Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-01


stood out like whipcord through the open
| collar Of his blue flannel shirt.
Planted Union Jack Far North.
II was only TO Etah with the Roose-
velt. he replied. patt;ng the rail of the
ship as though it were the head of his
child: but l went up to the eighty-eighth
parallel with Commander Peary. and l
planted the Union Jack there. too
British pride stood out all over the
captains brown but carefree face as he
said it, and his eyes took on a serious
look he was asked If he thought Peary
had acted selfshly in not taking him up
to the pole when they were SO near the
goal together.
Not at ALL was the SLOW response
when the Roosevet's voyage northward
ended at Cape Sheridan, eight degrees
from the pole. my duty was done. I went
ashore and helped the commander, natu-
rally, but of my own accord. and accom-
panied him till We got TO S75.;. We really
reached SO. but the shifting ice, driven
all the time. I made the observations
there. and then the commander decided
he would go On alone. except for Hens on
and the Eskimos That was perfectly
proper. for to him belonged the glory of
, reaching the pole, and | think Peary is
right in believing. Is he DOES. that an
Eskimo is more us full in suci, final
dash than any white man. so l plant ed
III! nag anu maze tfdc1.S Tor The south
and my ship TIE conditions of ice and
weather at that time were most favor
able to- the comma nder's ambition to
cover that last 12O miles. and he did it.
Peary nailed the Stars and Stripes to the
pole, and don't you forget it." wound I'D
| the discursive captain, warming to his
favorite topic.
Says Cook Never Got to Pole.
DO you believe Cook reached the
pole:' was the instant .rejoinder. The
captains face clouded. his shaggy brows
settled over the piercing eyes and he
, slammed his hand on the rail.
Cook never reached the pole; never in
his life." came the emphatic reply to this
question. The captains eyes were snap
ping. and his tawny-crested head was
| thrown back as though in defiance In
his sealslkin boots and blue f1annels he
might have just stepped from an iceberg
after an arduous walrus hunt. The next
question dealt with Cooks sedge that he
brought TO Etah and left there; the
sledge on which the Bushwick physician
claims to have returned from the north
pole.
II saw that sledge,' exclaimed Bari
lett. 1T didn't look very good to me-
and. in fact, I don't think it had ever
been taken apart. AS for trip to the
roared lion-like laugh, Il wouldn't go
the length of this ship on the rickety old
thing.
But I don't want to talk about that
ne added, hastily. This whole dispute
about Cook makes me mad I can't
talk reasonably about it. Frankly, I'm
very much biased, as you can see
Again that breezy laugh shook the
sturdy form of the captain. but his ques-
TONERS still piled him about Cooks sledge.
Half contemptuously he remarked:
Just recall all the elaborate eXped
tons that have failed. The trips of
Abruzzi and NanZen. and scores Of others.
all thorough equipped for an arctic ex-
petition. Think of Commander Peary's
last venture that failed, and of the per-
lection in the details OF equipment that
alone made this last trip successful. And
then picture to yourself this Cook party
with his two Eskimos and few dogs
and his knoSS-me-down sleds. and then
ask yourself If sr>:h an outfit could have
traversed those terrible ice fields with
the ease he says they did. Why it's
| laughable. ridiculous"
Bartlett suddenly banged his big palms
together and leaned forward to the little
group around him.
IF Cook reached the pole" he ex-
claimed. ANY one of us here can do it.
| It's got to be so easy that man can
make trip to the pole just for sport.
BAH
But Peary found it easily enough" it
was urged.
Yes. easy enough when he had pre-
pared for the trip for years by the most
trying sort of experiences in those re-
gions. Easy enough with his perfect
porting parties. But it's only easy on
paper. or to talk about. You won't find
1t so easy II you try it,"
What about these things Of Cooks
that were cached at Etah. Did you help
conceal them?
~" queried the captain. frowning. IF
Whitney says I helped cache them he's
mistaken | saw Cooks chest, like gun
IN 1x,fr =,
At Etah. but 1 never touched it, That
chest was never on this ship. I want to
tell YOU. and don't know what was done
with IT, though 1 understood it was
buried
you must remember he continued
that We didn't hear much about Cook
and didn't take lot of interest in his do
ings. We heard he had been pretty far
care.
''One thing l want to impress on YOU"
added the captain. before he made for
his cabin and slumber again: Don't for
fidence of the Eskimos. and that when
they tell him anything it's pretty sure to
be near the truth. They've got name
for him something like 'Pe-Uk. which
called him that after he showed them
they were wrong on trip several years
ago. The Eskimos thought they were 60
ing west. and the commander proved to
| thCLu thcy were iIldkinS east, and ever
since then they sort of look on him as
god. who knows more about the northland
than they do that were born there"
What do they think Of Cooke was the
reply
Cook? Cooke the captain laughed
back. Where have I heard that name
before?''
And with this parting shot he buried
himself in his cabin.
Cabin Boy Dragged From Hiding.
William Pritchard. the RooseveIts cabin
boy. hid in the galley till the reporters
found him and dragged him forth.
What did you hear Cook tell Mr. Whit
ney?" he was asked
II heard him say he'd been to the north
pole" answered the lad, looking scared
Then he repented Of what he had said and
refused to say another word on the SUBJ
ject. The same reticence was observed by
Matt Henson, Peary's big negro attend
ant who was with him to the pole Hem
sons white teeth shone and his black
eyes tWinkled behind his glasses as he
told the reporters to see Commander
Peary or Capt. Bartlett for any Informal
ton.
I'VE all promised to say nothing" he
commented. though he looked as If he
would have liked to answer some Of the
questions asked about Cook and Peary.
John Murphy. the boatswain, whom
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