Milford chronicle., 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 be did go. Several Eskimos
who started with DR.. Cook from An
Sratok in February, 1908. were at Etah
= when ! arrived there in August. 1905
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 l-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 at the very first settlement |
touched (Nerke near Cape Chalonl in
August, 1909. and nine days before
reaching Etah. the Eskimos told me.
in a general way. where DR. Cook had
been; that he had wintered in Jones
Sound and that he had told the white
men at Etah that he bad 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. Cook jour
ney to members Of my party and my
self This they did in the manner
stated below.
(Signedl r. E. 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, were questioned |
separately and independently, and |
were corroborated by Panikpah, the /
father Of one of them Q-took-a-sbool. /
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 Or. 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
was corroborated
by other men in the tribe. and was
pliclted neither by threats nor prom
Ises. the two boys and their father
talking Of their journey and their ex-
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 a chart
On the table before him. was asked TO
3Yiow where be had gone with DR..
Cook. This be did. pointing out with
lis finger on the map, but not making
my marks upon it.
As be went out. the other boy came
u and was asked to show where he
lad gone with Dr. Cook. This he did,
llso without making any marks. and
Indicated the same route and the same
letails as did the first boy.
When he was through. Panikpah'
he, father Of I-took-a-shoo. a very in
man. who was in the party
# Eskimos that came back from Dr.
look from the northern end Of Nan
Jen's Strait. who is familiar as hunt
r with the Jones Sound region. and
Who has been in Commander Peary's
-arious expeditions for some fifteen
-ears, came in and indicated the same
aud details as the two boys.
Then the first boy was brought in
gain. and with pencil he traced on
he map their route. members Of our
,arty writing upon the chart where.
ccordlng to the boys statement they