Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1909-09-22

cheered him up and he never COM
planned afterward, undergoing all
hardships with cheerfulness."
The long winter night was utilized
by DR.. Cook in writing. He used a
primitive stone writing desk and lay
prone while at work with his manu-
script. Meanwhile the Eskimos sew
ed and sang. The temperature in the
wshut was rarely above the freez-
ing point. Polar bears abounded,
making exits from the hut dangerous.
Has Confidence in Cook.
Zurich, Switzerland, September II.
DIR. DeQuervain, chief of the Swiss
scientific expedition to Greenland,
who was the first European to meet
DR.. Cook in Greenland after the
American explorer returned from the
north, and to bear his narrative of
the discovery Of the North Pole, has
arrived here. DR.. DcQuervain says
that after having tested Cooks fig
ures and statements to him he is con-
vinced that Cook reached the North
Pole.
Activity on Roosevelt.
Battle Harbor, Labrador, Septem-
Der 17-via Marconi wireless.-After
week of rest for the crew of the
Artic steamer Roosevelt, on board Of
which Commander Robert E. Peary
is making his way south. there is
bustle and activity on all sides as
the men put the finishing touches to
the vessel preparatory for the start
for Sydney.
One Of the first things Commander
Peary did was to go to the quarter
deck Of the Roosevelt and face a
battery of cameras.
When the pictures had been taken
Commander Peary and the newspa-
per reporters all went ashore, where
the explorer became the target for
a broadside of questions. Peary sat
with his back to the single window in
the gable end of the attic, the news
paper men grouped in front of him.
Some of them were mounted on piles
of fish nets, others were seated on
barrels and a number squatted on the
floor. In addition, the crews of the
steamers and sailing vessels in port,
the local merchants and fishermen and
and a gathering of small boys, filled
the rude hall and listened to what
might be termed Commander Peary's
first public lecture since his return
from the pole.
In explaining to the newspaper
men what he considered the scientific
value of polar exploration, Comman-
der Peary said he had taken sound
.ings of. the sea from Cape Sheridan
to the pole which supplemented sim
liar data taken on the other side by
Nansen and Sagni. Continuing, he
argued that north polar exploration
is much more difficult than the same
work in the Antartic. In the Artic
the work must all be done in one
season, while at the South Pole it is
not necessary for exploring parties
to turn back to winter quarters.
Holidays in the North.
Commander Peary described the
celebration of Christmas Day, the
Fourth of July, Thanksgiving Day
and St. Patrick's Day in the far
North. On Christmas they had spec
ial dinner and distribution of pres
ents. There were also running races
for the members of the party and
Eskimo men and women for which
prizes were given.
Describing the flags he had raised
at the pole, Commander Peary made
particular mention of the silk Amerl-
can flag given him by his wife fifteen
years ago, and which he had carried
on every one of his Artic expeditions,
leaving a portion at the most north
erly points attained. The remnant
of this flag, raised at the pole, con-
sisted of one star and a section OF
the blue field and a part of the red
and white stripes.
Peary Admits Cook Gould Have Sue
ceeded.
Battle Harbor, Labrador, Sept. Is.
eft would be quite possible for
DR.. Cooks party or any expedition
to arrive at the North Pole by any
one of a hundred routes and for me
to find no trace of it. If our paths
lay far apart" said Commander
Robert E. Peary when he was fur
nished by an Evening Journal CORE
spondent with the latest information
concerning DR.. Cooks claims and the
present status of the controversy
which has interested the civilized
world.
While Peary would not concede
that DR.. Cook had reached the Pole,
he admitted that it was feasible for
a competitor to do, without his knowl-
edge if they travelled by widely sep
arate trails.
"I am holding my proofs" said
.Peary, "to submit them to the Inter
national Polar Commission and thus
controvert DR.. Cooks claims. When
I started north I believe / was mem
Ter, of that commission, which, as I