THE ARCTIC SECRET.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 605, 7 September 1909, Page 5

THE ARCTIC SECRET.

ESKIMOS' TESTIMONY. - RECORDS IN DRIFTING ICE AT POLE. OTHERS AT'ETAH.. " ' (By. Telegraph.—Press Assoclattnn.-CoDjrlcht.l Copenhagen, September 5. ( Dr. F. A. Cook had'a tremendous reception at Copenhagen on Ilia return from his North Polo expedition. " i In reply to his critics, Dr. Cook declared tlat'hc had deposited records of his journey in a sealed tube on. tho place where the Pole was located—namely, .on ico which was drifting 'eastward: ' , Dr. Cook,stated that he took 100 photos which' are still undeveloped. The sextant and practically all tho instrument - records liavt been left, at; Etah, on the coast of Greenland, ■ for direct shipment ,to America. Dr. Cook afterwards dined, with the King of 1 Denmark'and the Royal family. QUESTIONED BY JOURNALISTS. fetfOKlTY SATISFIED. ; (Rec. September 6, 10.5 p.m.) / . Copenhagen, -September 6.' .The special correspondent of "Tho Times',' and Mr.. "U". ■ T. Stead searchingly cross-ex--amined Dr. Cook in the presence 1 of . sixty journalists'. "The Times" correspondent and Mr.'Stead are entirely, satisfied that' Dr. Cook is an upright and holiest man.,. . The ...'correspondent of tho "Daily: Chronicle" is Scoptical, Tho "Daily Mail"; States that the . majority of the 5 correspondents came away with a full belief in,the explorer's narrative, ' COOK'S ESKIMOS, ' THISY "CORROBORATE SOME OF THE , '.STATEMENTS;".' V (Rec. September 6, 10.6 p.m.) ' ' .-■ > London, September 6. 1 . Knud Rassmussen, Danish 'Polar Ex'plorOT,: interviewed., tho Capo York Eskimos who accompanied Dr. C6ok. Thoy''corroborate some-of. Dr. Cook's statements. ' • "COULD EASILY DO BO MILES A DAY." "■ MANY GUNS AND MATCHES. V A' COLLAPSIBLE BOAT 4 AND' OTHER EQUIPMENT. ..' '' ; ' NOW York, .September 5. • Mr. John R. Bradley, who bore a largo part of 'the cost of Dr. Cook's "expedition, states that. ; Dr.''Cook had with him a'valuable', .sextant in. aluminium, ,several com-' passes, an' artificial horizon, a barometer/ somo thermometers and charts. . / ; : [Tho artificial horizon is a contrivnnce for enabling an observer to detcrmino:tho nltitudo of a star. above the horizon 'When the .horizon itself is not visible; It;consists of u small.hoi-' lot\' trough containing quici-ilver or an- other fluid'the. surface of which alfords a . reflected imago .of a celestial body. • Tho angle subtended at tho eye,by the star and image in;a-fluid being doublo tho star's altitude, this angle,' when measured and halved, gives the altitude of tho star.] • » , '• • - : . ; :.The explorer... "also' took .GOOO: gallons 'of ;gasoline, coat sufficient fo}- three years, hick-' jory-built?'dodgM,-;-wd.-'iOO' gallons: of alco-; ■ hoi.'■ ' V'. .- ; ;Included:in the; equipment .were .iS gMis— somp : pf tyhicli wer<s intended'to ; bq presents., to .the-)SskinosVi)iscuits/i ai«s t tobsctfq,' and ■othei'-'things'dcar. .to''tlidi'Eikim6 , Vheart';' 1 also"ten 'thousand;.'boxes : .of ; 'matches, •'•'fdr-'i thero is . scarcely anything the: 13skimo-,'ap-:. preciatcS ''so"highly.v' ;Mr.' Bradley- adds that Dr.' • Cook's. . collapsible'; caiiviis 'boat -enabled him ti 'ifosa .lanes of water .obstructing, tho course. Tho dog ; sleds usually could "easily cover 1 , sixty .miles a- day over=reasonably! 'good«ice'.. '. ■ WAS COMMANDER PEARY'S C.LAIM "JUMPED"? -FORLSTALLING ADMIITED. : NARES SAYS COOK 'fOOK PEARY'S DOGS. -.. Now • Yorlt, September • 5.' : In : hia.. statement concerning •Dr. 4 .: Cook's outfit, Mr.. Bradley, who bore. a 4, largo part of the,cost .of tht oxp-wlition; 'stated , that details ,of: Dr..!Cookis equipinciit. iwere. kept in order to forestall Commander Peary,.'who left 'for. tho North Polo last year. ~ :4 . - , . London, September 5. Admiral Sir Gcorgo Nores, ' 1 - the British Arcticiexplorer, points out'many reasons for scepticism with, regard, to. Dr.;. Cook's. ments. 4 ' 4 ."' 