The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-26
Brooklyn Man Defends Him. self From Charges Of
 the Dane
SAYS RASMUSSEN MADE
 MANY FALSE ASSERTIONS
mcnts of the Eskimo Boys Were Based on Merest of
 Guesswork

New ork. December 25.-By implica- ton accusing Knud Rasmussen, the Danish explorer, of "stooping to the depths of literary muck kraker to get public attention," pr. Frederick A. gave out reply to Rasmussen's recent attack on him (Cook) which was pub lisbed November last.
 Incidentally to his defense of his own narrative of Arctic exploration pr. Cook says that by Rasmussen's meth ods of Investigating, Robert E. Peary should with equal ease be discredited. but declares that he will take MT. Peary's word In preference to either that of Rasmussen or the Eskimos in the matter of his own accomplish ments."
 Resmussens attack on Cook was sent by him to his wife in Copenhagen and by her made public. It contained what purported to be statements from Cooks two Eskimo companions in his north polar quest, I IIukusuk and Apilak. Rasmussen said he did not personally talk with the Esl<imos, but their statements were taken by two missionaries who were working in the country from which Dr. Cook said he started for the pole.
 These stories were, in brief Stories of Eskinos "'The Eskimos left Annatook with | Cook with eight sledges in February, sept once on the ice on the way to 1 Ellsemereland and took four days to cross that land Eighteen days out all but the two Eskimo boys left. The nineteenth day they changed their | course westward. Later Apilsk came upon pr. Cook drawing a map He ask | ed him whose route he was drawing. My own. said the explorer, but that the statement makes the boy say l was lie because he drew the map a | long way out at sea, where he had never been.'"
 The 1Iskimos' statement continues that the party eventually reached Cape Sedden and wintered there that pr. Cock spent most of the time writing and at first sight of the sun they started home; that the explorer prom ieed them a good reward, but i've did not get the guns he promised us. He gave us only a knife, some matches and a useless boat"
 Commenting on this statement, Ras- mussen said
 | 'I regard the report as absolutely authentic"
 Cook Answers Statements In his statement given out tonight Dr. Cook answers categorically the | statements imputed to the Eskimo boys. denying each in turn and giving reasons why he thinks they should be consider ed false; declares that Rasmussen has reason to dislike him Cook; says no effort was made to get at the truth in the alleged examinations of the two boys, but that on the other hand, they were piled with leading questions de- signed to evolve the answers desired and points out what he terms the well known trait of all Indians to give an- swers which they believe will please their questioners. ,a lEs
 Dr. Cook says Rasmussens reputa- ton as all Arctic sledge traveller rests upon journey from Tassuasak to Cane York.
 This trip" he says, which is truly u wonderful one, was but step in my return voyage, occupying only three and one-half days and it Is covered by one sentence ending my narrative"
 Rasmussen's reason to be hostile .o- ward him. the Brooklyn explorer finds in a snub which he was compelled to administer to the Dane in 1907 when the yacht Bradley arrived in North Star bay.
 Chummy With Rasmussen
 Rasmussen came aboard, he says. dressed in old. greasy furs and exudinr strong stench of train oil He and the pane became chummy at once and he said to MT. Bradley
 we must invite Rasmussen to din- ner.'
 Bradley, he says, replied: '.No, for Gods sake, no! I will get seasick from that odor"
 The result was. Dr. Cook says. that he asked the captain to take the Dane to his mess and Rasmussen has good reason d
 "In 1909,' says the statement, "Ras- mussen saw relatives and friends of the Eskimo boys who had been with me and from them gathered information which convinced him that I had been to the pole. He has no other informa- ton now but for reasons best known to himself, he comes to an opposite opin- ion.
 Now. let us examine Rasmussen's latest charges. He starts out by saying, Already in 1909 there existed grave doubts as to whether Dr. Cook really had reached the pole.
 "If this is Q true statement, then Ras- mussen convicts himself of false po- sition at the very start. For. without a word of instruction from me he came -~>-~-~---~>~>>