Omaha daily bee., 1909-10-13
PEARY MAKES STATEMENT
Supports Contention that DR.. Cook
Did Not Reach Pole.
SAME OLD STORY SAYS COOK
Commander Uses State1Aenta of Es-
kimO Boys to Dispute word of
RivRI-BattIe of words
Wages.

NEW YORK, Oct 1z-The following
statement Of Commander Robert f. Peary
which he submitted, together with map. TO
the Pesry Arctic club in support of his
contention that Dr. Cook did not reach tn,
North pole, is now made public for III,
first time The statement and map have
have been copyrighted by the Peary Arctic
club
Entered according to Act Of Congress. in
the year 1909, by the Peary Arctic club in
the office OF the Librarian OF Congress, at
washington, d. c.
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 20 Several Es-
kimos who started with DIR. Cook from Amor
atok 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 Gasss. The boys
were I-tool-a-shoo and Al1-,A-iah7 / had
known them from their childhood One was
about is and the other about 10 years of
age
On my return from Cape Sheridan and at
the very first settlement touched (Nerke
near Cape Chalon) I'm August, 1903. and
nine days before reaching Etah, the Es-
kimos told me, in a general way where
DR.. Cook had been; that he had wintered
in Jones Sound and that ne had told the
white men at Etah that he had 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 Eskimos laughed at
DR.. Cooks story. On reaching Etah I
talked with the Eskimos there and with
the two boys and asked them to describe
DR.. Cooks journey to members of my
party and myself This they did i'm the
manner stated below.
(signed) r. E. PEARY.
Statement of Several.
Signed statement of Peary, Bartlett, Nc
MILAN, Borup and Henson, in regard to
testimony Of Cooks two Eskimo boys
The two Eskimo boys, I-took-a-sh and
Ah-pe-lah, who accompanied DIR. Cook
while he was away from Anoratok 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 IA
mliar 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 DIR. 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 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 q 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 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 intelligent
man, who was in the party OF Eskimos
/ that came back with DR.. Cook from the
northern end Of Nansen's strait, who is
I familiar as hunter with the Jones sound
region, and who has been in Commander
/ Peary's various expeditions for some fif-
teen years, came in and indicated the
same localities and details as the two
| boys.
Then the first boy was brought in again,
and with a pencil he traced on the map
| their route, members Of our party writing
upon the chart where. according 10 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 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, a fact that obviates any posi-
/ bic claim that they were awed by him.
Certain questions on independent lines
/ from the direct narrative OF the Eskimo
Continued on Second Page,l