The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-10-13
Explorer Tries to Prove That
 Cook Never Reached Pole
MAP OF ROUTE IS DRAWN
Peary Gives the Testimony of Two Eskimo Boys Who Accompanied Cook as Proof of His
 Charges of Fraud.

New York, October 12.-rhe following statement of Commander Robert E. Peary, which he submitted, together with the accompanying map, to the Peary Arctic club in support of his contention that Dr. Cook did not reach the north pole. Is now made public for the first time. The statement and map have been copyrighted by the Peary Arctic club:
 Some of my reasons for saying that Dr. Cook did not go to the north pole will be understood by those who read the following statements of the two Es- kimo boys who went with nlm, ana Who told me and others of my party where he did Ro Several Eskimos who started with Dr. Cook from Anoratok in Febru- a,v 1oo0 were at Etah when I arrived there in August, 1908. They told me that Dr. Cook had with him, after they lert, two Eskimo boys or young men two sledses and some 20 dogs. The boys were I-took-a-shoo and Ah-pe-lah. nau known them from their chilohooo. ohe was about IS and the other aoout ls years of age a at the very first settlement touched (Nerke. near Cape Chalon) in August lsv"' and nine days before reaching htAh' ene Eskirnos told me. in general way "nel pr. Cook had been; that he hao "in tered in Jones Sound and that ne nde told the white men at Etah that ne nSo ts been a long way north, but that eiie hovs who were with him, I-took shoo and Ah-pe-lah said that this was not SO The Eslximos laughed at pr. LOOK stoi9' | On reaching Etah, l talked WlVh Vilo 1 EslSi1nos there and with the two poys 1 and asked them to describe pr. COON 2 tourney to members of my party anu anu ! ,t- ny 44stos hs,ory R. E PEARY | Signed statement of Peary, Bartett NcMiIlan Borup and Henson, in regard to testimony of Cooks two Eskimo ooys;
 The two Eskimo boys, l-tooK-a-shoo anu anu Ah-pel-lah, who accompanied pr IoV.N 1908 and 1s09 were questioned sepata.e lv and independently and were corrop- orated by Panikpah, the father or one of them Q-toolx- -shoo), who was per sonally familiar with the nrst thfu anu the last third of their journey, ana Who said that the route for the remainl,is third as shown by them, was as ue scribed to him by his son ai'er "is turn with Dr. Cook.
 Notas of their statements were taken bv several of us. and no one or us mas any doubt that they told the truth
 Their testimony was unshaken py cross examination. was corroborated by other
 
 hv threats nor promises, the two poys and their father talking of then journey and their experiences in the same way that they would talk of any nuntms trip. o o. +ha
 TO % more into details: One or the boys was called In. and, with a elal. oh the table before him, was asked 10 snow where he had gone with Dr. Cook This he did. pointing out with bis finger on inc man. but not making any marks upon it. T.,
 AS he went out. the other boy came ID and was asked to show where ne hau gone with Dr. Cook. This he did. also without making any marks. and indicated the same route and the same oetails as did the first boy.
 When he was through, Panikpah, the father of I-took "a shoo, very lnleii gent man. who was In the party or Eskimos that came back from pr COOK from the northern end Of Nanseh strait. who Is familiar as a hunter with the Jones sound region, and who mas been In Commander Pearys various eN petitions for some IF years, came Tn and indicated the same localites ana details as the two boys.
 Then the first boy was brought In again and with pencil he traced on the map their route. members Of our party writing upon the chart where, ac cording to the boys statement they had killed deer bear, some of their dogs, seal. walrus and Jnusk-oxen.
 The second boy was then called in and the two went over the chart to- eether tn second boy suggesting some changes as noted hereafter.
 Finally, Panikpah, the father, was again called In to verify details of the portions of the route with which he was personally familiar
 The bulk of the boys testimony was 1 not taken by Commander Peary. nor In his presence a fact that obviates any possible claim that they were awed by him.
 Certain questions on independent lines from the direct narrative of the 1 Eskimo boys were suggested by Com rnander Peary to some of us, and were put by us to the Eskimo boys.
 Still later, Commander Peary asked l the Eskimo boys two or three casual | questions on minor points that had oc- cured to him.
 During the taking of this testimony. | it developed that Dr. Cook had told | these boys. as he told MT. Whitney and 1 Billy Pritchard, the cabin boy, that | they must not tell Commander Peary | or any of us anything about their | journey, and the boys stated pr. Cook | had threatened them if they should | tell anything. The narrative of these EslSimos is as | follows:
 They with Dr. Cook, Francke and | nine other Eskimos, left Anoratok, | crossed Smiths sound to Cape Sabine, | slept in Commander Pearys old house | in Payer Harbor. then went through | Rice strait to Buchanan bay. After a | few marches Francke and three Eski- | mos returned to Anoratok,
 Dr. Cook, with the others then pro- ceeded up Flagler bay, 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 |
 
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