, left Anoratok,
crossed Smiths Sound to Cape Sabine,
slept in Commander Peary's old house
In Payer Harbor, then went through
Rice Strait to Buchanan Bay. After a
few marches Francke and three Eski-
mos returned to Anoratok.
DR.. Cook, with the others, then pro-
ceeded I'D Flagler Bay, q branch of