178 EUROPE GIVES HONOR TO DR. COOK 



Many of the royal family were present, and there were repre- 

 sentatives of the army, navy and all learned bodies. The Crown 

 Prince pinned the gold medal of the Geographical Society on Dr. 

 Cook's breast, and afterward Dr. Cook went to the balcony and 

 witnessed a torchlight procession of Danish students dressed in 

 historic costumes. 



This was the last great event of Dr. Cook's stay in Copenhagen. 

 He had accepted invitations to go to Brussels and to Paris to deliver 

 lectures and was considering a similar plan for London, when the 

 news came of Peary's achievement and soon afterward his denun- 

 ciations of Dr. Cook began to pour in. Shocked and hurt by these 

 charges and anxious to defend himself, the accused explorer decided 

 to sail at once for New York. 



On Saturday, September nth, he left Copenhagen on his way 

 to New York and his home and family in Brooklyn. Up to the last 

 minute the Danish people continued to express their entire confi- 

 dence in Dr. Cook and absolute belief in his story in spite of any 

 doubts cast upon it by his rival, and the last words in his ears were 

 expressions of the greatest friendship and good will. 



