Los Angeles herald., 1910-11-09
RASMUSSEN TALKS;
SAYS COOK DIDN'T
GET NEAR TO POLE
Danish Explorers First PubIica-
ton Asserts Doctor Only
Travelled in a Circle
A GRAPHIC ACCOUNT OF "TRIP
Companion of Brooklyn Man Adds
to Evidence. DisCrediting
Discovery Claim
| GRAPHIC ACCOUNT OF TRIP
ASSOCIATED Press)

CHICAGO, Nov. S.-Dr. Frederick A.
Cook was further discredited in a
special cable dispatch to the Chicago
Daily News today from its corre-
spondent in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The story was the first publication of
Knud Rasmussen, the Danish explorer,
as sent by him to his wife in Copen-
hagen and now given out by her.
Contained in the story is what pur-
ports to be the statements of Cook S
two Eskimo companions in the polar
quest, Itukusuk and Apilak, in which
they confirm Commander Robert e.
Pearys charge that Cook travelled in a
circle and never even approached the
pole. Rasmussen in the story is
quoted as saying that he himself did
not interview the men, but their state
ments were taken by the Rev. Gustave
Olsen and Kateket Sechmann Rose
bach, missionaries.
The dispatch to the Daily News says:
Already in 1909, when I was on an
expedition to Greenland" writes Ras-
mussen, "there existed grave doubts as
to whether DR.. Cook really reached the
pole, so I determined to find out from
his two Eskimo companions. secured
their statements through the mission
aries"
STORY OF EsKTNOs
This is the story of the Eskimos as
given in the dispatch:
I'VE travelled from Annatook with
eight sledges in company with DR..
Cook at the first sunshine (F'ebruary).
From there to Ellesmere we slept only
once on the ice. 1t took four days to
cross Ellesmereland. Eighteen days
out our companions left us. We then
had gone only about twelve English
miles from land.
1.-THE ice was fine and there was no
reason to stop, for anyone who wanted
to go on could do so. The nineteenth
day DR.. Cook took observations with
an instrument he held in his hand, and
we then changed our course westward.
I'VE left here a lot of food for men
and dogs, and one of us Qtukusuk)
went ahead to examine the ice.
I'VE reported it in good shape, which
1t was, but DR.. Cook looked at it and
said it was bad.
ION the way back we stopped at
open water near the land. We stopped
one day and went over to Ringans
island before the snow had melted
(April).
Zone day I (Apilak) came upon DR..
Cook sitting down and drawing a map.
1 looked at it and asked him:
Whose route are you drawing"
"'My own,' replied Cook.
USES SHORTER AND UGLIER"
"But that was a lie because he drew
the map a long way out at sea, where
he had never been.
1--WE continued to shoot bears on the
ice until we had enough for the dogs.
We do not know how many nights we
slept on this part of the Journey. The
small rivers had only begun to break
when we reached He'll Gate. Here. as
DIR. Cook directed, we left our dogs
behind us, although they were fat from
the meat of the bears. We crossed the
Great sound and had to push our boat
along the ice.
"Dr. Cook said, we will reach human
beings CBaffnsland) within two days,
I'VE had slept twice when he looked
ahead and said he saw a tent, but
it was only a stone. We kept hunting
for human beings a long time. Then
we came to an island on which elder
birds were resting. We followed the
land past Cape Sparoo, and when our
provisions We're nearly gone we re-
turned toward Cape Seddon, where we
arranged for wintering.
at was yet twilight the whole night
and we built house Of peat and stone
Just as we do at home. We caught
walrus, musk OK and bear for the Win
ter. 1t was a fine autumn and we
had made provisions for the winter.
During the dark time we were inside
most of the time, making clothes"