Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-10-13

Signed Statement of Peary, Bartlett.
Mcmillan, Borup and Henson, in Re.
gard to Testimony Of Cooks Two
| Eskimo Boys.
The two Eskimo boys, I-took "a shoe
and All pe-lai, who accompanied DR..
Cook while he was away from Anora-
tok in 1908 and 1909, were questioned
separately and independently, and
were corroborated by PanikDah, the
father of one of them 0-took-a shoo),
who was personally familiar 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 DR.. Cook.
Notes of their statements We're taken
by several of us, and no one of us
. has any doubt that they told the truth.
Their testimony was mistaken by
| crosS-cXamination, was cOrroboratcd
| by other men in the tribe, and was
elected neither by threats nor prom
| Uses. the two boys and their father
talking of their journey and their eX-
periences in tho same way that they
| would talk of any hunting trip.
! 10 go more into details: One of the
boys was called in, and. with chart
on the table before him, was asked 10
show where he had gone with DR..
Cook. This he did. pointing out with
his finger on the map, but not making
any marks upon it,
| As he went out. the other boy came
| in and was asked to show where he
had gone with Dr. Cook. This he did.
I ole. l.. vi
indicated the same route and the same
details as did the first boy.
| When he was through, Panikrah,
the father of I-took- shoe. very in
| t2lligent man. who was in the party
of E,Skimos that came back from DR..
Cook from the northern end of Nam
| sens Strait. who is familiar as hunt
| er with the Jones Sound region. and
| who has been in Commander Peary's
| various EXPEDITIONS for some fifteen
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
til" map their route, members of our
party writing upon the cnart Whe re,
laccordiing to the boys statement, they
had killed deer. bear. some of their
dogs. seal, walrus and musk"Xen.
The second boy was then called in
land the two went over the chart to-
lcather. the second boy suggesting some
lchangcS as noted hereafter.
| Finally, Panikpah, the father was
again called in to verify the details %
the portions of the route with which
he was personally familiar
The bulk of the boys testimony was
mot taken by Commander Peary, nor
lin his presence, a fact that obviates
lanv possible claim that they were
lawcd by him.
Certain questions on Independent
lines from the direct narrative of the
Eskimo boys were suggested by Com
mandcr Peary to some of us, and were
put by us TO the Eskimo boys.
Still later, Commander Pcary asked
1.-THE Eskimo boys two or three casual
louestions on minor points that had
occurred to him.
During the taking of this testimony,
it developed that DR. Cook had told
these boys. as he told Mr. Whitney and
II Billy Pritchard, the cabin boy, that
thew must not tell Commander Peary
or any VI dHN liiUS dDOut ti'tii
Journey, and the boys stated DR.. Cook
had threatened them if they should
tell anything.
i The narrative of these Eskimos is
| as follows:
4 They, with DR.. Cook. Francke and
nine other Eskimos left Anoratok.
| crossed Smiths Sound to Cape Sabine,
/ slept in Commander Peary's old house
in Payer Harbor. then went through
Rice Strait to Buchanan Bay. After
a few marches Francke and three Es
kimOs returned to Anoratok.
n DR.. Cook, with the others, then pro-
ceeded up Flagler Bay, a branch of
Buchanan Bay, and crossed Ellesmere
Land through the valley pass at the
head of Flagler Bay, indicated by
Commander Peary in 1898. and utilized
by Sverdrup in 1899, to the head of