4 i'- 4 . ; ' .The 4 Admiral blames Dr.. Cook-.for' taking Commander .Peary's Eskimos,' togotlier with theirVdogs,which,Peary had kept, alive' and trained, for years.-v ' ; 4 . Sir Geor'gq-,Nares adds that this was done , apparently without consulting'.Peary, ;or attempting t<j.. see Peary (who-is'.'now on "a North--Polo expedition) on his return jouriiey.-, : ,' ■; 4 ' V,'TEMPERATURES "N6T IMPOSSIBLE." OTHER MEN'S FIGURES,' ■ - Copenhagen, September 5; -:Dr. Cook adheres to all the. statements, he has made, notably to tho fact that .the temperature. met with was 117 degrees below zero, *' Fahrenheit. ■ ' ■ , - .. Commander Peary, m his expedition,, re-, oorded 65 degrees centigrado, and Lieutenant Shackleton, at the ■ Antarctic, 6 ; j degrees centigrade. ;, . :, . Sydney, September 6. Professor. David any other . experts declare that the temperature recorded by Dr\ Cook; though impfobable, was not impossible, and that a, suitably provided man 'could.'endure" it without ; much difficulty, • i 4- 4 - • 4 IMPORTANT CORRECTION. (Rec.' September 6, 10.5 p.m.) • Copenhagen, September' 6. - In his. statement Dr. Cook corrects, the previous announcement. as to tlie /lowesttemperature he. recorded' in the Arctic regions. ~. .- ." . .' ■ ' , - 4 " Ho says that it was 83 degrees below zero, Fahrenhoit, not centigrado; the latter being a telegraphic error. 1 ■ • . . : r.... A PROBABLE EXPLANATION. • There-lias'evidently been some confusion in the telegraphic reports of what Dr. Cook said <ts to the minimum temperature which lio .recorded.' There is one possible explanation which would show that the temperature iu ; question was not tho "improbable" tolnpera--turn-.at which the scientists are boggling. I'erhaps Dr. Cook reported that he had re--4 corded "S3 degrees below zero." The scientists, used to'the centigrado scale, concluded that tho temperature alleged was £3 degrees below zero, centigrade, which .is equal to 149 Fahrenheit degrees below freezing point. As tho Fahrenheit freezing point is 32 degrees abovo .tho zero, it yould be supposed that Dr. Cook reported that he had recorded 149 minus 32, or 117, degreos below zero Fahrenheit. But it is now explained that Dr. Cook's "83 below zero" was on tlie Fahrenheit thermoiuolor; This is equal to Ui.Faktciilujit diyzxeca

below freezing point, or five-ninths' of 115 (which is nearly 64) below zero on the centigrade thermometer.' - Now, 64 degrees below zero centigrade is> not greatly above the usual minimum Arctic ■ temperature. "In"tho Arctic regions," says Professor Dolbear, "and even in Siberia, the' temperature not infrequently falls to 50 or GO degrees below zero in whiter, but- temperatures have artificially been produced as low as 400 degrees below zero." This is centigrade. . ■ . ENTHUSIASM IN UNITED STATES. PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE. . New. York, Soptember o. President Taft has cabled to Dr. Cook as follows.. .... "Your report that you reached 4 tho t North Pole calls for my 4^ -heartiest, 'congratulations.. , It' stirs tho prido of all Americans that a feat which has so long baffled tho world has been accomplished by tho intelligence, energy, and wonderful cndurancp of their fellow-countryman." . . ' ' The manager of Luna Park, , a Coney.-Is-land pleasure rosort, has cabled to Dr. Cook 4 offering him £50,000 4 sterling for a series' of two hundred and fifty lectures, WORK DONE BY NARES, Sir Gcorgo Strong Nares, born ia 1831, British vice-admiral and Arctic explorer, entered the Navy, in, 1546. His first experience of tho Arctic regions was iu the ltesoluto (1852-54),' with Jlecliam, and he subsequently served in tho: Crimea, and was employed in surveying work iu "different parts of the world. Between 1872 and 1874 he. commanded the Chalill the famous'voyago of' deep-sea exploration. 11l 1875, Captain.