The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-09-14
PEARY SAYS STORY
rs SIMPLY UNTRUE"

MONTREAL. Sept. 1.-THE star rub
lisnes wireless dispatch from Battle
Greek, Labrador. saying that the Rooss-
velt, with Commander Peary and party.
Is still there. and is being cleaned and
-overhauled, as well as recoaled, before
proceeding south. All hands are in ex-
cellent health and high spirits They
now feel anxious 10 get back 70 home
and friends after their long soiourn in
the far North. especially those OF the
party who did not hare the excitement
Of the sledge journey to the Pole. but
remained at thes base Of supplies al
Cape Columbia
The news that Dr. Cook claimed 10
have reached the North Pole a year
ago last April or nearly a year before
the Peary expedition. has reached Bath
Harbor. and none of &c Roosevelt
party is inclined 70 treat 4 seriously
Is Simply Untrue
What is your view Of DR.. Cooks
claim2" Commander Peary was asked.
1T is simply untrue"
''Is il probable that Dr. Cook might
have heard Of your success, gained some
information as to your experience. and
made use Of it, getting out ahead OF
your
7 cannot say. II was pretty generally
k4ONn LAldN our UElAlAOu was II LQe
Arctic regions, and that we expected 70
geS back about this time. or a few weeks
later. There was also a suspicion that
We hoped TO reach the pole this year.
and that we had previously passed ali
other northern records, knew the way
north and had prepared carefully for
what we hoped would be the final trip"
What were some Of the chief Incl
dents Of the tourney7
Journey Not EventfuL
1T was less eventfuI than any OF the
previous journeys. The actual reaching
Of the nineteenth parallel and being
able to take observations at the Pole
itself was an event OF supreme import
ance TO science-an event WHICH quite
naturally makes Us all feel an exui-
tatioa which I hope is pardonabIe; but
there was less adventure, less Of the
thrilling and nair-breadth escapes, than
in earlier days. before We had as thor
ough a knowledge Of the Arctic regions
as We have now"
what were the principal dangers to
be guarded aganst2'
The chief danger was one which
could not be guarded against"
we Just have 70 take our chances
and trust 20 Providence. Care in selec-
ton Of men and dogs, to see that we
had none lacking strength, courage, and
endurance. watchfulness over the con-
6ftion OF the sledges and how they were
packed: knowledge Of the quantity and
kind of food required and seeing that
supplies were plentiful at certain points
all these tend to lessen what might
be called the preventable dangers 81
starvation. freezing. and becoming lost
But the one risk which all arctic *
plorers on frozen seas can only gasSh
and hope viii not catch them is the
sudden opening up OF leads. Ice whiSh
appears as solid as a mountain OF grar-
you.
The Way Marin Died.
How did Prof. Marvin loose his life.
It was in one of these leads was it
nOt?'
yes; that is the ore poignant regret
Of the whole expedition. Ne was a
most COngenial companion, amiable.
courageous, and careful. was fairly
staggered when 1 reached our base at
Cape Columbia and heard the startling
news"
WAS there any land az the Pole.
anything 20 especially note that II was
the extreme north point Of the wOrld?'
NO; II was very much the same as
any other part of the frozen Arctic
Sea in appearance. There was a no
ueeable motion Of the ice, however,
and groaning, grating sound. which
we attributed 70 the ice movement. We
spent day at the Pole, taking OBJ
servaiOns and soundings- We found
the sea unfathOmable. After placing
the United States flag at the point
which observations told us was the very
apex OF the world we turned south
for our homeward journey"
Eave Good Passage
Did YOU have a good passage on the
Roosevelt. going north?"
Yes. we left sydney. Cape Breton.
on July l., 1905, and came here 10 the
Labrador coast 20 obtain whale meat
as food supplies for the dogs. this he
ing found a diet on which they thrive
and Go good work. Then we pushed on
10 Cape York, Greenland arriving on
August 1. We left Etah on August IS
and threaded our way north passiD-
Cape sheridan on September 4 we
them prepared Tor the winter sledge eN-
petitions. We left the Roosevelt on
February 10 and reached Cane Columbia
on March l. We continued taking a
northerly direction and we're soon clear
OF all land
Did YOU md much difficulty in trav-
cling over tie frozen seae'
Yes, at times. From the very frse