THE ARCTIC SECRET.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 610, 13 September 1909, Page 7

THE ARCTIC SECRET.

DID COOK REACH THE POLE? , . PEARY'S STORY. , ' ' Very rapid travelling: . (Bj TcJcuraDli.-l'rosa' Aaßocifttlon,—OoDjrlirlit.l (R«c. September 12, 6.6 p.m.) London, September 11. "Tho Times" has received further portions of Commander l'eary's narrative of his expedition to the North l'ole, which is being sent by the explorer to 'the "New, York Times." ' /• ' The 'first' part ,of the, narrative, covers the period froni August 18; 1908,, up to tho time when Captain Bartlett, commander of t'.ie Roosevelt, turned back, in accordance with! previous arrangements, to constitute supporting parties/ Captain Bartlett turned back near tho 88th parallel (which -was crossed by Commander Peary on April 2, 1909).' • The • narrative ,up. to this point records monotonous experiences amid snow and haze, and'difficulties encountered in negotiating tho. leads of water.-. ■Beyond tho BSth; parallel the party covered 20 miles in ono day, the dogs sometimes running. . The ice was grinding in every direotion, and tile keen air was like frozen steel. : . ' *

A few miles from the Polo there was scarcely .any sriow. The party covered, 40 miles in 12 hours. They stopped 30 hours at tho Polo, . where the flags were planted. .Tho party included four, liskimos. .

No special incident occurred on' tho re- li turn to Cape Colombia, where they arrived • almost lifeless with fatigue. • • r COOK WILL NOT VISIT ENGLAND. DANISH FAREWELL. PEARY REPEATS. HIS ASSERTION. . (Rcc.- Septomber.l2, 5.5 p.m.) • Copenhagen, September 11. Dr. Cook received ail enthusiastic farewell 1 at Copenhagen. Shipping in the harbour was decorated ' with flags. , : ' Dr. Cook sailed direct for New York. . New York, September 11. ■ Commander ,P«ary. telegraphs; "Will prove ! Cook never reached Pole." 1 ! The United • States '• Gcodetio ■ Survey. ! has i oiferetl to arbitrate between tho claims of Commander' Peary .and Dr.,'.Ccok; ' '.' K PEARY'S FAST MARCHES. DO TIIEY CONFIRM .COOK'S VERSION P :"V London, September 10. The "Morning Post," dealing with rival claiihs to tho honour of being tho first to reach the North Pole, opmments on Commander Peary's remarkable rate of..travel, : which equals .that of Dr. Cook," and shows that during:'days: of actual marching Peary covered sixteen miles : daily. ; : The "Post" adds' that in tho closing stages of tho Northward journey the distance covcred by. Peary was at tho rate of thirtyfive miles a day. This, phenomenal rapidity, tho ; paper ; thinks, suggests the possibility of. Peary. hiving miscalculated his position. ' Dr.-.Cook's . {Sartisins claim that. Peary's figures . confirm Cook's story. . 0' ' •" - >ii ■ A WORD FOR COOK. , •; . A-- •t; . vr-Uj.'lU r»lU> ;,. FROM CAPTAIN AMUNDSEN, i London,: September 10. j Captain Amundsen, the Norwegian Arctic Explorer; ; and discoverer of tho' North-west Passage,'declares that Dr. Cook is the most honest man ho ever met. . Ho justifies the action of Cook in sending bis instruments and observation's direct from Etah to America, instead of risking them on tjio long and dangerous sledgo tour from Etah to the more' southerly Greenland.'port,' tJpornivik. . >,■> '■ : an old quarrel. ' . THE' M'KINLEY CLIMB DOUBTED. \■,:■■■ . London, September 10. i Tho friends of Dr. Cook - (who was formerly | surgeon under Peary) allego that tho quarrel . between him and Commander Peary began | ■ during the Polar expedition of 1901, through ! Peary monopolising comforts. . Several explorers attach no importanco to ji what the Eskimos say on olio- Bide" or tho . other. \ ■. \ J ' V . j The question has also been, raised, ,on tho : authority of Dr. Cook's companion. Professor Parker, whether Cook oyer ascended Mount M'Kinlejr, as claimed, in his' expedi. tion of 1903. ■■■■■. i • ' '. \V 1 '■'■■ V ■ .'" • ■ [The. story of Dr, Cook's ascent- of Monnt M'Kinloy,-in Alaska, as taken'from his own book on tho subject, was told in Tub Dominion of September 3. It represents that Dr. Cook •> and Mr.' Edward Barrifle reached tho summit;and. everything is described in detail.] ■' V WOULD LIKE TO BELIEVE BOTH. . AMERICAN PROFESSOR'S VIEW. : (Uy Tclcsi-ODh.-Speclai 'Oorrupondonl.l, - . . , : Aucklana, September 11; ) . 1 With referenco, to the: Cook v. Peary question and the honour of being first at the Pole, some interesting views were expressed to. an interviewer bjr a prominent American who is at , present visiting Auckland, in tho; persbn-', of Profossor IL-E. Cramptonis.of .tlip Columbia University, and.'head of the'; .Department ; of >. Natural History'in tho American Museum, l Now York. Professor Crampton has been, conducting researches, in tho Society and Cook Is- : lands, under the auspices of the 1 Carnegio In•I Btituto, of Scientific Kesearch.

"I am acquainted witlr both Commander Pearv' and Dr;Cook," lie said in reply to a question, "and I ' was /most pleased: when I first' heard the reports of Dr. Cook's success. I. knew ho was up thdro, butat the'sumo time I'wasiquite prepared for . tho : scepticism , with Which his accounts have be?h received, becauso 60 few knew of Cook and of his attempt to reach tho Pole. . I was, decidedly pleased, too, •when I' heard of Pcaty's success, but I confess I was somewhat disturbed at tho prospect of the inevitablo . discussion- which will tako placo about the exploits of the-two men.; . . Two Opposite Tyoes. "It is impossible" continued Professor Crampton, "at tho present timo to decide which' should have the full credit of being the first to reach tho topmost portion of tho earth, bp-. cauEO we have not had the full reports of their explorations.: Personally I think; Dr. Cook is tho typo of man who could succeed, and so is Commander Toary, although they • arc unlike in physique aud. temperament. ■ Dr. Cook, is short and'rather! heavy, and has, a decided Toutonio stolid temperament—just tho sort, of man who could stand the Eskimo kind of.life. Commander Peary is tall, angular, and dogged —the kind of man who would succeed on the hasis of his grit bud nerve. Of. course there is bound to ; be' considorablo recrimination under the circumstances, if it is true, as reports indicate. that Cook' took some of ;Pwy's,trained men from Etah. I really think wo must'suspend judgment until we have more facts, but I am inclined to believe that Dr. Cook has succeeded as. well, as Commander. Peary. A man of Dr. Cook's qxnorienco in tho ; Arctic and Antarctic, and of his reputation, would not,' I think, assort that he has reached' tho North Polo unless he had tho records to. substantiate his claim. Thore can be no question, of courso, about Commander Peary's achievement'. Porhaps . there is glory enough for both. ■ ■ /• v ' ■ An American in any Case. . "Naturally," concluded Profossor Crampton, "it is gratifying to an American, in .any case, to feel that his countrymen have'accomplished what' has baffled so many : for so many:, docades, but X am sorry tho circumstancos are such ha to'invrilrt Dr. Cook find Commander Peary ,in what promises to, be a very bitter