-Nares waS 1 appointed to command the Alert in tho Arctic expedition of -that ■ year,- in company. with tho Discovery (Captain Stephenson). , In the. face of unparalleled difficulties he took the ships farther north than ,had' been reached before (82 degrees 27 minuted NJ, and after encountering the greatest difficulties and hardships'-he brought tho ships both safely home-in October, 1876. It was on this. expedition, that Lieutenant . (afterwards Admiral) A. H.',Markh'am, with sledges,: reached 83 degrees 10 jninUtes 26' seconds On their, return Narcs' was made; K.C.8.; and in 1878 he was sent iu command of-the Alert to survey: Magellan Straif, South America. From 1879 to 1890 lie, was attaohed, to the Harbour Department of tho Board of Trade. He become a rice-admiral in 1592. Sir George 1 Nares has published various accounts of his explorations. - v ; DID COOK POACH? ■ STATEMENTS: BY-.IJ^ABY,; NAEES, AND OREELY. ' ■■ : The 4 statement of John 'It.' Bradley that details of Dr. Cook's equipment were kept secret for the : purpose of forestalling . Commander Peary,.has an important- biaring. oil tho: question -of whether Cook was poachjug .in'.what were regarded as Poary's\ preserves. . There, is, no'doubt about, the geutiiiieness 'of John R. Bradley;, It,'was under his.' auspices' that Dr.. Cook's .expedition was launched..' If ho is cor.rectly reported;- the . admission is- an important one... ' .....'' ~'' Peary's Preparatory Work. > v ; ' In ,Friday's .issue,^ : 'when the , news arrived, tho criticisms that have been directed against Dr. Cook in.this respect,were set out..: The pioneering work thnt'Peary .hAs) 4 "done oil ,-what, is known as ."the Amer:«un. .route": (high up on the west coiAt of Greenland),','iiiid partieylarly 'the im-portanc?-of i his;:'last- trip as paring ■ the -way lor the success: ef the next explorer, were also explained. Summed up, the argument amounts to thisi".>i - ; (1) That, "by the ethics ef exploring, this ■ rout» for a uash to the. Pule is held,: to bo reserved to^Commandei".-'Peary till he shall either have succeeded in his efforts to reach ,tho l'ole or havo' abandoned' the attempt," i .(2) That., Dr.-, Cook- departed : "secretly" and .kept his, arrangements secret, (which, now ap;piars to be auißlttedby John -111 Bradley). It ;was at first understood .'that- lie.' went to . Greenland on. a huntinj. expedition. -. . (3) Peary's Return'.,that .his' 1906,.expedition ihas ,'.'simplified, tho attainment, of- the Pole 50 per' cent. 4 , '. and ;hf.s 4 'acceht!iAled tlie-fact .that man ahd ithe,';J|skimo i.dog ate..tho ; pnly„ tw.o mechanisms capable, of meetiug all the varionV continjencieslof serious;Arctio-work, and that the>-.Ame'rican routs 1 ;' to " tho. Polec'.- aild : 'th«'. I 'methods: and eqdiliiriorit .used "remain'tho-most: practicable>'for; atfaiiiing. that objcct." Peary ;says that had the.,waiter.'of :1905 to 1000 been - ia: normal soason".'jh :the .'Arotie -rigions,' ftnd not, as-it.-Was,i'a p'artioularly,- open: one; I "there is:not a' member of.-the expedition who doubii ' that it would/have'-attaincd tho.Pole' , ; and he Relieves that had.he. .beforo,leaving the -land, what lie silb'setj'ucntly rlehrlied of ; Iho ooiiditions .to tho northward,: ho could .'havo so modified . his-' route ' and- -arrangemenfs' that' lie "could; have, readied the l'ole,,in spitfl ef 'lho •open season." ; :.V-' . . ; V; Took Peary's' Dops,' 1 4 ,' y',>■:■ Tlie stateiileiit. of. Adnlivil.- Nares .Vcabltd. to-, day,,carries tlie, caso' ii- good deal' fui'tlicr.; - Ho' 'says '.thftt- Dr. (!!oOk"''took-. : Oomm{iiider,.'l'cary's. lisKiinos,. together:. with . tlicil 1 ,: : dags,-.' which--I'eary -had kept iiiiye and trained lor/ years," ■ and this "dpparolitly .without cijhsultiiig Peary: or: attempting to seo' Poary: ou -.his-.return journey." •,. Tho suggestion .of -"secrccy"'- and ' "forestall-: ing" seemed- to. be, .discounted: by an article: published in-April last by -,another ,-wdll-kliown . American . Arctic explorer, ltl'ujor-Generaf ,- A. W....Gree1y,..; who., wrote\l'-"1t...i6 said , that ho, (l)r.„ Gooki will, bo.