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Verdict
of 20th century scholars
and geographers
ROBERT
MCGHEE, curator of Arctic
Archeology at the Canadian
Museum of Civilization
"Frederick
Cook remains as one of the
most perceptive as well as
the most vilified of polar
explorers...Cook had made
a discovery that no amount
of humiliation could take
from him and one that only
the most fortunate and
observant of arctic
explorers ever
learned."
Robert
McGhee,
"The Last Imaginary
Place: A Human
History of the Arctic
World"
Oxford University Press,
2005
Dr.
McGhee is curator of
Arctic Archeology at the
Canadian Museum of
Civilization and Massey
Medalist of the Royal
Canadian Geographical
Society
FARLEY
MOWAT, Canadian author on
the Arctic & the Inuit
"What
is not so easy to
understand is that
otherwise intelligent men
and women of our day can
still be misled by the
discredited and
discreditable attempts to
destroy Cook, his work and
his character. Presumably
these blind adherents to
the verdict of the
Establishment remain
unaware that modern
scientific investigations
have established beyond
reasonable doubt that if
Frederick Cook did not
reach the top of the
world, he at least came as
close to that elusive goal
as any other man, and he
properly deserves the
title of discoverer."
(The
Polar Passion: Quest for
the North Pole, 1968)
If
some insist that history
must be served, let them
remember that the more that
we come to understand the
physical geography of the
Arctic Ocean, the more we
recognize phenomena
described by Cook but
unknown at the time of his
journey. (WALTER
A. WOOD, Glaciologist,
President American
Geographical Society -
Presentation to the Polar
Conference of the National
Archives, 1962)
This
statement, delivered by an
eminent American Polar
scientist in 1967 at a
National Archives
Conference on "United
States Polar
Exploration" in
Washington, DC, has been
forgotten and ignored in
the third of a century
since its delivery, despite
the resurgence of
discussion about the
"Polar Priority"
question.
It
was given by Dr. Walter A.
Wood of the University of
Alaska, a president of the
American Geographical
Society who in 1965 had
urged colleagues to review
the work of Cook. This is
just one of more than 30
attributions by
geographers, explorers,
scientists and scholars
found in the front section
of the new reprint edition
of My Attainment of the
Pole (Polar Publishing,
2001).
Many
of the exploration greats
of the 20th century are
quoted. These include
Amundsen, Greely,
Emile-Victor, Fiala,
Fletcher, Herbert, Malaurie,
Nordenskjold, Rasmussen,
Svedrup and Zavatti among
the many field explorers of
both Poles.
This
"Verdict of
History" compilation
includes many scholars,
writers and historians who
have studied the early 20th
century history of Arctic
exploration, as well as
German, Italian and Russian
encyclopedic references
cited on the question.
The
Wood quote appears on the
revised Society web page (cookpolar.org)
as well as the book
appendix, along with a
declaration by Academician
V.S. Koryakin, Polar
Historian of the Russian
Academy of Sciences, who
has a commentary in the
book: "There is no
ground to question the
validity of Dr. Cook's
assertion that he reached
the North Pole."
The
Verdict of History
Explorers
and Researchers on Cook
For
most of the 20th century,
leading explorers,
historians, geographers,
researchers and authors
have offered opinion and
commentary on the question
of the Discovery of the
North Pole. Overlooked have
been the testimony of many
of them on the merits of
Dr. Cook's account and his
credentials as an explorer.
The following is a
summation, dates and
sources.
ROALD
AMUNDSEN of
Norway, discoverer of the
South Pole, first to
transit the Northwest
Passage
"We
shall always honor Dr.
Frederick A. Cook as the
first man at the
geographical North Pole of
the earth. It was a pity
that Peary should besmirch
his beautiful work by
circulating outrageous
accusations against a
competitor who has won the
battle in open
field." (September
1909).
