EDITOR'S PREFACE. 



was accompanied only by two Eskimo-Indians. It seemed to be assumed 

 that Commander Peary was accompanied by white men. His fuller 

 reports, after three or four days, however, furnished the information to 

 the world that he also discovered the Pole entirely alone, except one 

 Eskimo-Indian as his companion. It is not the purpose of this book to 

 analyze or theorize concerning the claims of the two rival explorers. 

 The pages of the work will treat with the impressions and decisions 

 of scientific experts based upon the data supplied by the two explorers. 

 The interesting and valuable fact is that the Pole has been discovered. 

 There is glory enough in it for both the daring explorers. 



The writer became acquainted with Commander Peary at "Washing- 

 ton, D. C. He has given his entire life to adventure and exploration. 

 His determination and heart 's desire were such that undoubtedly during 

 the many years of effort accompanied by the most extreme hardships 

 and privations. Commander Peary naturally had come to think that it 

 was for him to discover the Pole and no one else. As human nature is 

 constituted, we perhaps, should make allowances if Commander Peary 

 has subjected himself, because of his criticisms of Dr. Cook, to being 

 charged with being unethical and unprofessional. 



"While Dr. Cook is an experienced and daring explorer, his service as 

 one has covered a less number of years than Commander Peary has 

 taken from his life for this purpose. Shortly after Dr. Cook's Antarctic 

 Expedition, the writer had the honor of meeting him in Europe. We- 

 spent seven days together as ship mates crossing the Atlantic. Since 

 that time it has been my pleasure to meet him on different occasions. 

 Dr. Cook is a much less impulsive man than Commander Peary. "When 

 we- consider this difference in temperament, we should hava patience 

 with the impatient and impulsive man if he has fallen a victim to the too 

 common human frailties, and think only of the daring feat he has 

 accomplished. Aside from the discovery of the North Pole both men 

 have for years furnished most valuable geographical and scientific infor- 

 mation for the benefit of the entire world. The discovery of the North 

 Pole was simply the crowning feat of a series of discoveries and explora- 

 tions covering several years. 



Scores and perhaps hundreds of these expeditions have resulted in 

 failure. Hundreds of lives have been lost. The fate of many of these 



