PEARY'S FINAL DASH 119 



Captain Robert A. Bartlett, who not only guided the Roosevelt into the 

 farthermost waters of the North at Cape Sheridan, but also accompanied 

 Peary farther than any other white man in his party, was likewise silent when 

 first approached. 



"I'd rather go to the pole," said he, "than have to answer questions 

 about it." 



Promptly at the appointed hour Commander Peary swung over the side of 

 the low-decked Roosevelt into a fisherman's boat. It took only a few strokes 

 to bring him to land. Thither Captain Dickson of the Tyrian and some 

 of his fellow officers had already gone. 



With rapid strides the pole hunter climbed up the narrow stairway of 

 the fish-house. Then followed a small army of newspaper men. 



With a single bound Peary leaped upon a heap of fish nets. There he took 

 his seat and looked down almost defiantly upon his inquisitors. Everybody was 

 so impressed by the occasion that no one broke the silence for several moments. 

 Here in this obscure Labrador village a court was about to be held, at which 

 all the world was listening. But almost at the very beginning the stern-faced 

 witness rebelled. The questioning almost immediately began to irritate him. 



He was asked, not about himself, but about Dr. Frederick Cook, his rival, 

 who says he reached the earth's topmost gable a year before Peary. 



At first, however, Peary tried to conceal his resentment. It was evident 

 that he ached to overwhelm Cook's claim with a flood of argument but that 

 he had firmly resolved to contain himself. 



However, Commander Peary was the first to break the silence. 



"Well, gentlemen, begin," he said. 



"Did you find any signs of Cook?" w^as the first question. 



"None whatever," answered Peary emphatically. "Yet it would be possible 

 for an explorer to have gone to the pole by some other route a year previously 

 and left a track which I would not have crossed. Such a thing is possible, 

 but not probable." 



"Could a man stay on the mainland and fake observations of a polar trip 

 that might fool some scientists?" asked a New York man dressed in a straw 

 hat and Eskimo vest. 



"The thing could be done," replied the pole finder; "not only I, but also 

 Sir George Nares and Admiral Melville believe it possible." 



"But do you think that Cook really got to the pole?" insisted the strangely 

 garbed questioner. 