"Upright,
honorable, capable and
conscientious in the
extreme; such is the
memory we retain of
Frederick A. Cook. He is
the most remarkable man I
ever met. I would trust no
other man as I trust
him." (The South
Pole, 19 l 2)
EDWIN
SWIFT BALCH,
Past President,
Philadelphia Geographical
Society, author and
explorer, also Fellow of
the American Geographical
Society
"The
(vindication of
Cook)...may be settled in
our lifetime, it may be
settled only one or two
hundred years hence, but
it is certain to be
settled eventually by the
supreme court of
geographical
discovery." (The
North Pole & Bradley
Land, 1913)
SUSAN
BARR ,
Polar historian of the
Norsk Polarinstitut, author
"Cook
and Amundsen improved on
field equipment Amundsen
made his snow goggles for
the South Pole trip after
Cook's pattern [and] his
tent left at the South
Pole was based upon Cook's
design. Amundsen greatly
admired Cook both as a
person and as a polar
explorer. He never forgot
his debt to the man for
his contribution to the 'Belgica'
expedition."
(Presentation to the
Belgica Symposium, 1997)
JOHN
EULLER,
Author and writer on Polar
topics
"Cook's
description of no land, a
continuation of the polar
ice pack, essentially a
frozen ocean but in a
state of continuous motion
and upheaval was original,
and all subsequent
accounts agree with [his]
original
description."
(Centennial editorial in Arctic,
the Journal of the Arctic
Institute of North
America, 1964)
T.H.
Baughman,
Polar historian, author
"The
men of the 'Belgica'
survived in large part
perhaps entirely because
of the expertise and
strength of character of
Frederick A. Cook [his]
knowledge came from
real-world experience in
the Arctic and his
standing among the men of
the 'Belgica' allowed him
to carry out his life
saving program.
Cook's reputation has
suffered much over the
course of the twentieth
century; he deserves
better. In the Antarctic,
Cook remains a hero."
(Presentation to the
Belgica Symposium, 1997)
EXPLORER'S
DICTIONARY Dizionario
Degli Esploratori, 1967
"In
1908, Cook crossed
Ellesmere Land accompanied
by two Eskimos, and headed
for the Pole, reaching it
on 21st April, 1908."
ANTHONY
FIALA Commander,
Ziegler Polar Expedition,
author
"There
is no doubt in my mind
that Dr. Cook will be
vindicated before long.
Amundsen told me that he
was one of the most
honorable men that he had
ever met and that they
[the 'Belgica' expedition
members] would all have
died in the Antarctic had
it not been for him and
that [Cook] was
undoubtedly the American
Dreyfus." (Letter in
the Cook Collection,
Library of Congress, 1950)
JOSEPH
FLETCHER Colonel
U.S. Air Force, Commanding
"Ice Island"
Station, atmospheric
science researcher
"I
find it impossible to
believe that Dr. Cook was
lying. I believe the
account of his journey is
an honest and reasonable
one. It would have been
impossible for him to
fabricate his story on the
basis of his knowledge of
ice conditions and
movement in the Arctic
basin." (Letter, Byrd
Polar Research Archives,
1952)
ADOLPHUS
WASHINGTON GREELY,
Commander of the Lady
Franklin Bay Expedition
"Dr.
Cook is the Discoverer of
the North Pole. I think it
was quite unnecessary for
any other person to call
another a liar and worse
than that until the
evidence of all parties
had been produced." (Handbook
of Polar Discoveries,
1909)
"Dr.
Cook's field experiences
in 1908-09 were most
remarkable, rarely, if
ever, equaled and never
surpassed for their
extent, duration and
experience." (The
Polar Regions in the 20th
Century, 1928)
"[In
1924] Greely still tended
to support Cook, 'who was
probably nine-tenths right
in his claims.'" (Ghosts
of Cape Sabine, 2000)
THOMAS
F. HALL,
Author, 'Has the North
Pole Been Discovered?'
