THE NORTH POLL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 213, 14 October 1909, Page 2

THE NORTH POLL

PEARY'S MANIFESTO. DISPROVING COOK'S CLAIMS. ESQUIMAUX STATEMENTS. By Cable.—Presa Association. —Copyright Received 13, 10.20 p.m. London, October 12. The Peari Clul) has issued its heralded statement disproving Dr. Cook s claims. _

It states that Commander Peary examined Etah Esquimaux, including the boys Itookashoo and Ahpelah. All agree •that Dr. Cook only reached the first stretch of open water in-shore of the ice to the north of Cape Thomas Hubbard. The statement goes on to say that Dr. Cook's dash to the Pole may be described thus; After the other Esquimaux turned back, Dr. Cook and twJ boys went northerly in a north-westerly direction, with two sledges and 20 odd dogs. They mado one more march, ant encountered rough ice and a Icail of open water. The party turned westward-south-westward for a short distance and then returned to Hcibergland, where they had left a cache. Here the parly remained for four or five "sleeps," and thence moved to a small island visiole from Cape North-west, and returned U Amunzritgncßland. The Esquimau boys told Commander Peary that they killed no game and lost no dogs and returned with loaded sledges. Bartlett, McMillan, Borup and the negro Hansen also sign the statement which include a chart drawn by the Esquimau boys indicating the principal incidents alleged to have taken place on the journey.

PEARY'S DASH. FURTHER PARTICULARS BY MAIL. Fremantlc, October 13. The Times flies continues the story of Commander Peary's journey, talcing up the narrative at 87 degrees 48 minutes, where the fourth supporting party, under Captain Bartlett, consisting of two Esquimaux, one sledge ana 18 dogs, returned. Commander Peary says:— My party might he regarded at an ideal one. It consisted of experienced men who were LOYAL AND RESPONSIVE to my will as the fingers of my rigat hand. Four had a most intimate knowledge of dogs and sledges, and ice and cold were their heritage. Two, Henson and Ootah, had been my companions to the farthest north three years before. Two others,. Eigingwau and Si? 100, had been in Clark e narrow escape. At that time he was willing to go anywhere with any immediate party. The dogs were the pick of 133 with which I were the pick of 133 with which I left left British Columbia. They were powerlul mules, hard as nails, in good flesh with not a superfluous ounce. Supplies were ample for thirty days, and with tlic reserve represented by the dogs themselves we could have made them last fifty more.

OX THE TRAIT.. A little after midnight wi* bit the trail. Aa I climbed a pressure ridge I drew up another liole in my belt, the third since wo started. A good p*oo was kept tip for ten hours till we reached ia miles beyond the 88tU paralii!, when we had ft few bourn' sleep, then on again with the sun circling now practically horizontal. Ten hours and we had covered 20 miles and we were half way to the 80th parallel. Ice wa« grinding audibly in every direction, 'out; there was 110 visible motion. After a march of something over 200 hours, ttte dogs being often 011 the trot, we found ourselves 20 miles nearer the end. We lushed across a lead 100 yards wide, which buckled under the sledges and finally broke as the last sledge left it. 111 sight of the 80th parallel the temperature ivue 41deg. below zero. We again snatch a sleep and on once more over the 80th parallel. The dogs occasionally galloped and 25 miles were thrown behind.

HARD GOING. A bitter wind was blowing and burning our faces till the skin cracked. We had a little longer Bleep here, as we a'l had need of it, and then on again. The weather was thiek, but gave uie no uneasiness. 1 had taken observations which indicated our position at B!tdeg. 25inin. A dense, lifeless pall hung overhead. The sky was black at the horizon whilst the ice beneath was a ghastly chalky white with no relief. Going was even better there and there was scarcely nnything on the hard granular surface. Last summer's surface of old floes was dotted with sapphire ice of the previous summer's lakes. There was al io 11 rise in the temperature to 15 degrees below zero and the friction on the sledges was reduced, In twelve hou*s we had travelled forty miles and had 1101 met a sign of a lead during the march. I had made my five marches anl was in time for a hasty noon observation, which indicated our position as 80deg. jTniin. A DREAM AND GOAL REALISED.

I now quote from my journal, referring to some hours later: "The pole nt last; the priie it three centuries; my dream and goal for twenty years has been realised; mine at last. I cannot bring myself to realise it. It nil seems so simp.e and commonplace."

Thirty hours were passed at the Polji, and tlicy were spent in taking observations, 1 went some ten miles beyond camp and some eight miles to right of it, taking photographs, planting flags, , depositing records, and studying the horizon with a telescopo for a possible land and searching for a practicable place to make a sounding. Ten hours after our arrival the clouds cleared before a liglt breeze, and until oar departure after noon on the 7th the weather was cloudless and flawless. The minimum temperature during! the twen'.v hours was 33 degrees below tero and a maximum of 12 degrees below that. M e had reached the goal, but the return was still before us. It was essential thot we should reach land before the next spring tide and that wc must strain every nerve to try double marches on

I THE RETURN. I Ue started to cover our northwari | marches. Wc could make ten miles and cat our lunch iu igloos, cover anotaur march, eat and sleep, and in a few hours do it over again. As a matter of fact, we nearly did this all the time, covering on the homeward journey five outward marches in three return marches. The«e three marches brought us back to iglooi waere Captain Dartlctt had turned back' last March. It was in a wild aweep of a northerly gale with drifting snow and lco raftin» under us that we * arrive ! just south of where Marvin had turnci back. We came lo where the party built several igloos.

DELAYED BY LEADS.

While delayed by open leads furti 'r J, 0 " ? thc l' l,u ' (> "here Captain jJtti tlett had been held up by open lead, fortunately tin- movement of these leiili was simply to open and shut. Sometimes the ice \vn< firm enough to carry us acrow. Sometimes we had to mtc't) detours, and sometimes there was :• brief halt for a lead to close. Sometimes, again, we improvised a ferry on an ice cake. We kept trail without diltlculty down to the tenth of the outn-aril igloos. Here fortune favored us.no pronounced movement of the ice haying taken place A uu v Captain Bartlett pa.«a •. ™ hlul his t° follow. On P 1 ' 1 . "'e l" lSBC| l the sledges up t. e vertical edge of u "lacier fringe, at West tape, Columbia,

RETURN TO THE ESQUIMAUX. When the Inst sledge came up 1 thought the Esquimaux had gone craze, llicy veiled and danced themselves trip- !—• , . l . nl ! ""marked in Esquiuiean: , dH'il, "> asleep or liaving trouble with his wife, or we should never have come back so easy." A few hours later we arrived at Crane City, under tie? iluffiiesfl of Cape Columbia. After putling four pounds of pemmiean into each dog to keep him quiet we went to sleep. Xinvr shall 1 forget that sleep. It was sleep, sleep, and then turn our and sleep, with never a thought of tli" morrow, and never a night more of blinding ache,