Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1909-09-30
COOK VS.. tEARY
STILL UPPERMOST
PEARY'S EXPOSE OF HIS RIVAL
ABOUT TO BE MADE.


ABOUT TO BE MADE.
Claims Cook Could Not Have Done
What He Claims in the Time Named
His Siedge and Shoes Disprove His
Story.--Cook's Plausible ExpIana-
tion.--Harry Whitney Backs up the
Ooctor.--Peary Would Not Bring
Cooks Things Down.
The Cook-Peary North Pole controversy
wakes as warm as ever. Peary, at his
home at Bar Harbor, Me-, is preparing,
in conjunction with the officers Of the
Peary Arctic club, the charges that they
expect will annihilate Cooks claim to
having reached the Pole. Some of the
points to be adduced are known in ad-
vance. Peary will claim that Cook main
taIDs the impossible when he says that ne
covered 1900 miles of Polar ice in a single
sledging season. No other Arctic explor-
er, even with the best equipment, ever
covered over half that distance Cook
did not follow the usual custom among
explorers OF taking the original records
from advanced points and leaving in
their places copies, the originals to prove
that he had been there. The condition OF
his very inadequate outfit when be
reached Etah last April gives the denial,
Peary claims, to Cooks story. His only
sledge was a frail thing that would not
have lasted a days travel. The snow
shoes worn by himself and Esquimsux
showed no signs of long travel. Cook
showed little regard for treasures which
be, Peary, priced beyond value, when he
entrusted his instruments, records, even
the flag be said he raised at the Pole, to a
comparative stranger like Harry Whit
ney, the time of whose return was uncer-
tain. Peary, Hensen and Others, OF his
party talked with the Esquimaux at
Etah, including those wko went with
Cook, and they said nothing to indicate
Cook had been far north. Cooks reply
| to all this is that he carefully instructed
his Esquimanx not to mention his sue
cess, as he did not care to have Peary
know it. He travelled in very light order
and was able to make longer distances
than were heavy expeditions. He did not
take and copy records because he did not
care to, and lacked time. The sledge that
he brought to Etah was only part of the
one that reached the Pole, the other part
having been used to make bows and ar
rows, also the snowshoes were the third
set used on the trip and comparatively
new when be reached Etah.
Harry Whitney. the New Haven hunt
! er, whom circumstances have involved
curiously in this controversy, has reached
st. Johns, n. F., on his way home and
given out an interview. In the main be
substantiates Cook. He says Cook and
/ his two Esquimsux appeared at the depot
at Annotok last April and that Cook told
him. in the presencs of Pritchard, a mem
Der Of Peary's party, that he had reached
the Pole. Whitney believed then and
still believes Cook. At Cooks request,
he undertook to bring back with him to
this country two or three boxes contain
ing instruments used by Cook en- his
trip. He did not understand any books
or records were included. Cook left them
with him because Cock had a long hard
overland journey to Upernavik to make
and must hurry to connect with the
steamer. At that time whitney expect
ed to come down on the Jeanie, which
was on the way up, but Peary came along
first IN the Roosevelt and as there was
some uncertainty about the Jeanie he
went aboard her. Whitney asked Peary
II be could bring the boxes belonging to
DR.. Cook along, but Peary refused, and
required Whitney to pledge his honor not
to bring aboard anything of Cooks. He
QlQ LuiS anu Win hu6 ucAP VI cOitG VI
Peary's crew placed Cooks things in
cache at Etah, warning the EsquiU'sux
not to touch them. Peary admits all
this, saying that he did not see why he
should trudge Cooks things home when
Cook could have brought them himself
He claims he did not know what was in
the boxes, but whitney says he told him.
Whitney says there was no trouble over
the Cook stores at Annotok, that Cook
and Peary did not then seem to be in dis
agreement, and that both Cook and Peary
treated him courteously.
Some comment has been caused by the
discovery that the pictures Dr. Cook is
using to illustrate his lectures in Brooke
Iyn are identical with those made by
Brooklyn man on the Erik trip eight
years ago. DIR. Cook explains that he,
too, was on the Erik and made the PIC
lures, and that the views made on his last
trip north have not yet been developed.