"Cook
has furnished to the world
every particle of proof
that would have been
possible for him had he in
truth and beyond question
actually been to the North
Pole and none of his
statements has yet been
disproven either by
witnesses, analysis or by
circumstance."
(Chapter 9, 1917)
Sir
WALLY HERBERT,
Explorer, author, medallist
RGS
"Of
the two claims, Peary's is
the weaker. Cook's are
perfectly feasible. Of the
two the more remarkable
journey without any doubt
was Cook." (The
North Pole, 1978)
"Peary
and Cook though enemies
and rivals as Polar
explorers were essentially
a part of each other as
were Shackleton and
Scott." (The Noose
of Laurels, 1988)
H.H.
HOUBEN,
German Polar historian,
author
"...Cook
settled accounts with
Peary as explorer and man
in his book [which] did
not fail to produce an
effect. And today there
are few experts who,
without wishing to
question any of Peary's
merits, would not
subscribe to the opinion,
based upon detailed
examination [that] the
North Pole has been
reached by Cook." (The
Call of the North,
1932)
VLADISLAV
S. KORYAKIN,
Academician, Polar
historian, Russian Academy
of Sciences
"Cook's
descriptions of natural
conditions in the Central
Arctic do not contradict
modern scientific views,
meaning they are
authentic. Therefore,
there is no ground to
question the validity of
Dr. Cook's assertion that
he reached the North
Pole." (Presentation
to the Cook Symposium at
the Byrd Center, 1993)
GEORGES
LECOINTE,
Secretary of the
International Bureau of
Polar Research
"Upright
and honorable, we remember
Frederick A. Cook as the
explorer who through his
leadership and innovation
saved the crew of the
Belgian Antarctic
Expedition. We join with
other scientists and
explorers in applauding
his conquest of the North
Pole." (Frederick A.
Cook Papers, letter 1913)
JEAN
MALAURIE,
Explorer, author, Director
of the French Centre for
Arctic Studies
"It
is clear that Dr. Cook
must be considered an
extraordinary personality
in Polar history a
Bonaparte on the ice to
his rival Peary."
(Presentation to the Cook
Symposium at the Byrd
Center, 1993)
"Why
would Cook have risked his
life, far from his food
caches, if he had simply
wanted to delineate a
short excursion on the
Arctic Ocean?" (Ultima
Thule, 1990)
BERNARD
R. HUBBARD, S.J.,
Explorer, Alaskan
"Glacier Priest"
"The
trips made over the North
Pole in the last year or
so by the United States
Air Force bear out Dr.
Cook's description of the
Polar area fully."
(Associated Press
interview, 1949)
EJNAR
MIKKELSEN,
Danish explorer of
Greenland and the Arctic
Ocean
"May
I congratulate you? I saw
in the newspapers that
Congress was going to
honor you. I need not tell
you that I was very
pleased." (Congressional
Record, Letter
to Cook, 1914)
OTTO
NORDENSKIOLD,
Swedish explorer of both
Polar regions, geographer
"You
can prove the discovery of
Northernmost land. The
polar discussion should be
settled by an
International
Commission." (Letter
to Dr. Cook, 1912, Cook
Papers)
ROBERT
E. PEARY,
Arctic explorer and
claimant to North Pole
"Dr.
