The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-11-09
ESKlMOS SAY
 COOK IS FAKIR
Knud Rasmussen Sends Back Interviews With Two of
 His Men
NEVER APPROACHED POLE
Claim That Brooklyn Doctor Travelled in a Circle and Drew False
 Map.


 Chicago, Nov. 9-Dr. Frederick A. Cook was further discredited in a spe- cial cable dispatch just received by the Chicago Daily News from it's cor respondent in Copenhagen, Denmark. The story was the first publication of the report of Knud Rasmussen, the Danish explorer, as sent by him to his wife in Copenhagen and now giv- en out by her.
 Contained in the story is what pur- ports to be the statements of cook two eskimo companions in the polar quest, Itukusuk and Apiiak, in which they confirm Commander Robert E. Peary's charge that Cook travelled 1n a circle and never even approached the pole. Rasmussen in the story is quoted as saying he himself did not statements were taken by the Rev. Gustav Olsen and Kateket Sechmann Rosebach, missionaries, born in Green- land and at the time of securing the statements, working in the country from which Cook claimed to have started.
 The dispatch to the Daily News says: Already in 1909 when I was on an expedition to Greenland, writes Rasmussen, there existed grave doubts as to whether pr. Cook really had reached the pole, so I determined to find out from his two eskimo com panions I secured their statements through the missionaries. This is the story of the eskinos as given in the dispatch:
 we travelled from Annatook with eight sledges in company with Dr. Cook at the first sunshine (February). From there to Ellesmere we slept only once on the ice.
 "It took four days to cross Files mere Land. Eighteen days out our companions left us. We then had gone only about twelve English miles from land.
 'The ice was fine and there was no reason to stop, for any one, who want ed to go on could do so. The 18th day pr. Cook took observations with an instrument he held in his hand and we then changed our course west ward.
 we left here a lot of food for men and dogs and one of Qtukusuk) went ahead to examine the ice. We report ed it in good shape, which it was, but Dr. Cook looked at it and said it was bad.
 "On the way we stopped at open water near the land. We stopped one day and went over to Ringas Island before the snow had melted (Apr1D. We had not had the least fog on the ice. At this time the sun was just be- low the horizon at night. It was a month when it does not get dark CMarch). Later, when near AXe1 Hel- berg Land, we passed two days in 8 fog.
 "One day, I, Apilek, came upon Dr. Cook sitting down and drawing map. I 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 a long way out at sea, where we never had been.
 we continued to shoot bears on the ice till 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 HelPs Gate.
 Here, as Dr. Cook directed us, we left our dogs behind us, although they were fat from the meat of bears. we crossed the great sound and had to push our boat along the ice. Dr. Cook said: We will reach human beings (Baffin's land) within two days
 "We had slept twice when he look ed ahead and said he saw tent, but it was only a stone. We kept hunting for human beings a long time. Then we came to an island on which cider birds were nesting. We followed the land past the cape Sparbo. and when our provisions were nearly gone we returned toward Cape Seddon, where we arranged for wintering. It was twilight the whole night and we built a house of peat and stone. just as we do at home. We caught walrus, musk OK. and bear for the winter. With the bow we killed only two hares. We had a gun to kill musk OK and bear with. To kill @. musk OK with the bow is impossible. It was fine au- tunn and we had good provision for the winter.
 During the dark time we were in- side most of the time, making clothes. Dr. Cook wrote all the time. At first sight of the sun we started home.
 we pushed the sledge ahead of us and much target practice at seals 1n- til we had only four cartridges left. Not before we were near Annatook did we leave the sledges. The sun then stayed in the sky at night.
 'Dr. Cook during the Journey prom ised us a good reward, but he proved himself a liar and swindled us out of the payment. We did not get the guns he promised us. These he sold for fox skins He gave US only knife, some matches and a useless boat. ''This is all we, Itukusku and Api- lak. have to tell of our journey with the great pr. Cook
 'I regard the report as absolutely authentic. According to what is known Dr. Cook said nothing of tht pole while with his two companions tell of finding the pole his new com panions believed. as they could moi conceive a man prevaricating about SC great a thing. The map drawn by Itu-