New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-10-13
PEARY'S PROOFS GIVEN
STORY OF COOKS BOYS
and HIS COMMENT.
EsquimGus Sag They Went Only
T5oo Days Journey North from
Cape Thomas Hubbard.

Cook did not reach the North Pole was issued
last evening. The statement contains only the
detailed story of DR.. Cooks two Esquimau COM
paEions as reported by members of the Peary
party IN which they say that they went only
two days Journey north from Cape Thomas
Hubbard and then returned in the full sledges
south and west over another route than that de-
serlbed by Dr. Cook. and the comments of Com
mander Peary upon the story OF the two men
General Thomas H Hubbard, president of the
Peary Arctic Club. said in explanation of the
statements incOnpeteness that II was not in
tended by Commander Peary and the club to be
final presentation of the explorers proofs
There are many more. General Hubbard said,
which will be reserved for later statement.
COMMANDER PEARY's REASONS.
The statement was preceded by the following
introduction by Commander Peary:
Some of my reasons for saying that DR.. Cook
a not go to the North Pole will be understood
by those who read the following statements of
the two Esquimau boys who went with him
ana who told me and others Of my party where
he did go
Several Esquimaus who started with DR. Cook
from Anoratok in February. 1908. were at Etah
when l arrived there. in August. 1905. They
told me that DR.. Cook had with him. after they
Ieft, two ESQuimau boys young men, two
siedges and some twenty dogs The boys
l-took-a-shoo and Ah-pe-lah. l had known
them from their childhood. One about
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 EsQuimaus told me
IN a general way where DR.. Cook had been;
that he had winterad 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 not The Esquimaus
laughed at DR.. Cooks story.
on reaching Etah talked with the Esquimaus
there and with the two boys and asked them to
describe DR.. Cooks journey to members of my
party and myself. This they did in the manner
stated below.
STATEMENT OF PEARY's MEN
Then comes the signed statement Of Peary.
Bartlett, Mcmillan Borup and Henson in re
gard 70 the testimony OF Cooks TWO Esquimau
boys follows:
The two Esquimau boys I-took-a-shoo and
Ah-pe-lah, who accompanied DR.. Cook while he
was away from AnoratOk in 1903 and 1909 were
questioned separately and Independently, and
We're cOrrObOrated by Fanikpah the father of
of them U-tOok-a -shool, who personally
familiar with the first third and last third Of
their journey and who said that the route for
the remaining third, shown by them, as
described 10 him bT his son after his return
with DR.. Cook
Notos Of thsir statements were taken by sev-
eral Of us. and no one of US has any doubt that
they told the truth
Their testimony was unshaken by cross-ex-
animation, corroborated by other men in
the tribe and elected neither by threats
nor promises the two boys and their father
talking of their journey and their experiences
in the same way that they would talk of any
hunting trip.
To go 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 DIR. Cook. This he did. pointing out with
his finger on the map, but not making any
marks upon it.
AS he went out the other boy came in and
was asked 10 show where he had gone with DR..
Cook. This he did. also without making any
marks. and indicated the route and the
same details as did the first boy.
When he through, Panikpah the father
Of I-to0k-a-shoo, a very intelligent man. who i
was in the party Of Esquimaus that came back
from DR.. Cook from the northern end of Nan
sens Strait, who is familiar a hunter with
the Jones Sound region. and who has been in
Commander PearY's various expeditions for
some fifteen years, came in and indicated the
same localities and details the two boys.
TRACE ROUTE on MAP
Then the first boy brought in again and
with pencil he traced the map their route
members of 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 together. the second
boy suggesting some changes, noted here
Finally Panikpah the father was gain 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
ny Commander Peary, nor in his presence-a
fact that obviates any possible claim that they
were awed by him.
Certain questions on independent lines from
the direct narrative of the Esquimau boys were
suggested by Commander Peary to some of us
and We're put by to the Esqumau bows
Still later Commander Peary asked the Esqui-
mau BOYS two or three casual questions
minor points that had occurred him
During the taking Of this testimony it deveI-
oped that Dr. Cook had told these noys as he
told Mr Whitney and Billy Prtchard the
cabin boy. that they must not tell Commander
Peary OF any Of us anything about their jour
ney. and the boys stated Dr. Cook had threat
ened them if they should tell anything
NARRATIVE OF EsQUIMAUs.
The narrative of these Esquimaus is as fol-
lows
Tho. with Dr. Cook Francke and nine other
Esqumaus left Anoratok crossed Smiths
Sound 10 Cape Sabine, slept in Commander
Peary's old house i'm Payer Harbor then went
through Rice Strait to Buchanan Bay After a
few marches Francke and three Esquimaus re-
turned to Anoratok.
Or Cook with the Others then proceeded m
Flagler Bay. branch Of Buchanan Bay. and
crossed Ellesmere Land through the valley pass
at the head Of Flagler Bay, indicated by Com
mander Feary in 1898, and utilized by SverIrup
in 1S'h 20 the head Of Sverdrup's BAY Fiord'
the west side Of Eesmere Land.
IHeir route inen ley out I 1ugh this ford.
thep north through Sverdrup's .Heuerka
Sound" and Nansen Strait
ON their way they killed musk oxen and hear.
and made caches. arriving eventually at a point
the west side Of Nansen strait (shore OF AxeI
Feiberg Land 6f Sverdrup, south Of Cape
Thomas Hubbard.
cache was formed here and the four Esdui-
paUs did not 60 bevond this point Two others.
rlarCh With Or. Cook and the two bows. helped
10 build the igloo. then returned without
seening
cThceo two Fsautnlacs brought hack letter
from pr- Cook to FVancke. dated March Il.
The two men reioined the other four men who
had been left behind and the six returned to
Anoratok arriving Nav This information
,vas obtained rot from the two Esqu'mau -hoys.
I.tt from the sly men who returned and from
Frra n~I-e iirr~n'f ard known 10 us In the
e.,n,,-,c~ - tqnS whom The Ro"sevet first ar
rived az Ffah CThe Information * inserted here