Cook was the first to
volunteer to go on [in the
first 1891 expedition on
the Greenland ice
cap--always helpful and an
indefatigable worker
[with] unruffled patience
and coolness in an
emergency." (Northward
Over the Great Ice,
1898)
KNUD
RASMUSSEN,
Danish explorer of northern
Greenland
"I
want to express my
unreserved admiration for
Dr. Cook, a man who with
his bare hands has passed
a winter at Cape Sparbo,
who reached Annoatok,
through deep snow, through
twisting ice and utter
darkness. That man
deserves to be the first
at the Pole. It was
the Eskimo opinion that
Cook had been at the
Pole." (Politiken,
Copenhagen, 1909)
Michael
S. Rosove,
Physician, Polar historian
"[On
the 'Belgica' expedition
in 1898] Cook and Amundsen
took moral command [Cook]
endured the crew's
restoration to health and
devised a plan to cut ice
channels to open water, to
free the ship from its icy
confines...the 'Belgica'
accorded [Cook] his just
measure of indisputable
greatness." (Let
Heroes Speak: Antarctic
Explorers, 17221922,
2000)
WINFIELD
SCOTT SCHLEY, Commander
of the Greely Relief
Expedition
"l
would assure you that I
have never varied in my
belief that you reached
the North Pole as outlined
in your narrative."
(Letter to Dr. Cook,
Library of Congress, 1911)
OTTO
SVERDRUP,
Norwegian explorer and
discoverer of much of the
Queen Elizabeth Islands
"It
has always been my
pleasure to support Dr.
Cook, and I can see no
reason for doubting his
success. Who are his
accusers--surely not
Arctic explorers?"
(Interview in Copenhagen,
1913)
BERNARD
J. STANLEY,
Polar scientist,
oceanographer with US
Northeast Command
"l
have made trips to the
North Pole and can say
honestly that the ice
conditions in the vicinity
of the Pole were exactly
as described by Dr. Cook.
I hope that the time will
come when complete and
unreserved recognition of
his work will be a
reality." (Letter,
Cook Papers at Byrd
Center, 1951).
SOVIET
ENCYCLOPEDIA DICTIONARY,
Moscow, 1987
"(Polar
Explorations) The first to
reach the area of the
North Pole was the
American, F. Cook:
(1908)."
BRIAN
SHOEMAKER,
Captain, USN Ret.,
Commander of Polar research
stations
"The
environmental evidence
does support Cook's claims
to have traveled from Cape
Svartvoeg to the North
Pole. His return course
became a major scientific
discovery because it
[located] the northeast
end of the Breaufort
Gyre." (Presentation
to the Cook Symposium at
the Byrd Center, 1993)
STEILERS
ATLAS of MODERN GEOGRAPHY,
Gotha, Germany
Published
by the Perthas
Geographical Institute:
[North Polar Regions:
" NORDPOL, 21 April,
1908, COOK"]. (1925
edition and subsequent
editions)
CHARLES
W. THOMAS,
Admiral, USCG, Ice
commander for Admiral Byrd,
oceanographer
"Based
upon his discovery of
glacial ice between the
87th and 88th parallel,
and his observations at
the Pole, it is my
conviction that on April
21, 1908, Frederick A.
Cook reached the North
Pole." (Department of
Oceanography, Harvard
University, 1970)
A.F.
TRESHNIKOV,
Academician, Soviet Arctic
explorer, Director, Arctic
& Antarctic Institute
"It
is impossible to imagine
that a man (Cook) who had
never been to the Central
Arctic could have invented
many phenomena typical of
the region and later
described by other
explorers." (Epilogue
to Russian edition of
Peary's The North Pole,
1972)
PAULEMILE
VICTOR,
Explorer, author, Director Expeditions
Polaire Francaises
"On
[Cook's] return journey,
he drifted west with the
[then unknown] Arctic
current and had to winter
in extreme conditions,
finally reaching
Greenland. This account
seems to me the best proof
that he went for the Pole
and probably attained
it." (Letter to the
Cook Symposium, 1993)
SILVIO
ZAVATTI,
Explorer, Director, Italian
Institute of Polar
Geography
"Proof
that Cook reached the Pole
exists as when he observed
that the shadow of one of
his two Eskimo companions
remained an equal length
for 24 hours. Cook
[also] was the first to
affirm that there was ice
adrift at the Pole, just
one of several theories
[before his
attainment]." (Journal
of the Italian
Geographical Society,
1967)
Copyright
2005 - The Frederick A.
Cook Society
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