-niet'.in'' 10U9 (on: his ' return journey) .by Mr/. llradley, .biit : hia- o'omfort: oud . safety : havo'been -cafed for by l'eary,r ivlio .landed:'coal .and siipnlies. for Cook iii. August,. and : left two'.white .nieh''lii charge." Tho . above, would'. suggest ! ■ liarmouious ' relations and co'-operatidii betwefcii Peary ahd Cook; . But how could this-be.;reconciled, with'--.Mr 1 .., Bradley's ndn to-day?- : . : . i i l4 : .'As. l)r. .Cook's. statement:of- his.'/.rbuto has' .been ..vaguely: gtuerali :, tho -.followingfrom 1 MajorrGeneral Greely. 15 of , interest:—"Dr. 'Cook ; . wrote in Decehlber,-. 1907,. frai'n -'Wblsttn-, .'holme Sound, that ho had scoured 100 dogs and. 45 • of. 'the best Eskihib • .'Ho then. etJ .peoted to start iiiorth : over .a! new. ronto.; Crossing .Ellesiner.o Land> Cook .plamied,.to.,fol; low its western shore -bej-ohd! Gijiely Fiord, to .the-hot; land to the north-west sfeen.by Peary,. Cook's .return was to .be. along: the .east, coast, via Kennedy. Channel; to Rensselaer^larb'our;" ESKIMO V. MOTOR-CAR. •- Dr. Cook's dictum: Eskimo: and ithe Eskimo dog is to' be'foiind already in tho book of, Commander: Peftry, :who, Writes: ,"Mun' arid the.: Eskimo ~dog. are. the , only ..two .mfichines capable , of such adjustment as ,fo meet tho wiilo 'demands and..contingencios: of ArOtic' travel. Airships, motor-ears; trained .Polar bears, etc., are -ail premature, . except , as.', a mean^.,of attractiugjpublic attention,' ' . ..' ' Tho: Danish nliturnlist - Riiik;: explorer Of Greenland, divides 'the : Eskimos , into , the following groups, tho most eastern of.which would, have, to trnvol- nearly' 5000 miles- to;reaoh:'the; , mrtst western;.. 4 . .. - ' ~ 1 (1) 'l'ho Edit Greenland Eskimo, fow'in num. ber, qvery' year ndvanding, further .south, 4 , and' having intercourse withvtUls: next section.;,' ';,' (2), The : West Greohltiiiders, civilised; living 'under the Danish Crowfe and• extending:from . Capo' Farewell to-74deg.', N.:-lat. :■■: 4 V ' ' (3) The ■ NoHßcrninbst ('Greenlanders—tho Arctic High[artders;ofißoss- : bonfined .to Smith,' , Whale, Murohison, 4 and, |SVb!stenholmo Sounds, north of the Melvillo'.Btiy 'felaeiersj'not BxtSnd- . ing to the western chores of/ the former straits nor within the memory of man haying any intercourse with those soiith of : them. They are - ; very isolated, have greatly decreased, .did .hot,' until comparatively - recently, possess: the kayak or skin-covered canoe, the umiak or open' skin boat, or, tho bow, and arrow, aro' bold hunters, pagans, and ore; : perhaps, .the"most typical of the Eskimo in Greenland.. The introduction of the uso of the bow and : arrow among the Arctic-Highlanders: is'ascribed to a party : of Eskimos from 1 the . western', side of Smith Sound, about' Cape Isabella, who grossed over in a umiak and- five kayaks, about five ■ years beforo the survivors of the crew, of the Polaris wintered there in 1872-3. ;-. ' (4) The Labrador Eskimo, mostly civilised. <5! Tho Eskimo of the'middle tegions, occu-; pyiiig the, coasts from Hudson's Bay to Barter Island, beyond Mackenzie River—perhaps, comparatively,'a rather heterogeneous group, inhabiting a stretch of country 2000 miles ill length and' 800 in breadth. (6) The Western Eskimo, from Barter Island to the western limits in America. Thoj differ somewhat from, tlio other groups. in.'various llnhits, suoh as tlic. use -of tlie bnidar or double-manned skin-covered canoe, in tliii clothing of the men, in tlieir labrotSj and in 4 tho'-head-dress of tho ivomen. They are . allied to the Aleutians and Indians of Alaska, . (7) The Asiatic Eskimo: or TUslu, who' aro ligain nearly allied Jo 'the Nambllo and Itelmes. None of tho Aiotio tribes of .Europo or Asia linvo the slightest conucetioii; with them. Of all tho Eskimos those of Greenland 4 and Labrador are the best known; the others are known but partially.. ■ The harpoon nnd line,': with ils inflated sealskin to jire and-bliby tlie fish,, the rib bow. of the wild Eskimo, and-,tho bird spears with bladder attached, ■ and with adventitious sidei points, which strike tho'animal should the main one mli* It—all these nrn- remarkable |.Bvideocc of tho Eskimo's inventive ikill^