The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-09-17
Peary'S Negro Lieutenant
Tells of Reaching 1t.
FOUR ESKlMOS IN THE PARTY
Commander and His Men Remained
at Worlds Apex One Night
and Two Days and Cheer
ed Old Glory.


I'VE hoisted the stars and stripes
twice at the north pole" said Matthew
Henson, Commander Robert e. Peary's
colored lieutenant and the only other
civilized man, according to Peary, who
ever reached the pole.
Henson gave an account Of the one
night and two days he and Commander
Peary and four Eskimos camped at
80 degrees north latitude. Henson per-
sonally assisted in raising the Ameri-
can flag, and he led the Eskimos In
the cheers and an extra cheer for Old
Glory in the Eskimo tongue.
Having spent eighteen years with
Commander Peary and a considerable
portion of that time In the arctics,"
said Henson, Il have acquired knowl-
edge of the dialect Of the northern
Greenland Eskimos, who are probably
superior to any other. AS is common
ly known to travellers in the far north
the Eskimo entertains strange preju-
dice toward any tongue but one, and
it is therefore necessary for success
full dealing with them to study their
unwritten language.
I'VE arrived at the pole Just before
noon April e, the party consisting of
the commander, myself, four Eskimos
and thirty-six dogs divided into two
detachments equal in 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 photograph
ed by the commander.
'Our first task on reaching the pole
was to build two igloOs, as the weather
was haZy and prevented taking accu-
rate observations to confirm the dis
tance Travelled from Cape Columbia
Having completed the snow houses,
we had dinner, which included tea
made on our alcohol stove, and then
retired to rest, thus sleeping one night
at the north pole
'"The arctic sun was shining when l
awoke and found the commander al
ready 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.
1--WE had figured out the distance
pretty closely and did not go beyond
the pole. The flags were up about
midday April Z and We're not moved
until late that evening. The haze had
cleared away early, but we wanted
some hours to take observations. We
made three close together.
when we first raised the American
flag it's position was behind the igloos,
| which according to our initial obser-
vations was the position Of the pole,
but on taking subsequent observations
the stars and stripes was moved and
placed $50 yards west of the first posi-
ton, the difference in the observations
being due most likely 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 Ian
guage l proposed three cheers, which
were given In the Eskimos' own
tongue.
Commander Peary shook hands all
around, and we had a more liberal
dinner than usual, each man eating as
much as he pleased. The Eskimos
danced about and showed great pleas
uYe that the pole at last was reached
For years the Eskimos had been trying
to reach that spot, but 1t was always
with them T1quelgh,' which translated
means Get 30 far and no closer They
exclaimed in chorus, Ting neigh IT,
nah ketisher,' meaning, We have got
there at last
Henson, who reached the farthest
north with Peary three years ago, said
that conditions were about the same
at the pole as elsewhere IN the arctic
circle. All was a solid sea of ice with
two foot lead of open water two
miles from the pole. Tire Eskimos who
went along on the final lap were
Ootah, Eging Wah, Ouzaueeah and
Sigloo, the two first named being
brothers. Commander PeaIy took pho
tographs Of Henson and the Eskimos
waving flags and cheering.
Continuing his story, Henson said
'rhe report Is absolutely untrue that
I did not go to the pole. went thG
whole distance side by side with tht
commander and Just as far as he did. =
Henson added that he saw Peary
write the records which were left ir
the ice. The Bskimos who were with
them, with the exception Of Ousapeeah