Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 September 1909 — BIRDS NUMEROUS IN ARCTIC REGION [ARTICLE]

BIRDS NUMEROUS IN ARCTIC REGION

Members of Peary Parly Tell of Far North Observations. THINK COOK REACHED THE POLE Those Aboard the Roosevelt Met Eskl* mos Who Reported That the Brooklyn Explorer Had Found the "Big Nall”—Men Giving This Information Have Orders From Commander Not to Discuss the Subject—Bartlett la Anxious to Reach Bottom of World. St. Johns, N. F., Sept. 17. —A steamer which has just arrived here from Battle Harbor and Labrador brings down gossip picked up in conversation between members of the crew and sailors on Peary’s ship, the Roosevelt. Peary’s meH are (fuoted as saying that when the Roosevelt came down to Etah Cook’s Eskimos were found there. These gave the information that Cook had reached the pole and Peary at once became eagerly desirous of reaching the wires so as to get his story in ah?ad of Cook. The men say Peary was bitterly disappointed when he found Cook had got his story out first. The men themselves appear to entertain no doubt that Cook reached the pole, but are unwilling to be quoted on the subject, as Peary has forbidden them to give any information.

Battle Harbor, Labrador, Sept. 17. Captain Bartlett intends to go to Cornell university to study civil engineering. Bartlett would like to go to the south pole. “I believe,” he said, “that the application of Peary’s methods would produce the best results in the Antarctic. After parting company with Peary I did not immediately turn back, but continued onward for six miles to allow for the Ice movement and to make sure that I really had obtained the British record. Then with two Eskimos, one sledge and eighteen dogs, I turned my face south and started on the homeward journey, sad at heart that it was not my fortune to be able to go on with the commander. "The return trip to Cape Columbia was uneventful. Two dogs were killed and thrown to the rest of the pack. When the whole party had reassembled we found the Roosevelt In good condition and averaged six knots on the trip south.” Captain Bartlett made the statement that one of his soundings well on toward the pole disclosed a depth of 2,000 fathoms without bottom. Professor Donald B. McMillan says that tfiere are wonderful trout lakes in the north and musk oxen In thousands. According to the natives they had shot musk oxen throughout the winter, showing that they do not migrate. McMillan gathered specimens of bird life in greater variety and number than any previous Arctic expedition Not less than twenty-five different varieties of birds were seen north of the 82d parallel. There are two young roxes on th" Roosevelt, which is filled with stuffed birds, heads, horns and other trophies One of the Eskimo dogs which went to the pole with Peary Is being taken to the United States for breeding purposes. George Borup, the official photographer of the expedition, has a thous and negatives.