The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1909-09-17
Denies Cook Reached Pole.

Battle Ha-boI, Labrador (via Marconi
wireless. Cape Ray. N. F). Sept. O.-Do
not trouble about Cooks story. or at
tempt to explain any discrepancies in his
statements. The affair will settle itself.
He has not been at the pole on April
II, 1908. or at any other time. He has
simply handed the public a gold brick.
These statements are made advisedly.
and l have proof of them. When he
makes a full statement OF his journey
over his signature to some geographical
society, or other reputable body, If that
statement contains the claim that he has
reached the pole. l shall be in a posi-
ton to furnish material that may prove
distinctly interesting reading for the pub
lie. ROBERT e. PEARY.
Battle Harbor, Labrador (via Marco
nj wireless, Cape Ray. N. F.), Sept. g.
The steamer Roosevelt, bearing the
north polar expedition OF the Peary
AKetic club. parted with the
Erik and steamed out of Etah ford late
IN the afternoon of August IS, 1908.
setting the usual course for Cape Sa-
bine. The weather was dirty. with
fresh southerly winds. We had 'on
board % Eskimo men. II women, and
10 children, 22S dogs, and some forty
odd walrus.
We encountered the ice a short dis
tance from the mouth OF the harbor.
but 1t was not closely packed. and was
negotiated by the Roosevelt without
serious difficulty.
Find Much Water.
As we n-ares Cape Sabine the wealth
er cleared some what and we passed by
Three WORT island and Cape Sabine,
easily making out with the naked eye
the house at Hayes harbor occupied by
me in the winter of 1901-02.
From Cape Sabine north there was
90 much water that we thought OF set
TIM the lug sail before the southerly
wind, but a little later appearance OF
ice to the ~northward stopped this.
There was clean open water to cape
Albert. and from there scattered ice
to a point about abreast OF Victoria
Head, thick weather and dense ice
bringing US some ten or nfteen miles
away.
From here we drifted south somewhat
and then got aslant to the northward
out Of the current. We worked a little
further north and stopped again for
some hours. Then we again worked
westward and northward till we
rec ched 4 series Of lakes. coming to a
stop a few miles south Of the Wind
wards winter quarters at Cape Dur
Vile.
From here. after SOM delay. We
SLOWLY worked a way northeastward
Through fog and broken ice of medium
thickness through one night and the
ing into open water and clear weather
of Cape Fraser.
Strike Ice and Fog.
From this point we had a clear run
through the middle Of Robson channel
uninterrupted by either ice or fog. to
Lady Franklin bay. Here we encoun-
tered both ice and fog. and while
working along in search Of a practi-
cable opening were forced across to
the Greenland coast at Thank God
Harbor.
The fog lifted there and enabled US
20 make out our whereabouts and we
teamed north through a series of leads
past Cape Lupton. and thence south
ward toward Cape Union. A few miles
on that a we were stopped by i'm
practicable ice. and We drifted back
south to Cape Union. where we stopped
again.
Ship Forced Aground.
We lay for some time In a lake Of
water and then, to prevent being drift
ed south again. too refuge under the
north shore OF Lincoln bay, in nearly
the identical place where we had our
unpleasant experiences three years be-
fore. Here we remained for several
days during q period of constant and
at times violent nOrtheasterly winds.
Twice we were forced aground by
the heavy Ice; we had our port quar-
Ter rail broken and = hole stove in the
bulwarks. md twice we pushed out in
m attempt to get north. but were
forced back each time to our precari-
GUS shelter.
Heavy Running Ice.
Finally on September 2 we squeezed
around Cape Union and made fast In a
shallow niche In the ice, but after some
hours we made another short run to
Black cape and hung on to a grounded
bit ef ice. At last, q little after mid
night OF September s. we passed through
extremely heavy running Ice into .
stream Of open water. rounded Caps
Nawson Ind passed Cape Sheridan.
Within . quarter Of an hour of the
came time W arrived three years before
-esven .. m. Septembsr 5we reached