THE STORY OF PEARY'S GREAT EXPLOIT 49 



Labrador to New York and thence to the four corners of the globe 

 at the moment when Dr. Frederick A. Cook was being acclaimed by 

 the crowned heads of Europe and by the world at large as the 

 discoverer of the North Pole, added a remarkable chapter to the 

 narative of a grand achievement. 



Bridgman's comment on the message settled the question of its 

 source in the mind of the multitude. On seeing the text of the 

 message, he exclaimed: 



"That settles it without a doubt. Peary has reached the North 

 Pole. He and I fixed upon a secret code in which he was to convey 

 to me his success or failure. Translation of the code words in his 

 dispatch means that he has at last achieved his greatest ambition. 



"There were a lot of words in the code. Several began with the 

 word 'sun/ and these were to indicate that he had been successful in 

 his quest of the Pole. 



"I have left my list of code words at Northampton, but I think 

 that the word 'sunshine' was the code word we agreed upon for 'Pole 

 reached. Roosevelt safe.' There were several words beginning 

 with 'moon,' which were to signify that Commander Peary had not 

 reached the Pole." 



A second message to Mr. Bridgman re,ad: 



"Kindly rush following: Wire all principal home and foreign 

 geographical societies of all nations, including Japan, Brazil, etc., 

 that the North Pole was reached April 6th by Peary Arctic Club's 

 expedition, under Commander Peary. PEARY/' 



This was but the beginning of despatches from the returning 

 explorer. Soon they began fairly to rain down the wire. To Henry 

 F. Osborne, of the American Museum of Natural History, came the 

 following : 



"The Pole is ours. Am bringing large amount of material for 

 museum. PEARY." 



4 



