A NATION'S HOMAGE 81 



of his own nation. This came the same evening when Dr. Cook s«nt the 

 following cablegram to President Taft : 



"Copenhagen, Sept. 4. — President, the White House, Washington: I 

 have the honor to report to the chief magistrate of the United States that I 

 have returned, having reached the North Pole. 



"Frederick A. Cook." 



The president, who was at his summer home in Massachusetts, replied 

 as follows : 



"Beverly, Mass., Sept. 4. — Frederick A. Cook, Copenhagen, Denmark: 

 Your dispatch received. Your report that you have reached the North Pole 

 calls for my heartiest congratulations, and stirs the pride of all Americans 

 that this feat which has so long baffled the world has been accomplished by 

 the intelligent energy and wonderful endurance of a fellow countryman. 



"William H. Taft." 



Further honors were in store for Dr. Cook in Denmark. On Sept. 9 the 

 degree of doctor honoris causa ("doctor because of having achieved great 

 honor"), was conferred on him by the University of Copenhagen in the 

 presence of Crown Prince Christian of Denmark and a distinguished gathering. 



FAITH IS UNSHAKEN BY PEARY. 



Professor Torp, rector of the university, in presenting the diploma to Dr. 

 Cook, spoke of the admiration his achievement had aroused in the university. 

 In expressing his thanks Dr. Cook said he accepted the honor as testimony 

 of the genuineness of his journey. He promised to send the university his 

 complete records, and he said it was his intention to dispatch a ship to Green- 

 land at his own expense to bring down the two Eskimos who accompanied 

 him on his expedition. This was later given up. In conclusion the doctor 

 said: 



"I can say no more, I can do no more; I show you my hands." 

 Dr. Cook's words in referring to the records he said he would send the 

 university were : 



"I can produce all desirable evidence that I reached the North Pole." 

 He added that his Eskimo companions would be taken to New York, 

 where they could be examined by impartial men of science, 



