Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1910-11-17
EsKIMos DIscREDIT COOK.
Missionaries Get Terse Story of
Wanderings in Arctic.

Wanderings in Arctic,
Chicago-Dr. Frederick A. Cook is
further discredited in special cable
dispatch to the Chicago Daily News
from its correspondent in Copenhag-
en-, Denmark.
The story is 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 are purported
statements of Cooks two Eskimo COM
panions in the Polar quest, Itukusuk
and ApiIak, in which they confirm
Commander Robert E. Peary's charge
that Cook travelled in a circle and
never even approached the Pole.
Rasmussen, in the story, is quoted
as saying he did not himself interview
the man, but that their statements
were taken by the Rev. Gustav Olsen
and Kateket Sechmann Rosebach, mis-
sionaries.
The dispatch to the Daily News
says:
ALREADY in 1909 when was on an
expedition to Greenland, I" writes Ras-
mussen, "there existed grave doubts
as to whether DIR. Cook really had
reached the Pole, so determined to
find out from his two Eskimo compan-
ions, secured their statements
through the missionaries.
This is the story of the Eskimos, as
given in the dispatch:
eve travelled from Annatook with
eight sledges in company with DR..
Cook, at the first sunshine, February.
From there to Ellsmere we slept
only once on the ice. kIt took four days
to cross Ellsmere land. Eighteen
days out our companions left US. We
then had gone only about IL English
miles from land.
"The ice was fine and there was no
reason to stop, for anyone who wanted
to 60 on could do SO. The 10Th day
DR.. Cook took observations with an
instrument he held in his hand and we
then changed our course westward.
"We left here lot of food for men
and dogs and one of US went ahead to
examine the ice. He reported it in
good shape, (which it was, but DR.. Cook
looked at it and said it was bad.
"On they way back we stopped at
open water near the land. We stopped
one Gay and went over to Ringnas is
land before the snow had melted
! (ApriD.
"One day l (Apilak) came upon DR..
Cook sitting down and drawing a map.
l looked at it and asked him: Whose
route are you drawing?'
My own,' replied DR.. Cook.
"But that was a lie, because he
drew the map long way out at sea,
where he had never been.
"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 Hell's Gate.
"Here as DR.. Cook directed, we left
our dogs behind, although they were
fat from the bear meat. We had
crossed the great sound and had to
push our boat along the ice.
CDR Cook said: we will reach
human beings (Bafinsland) within two
days.
"We 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 long time. Then
we came to an island on which elder
birds were resting. We followed the
land past Cape Sparbo and when our
provisions were nearly gone we re-
turned toward Cape Zeddon, where we
arranged for wintering.
''It 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 winter.
1t was fine autumn and we had made
provisions for the winter. During the
dark time we were inside most of the
time making clothes -