Evening star., 1923-06-03

spoke on behalf of the whole body Of
journalists in paying his tribute Of
admiration and homage to the discoverer
Of the north pole. Spell bound by
Steads enthusiasm, and not having had
my advantage Of that experience on
the Hans Egede, there was not a man
among that forty who suggested a single
word of doubt about the achievement
claimed by Cook BY supreme chance
of luck, l was alone in my attack.
7 WILL not disguise my sense of
/ anxiety. 1 had a deep conviction
that nay judgment was right, but
whether ] should be able to maintain
my position by direct evidence and proof.
was not SO certain in my mind 1
knew next day that my dispatch had
been published by my paper. for great
extracts from it were cabled back to
the Danish press, and they caused an
immense sensation in Copenhagen.
and as the days passed in an astound-
ing fortnight, when | continued my
attack by further and damning ac-
cusations against Cook, l was the
subject of hostile demonstrations in
the restaurants and cafes, and the
Danish newspaper Politiken published
a Notwithstanding portrait of me
and described me as the liar Gibbs
"a designation which afterward they
withdrew with handsome apologies
The details of the coil of evidence
1 wove about the feet of Cook need
not be told in full. He claimed that
he had told his full story to Sver-
drup, a famous explorer in Copen-
his own honor in proof of his
achievement.
Afterward / interviewed Sverdrup
and obtained a statement from him
that Cook had given no proof what
ever of his claim.
He professed to have handed his
written narrative and astronomical
observations to the University of CO.
penhagen, and it was claimed on his
behalf by the Danish press that these
papers had been examined by as
Economical and geographical experts
who were absolutely satisfied that
Cook had reached the north pole.
From the head of the university 1
obtained a statement that Cook had
submitted no such papers and had
advanced no scientific proof.
Using his own narrative to me,
which 1 had scribbled down as he
talked, enlisted the help of Peter
Freuken and other arctic travellers.
to analyze his statements about his
amount of food drawn by his dogs.
and his timetable. They proved to
be absurd, and when he contradicted
himself to other interviewers, I was
able. with further expert advice, to
contradict his contradictions. 1t was
great game, which I thoroughly en-
joyed, though I worked day and night.
and sleep.
But I had some nasty moments.
One was when a statement was
published in every newspaper of the
world that the rector of the Copen-
hagen University had fatty denied my
interview with him and reiterated
his satisfaction with the proofs sub
mitted by DIR. Cook.
The Daily Chronicle telegraphed
this denial to me and said: please
explain"
remember receiving that telegram
shortly after reading the same denial
in the Danish newspapers, brought
to me by Mr.. Oscar Hansen, the Dan
ish correspondent of my own paper,
who was immensely helpful to me. 1
was thunderstruck and dismayed, for
If the rector of the university denied
what he had told me, and maintained
a belief in the bona fides of Cook I
was utterly undone.
* r X
a T that moment w. 7. Stead ap-
n preached me and put his hand on
my shoulder. He, too-still the ar
dent champion of Cook-had read that
denial.
"Young man." he cried, in his sono-
rous voice, you have not only ruined
yourself, which does not matter very
much, but you have also ruined the
Daily Chronicle, for which have had
a great esteem"
'.Mr. Stead" I said, II am a young
and obscure man, compared with you,
and / appeal to your chivalry. Will
you come with me to the rector of
Copenhagen University and act as my
witness to the question 1 shall put to
him, and the answers he givesT'