The Mena weekly star., 1909-09-23
HE WAS WITH PEARY
NEGRO LIEUTENANT OF THE EN PLoRER TALKS OF DASH
 TO NORTH POLE.
WERE IN CAMP AT EXACT SPOT
The Party staid at soth Parallel For One Night and Two Days-Ah Cheered When Stars and Stripes Were Unfurled.

Battle Harbor, Labrador, by Wire less Telegraphy via Cape Ray, N. F., Sept I've hoisted the stars and stripes twice at the North Pole," said Matthew Henson, Commander Robert k. Peary's colored lieutenant, and the only other civilized man, according to Peary, who ever, reached the pole.
 Henson gave to the Associated Press an account of the one night and two days he and Commander Peary and four Eskimos camped at 90 de- grees north latitude Henson person ally assisted in raising the American flag and he led the Eskimos in the cheers, an extra cheer for Old Glory in the Eskimos tongue.
 Having spent IS years with Com mander Peary and considerable DOT tion of that time in the Arctics,' said Henson, 'I have acquired knowl- edge of the dialect of the Northern Greenland Eskimos, who probably are superior to any other. As is common ly known to travellers in the Far North, the Eskimo entertains a strange prejudice toward any tongue but one, and it is therefore necessary for successful dealing with them to study their unwritten language
 We arrived at the pole just before noon, April 6, the party consisting of the commander. myself, four Eskimos and 36 dogs, divided into two detach- ments equal in number and headed re- specitvely by Commander Peary and myself. We had left the last support ing party at S7 degrees 5 minutes, where we separated from Sapt Bart lett, who was photographed by the commander.
 q kept a personal diary during this historic dash across the ice field. Our first task on reaching the pole was to build two igloos. as the weather was hay and prevented taking accurate observations to confirm the distance travelled from Cape Columbia Hav- ing completed the snow houses, we had dinner which included tea made on our alcohol stove. and then retired to rest, thus sleeping one night at the North Pole.
 The Arctic sun was shining when 1 awoke, and found the commander already up. There was only wind enough to blow out the small flags. The ensigns were hoisted toward noon from tent poles and tied with fish lines.
 We had figured out the distance pretty closely and did not go beyond the pole. The flags were up about mid-a@y April ' and were not moved until late that evening. The haze had cleared away early but we wanted some hours to make observations We made three close together.
 When we first raised the American flag its position was behind the igloos, which according to our initial observa- tions was the position of the pole, but on taking subsequent observations the | stars and stripes was moved and placed l50 yards west of the first posi- tion, the difference in. the observa- ions being due perhaps to the moving ice.
 When the flag was placed, Cnn. mander Peary exclaimed in English: We will plant the stars and stripes at the North Pole Tn the native language I proposed three cheers which were given in the Eskimos own tongue. Commander Peary shook hands all around and we had more liberal dinner than usual, each man eating as much as he pleased. The Eskimos danced about and showed great pleasure that the pole at last was reached. For years the Egkimos had been trying to reach that spot but 1t was always with theem 'Tiquelgh.' , which translated means get so far and no closer They exclaimed in a chorus, ting neigh timah ketlsher,' meaning We have got there at last :"
 Henson, who reached the farthest north with Peary three years ago, said that conditions were about the same at the pole as elsewhere in the Arctic circle. All was a solid sea of ice with two foot lead of open water two miles from the pole.