The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-06-14

tne Ihh Vi 1901, IN NumDerlhnu SOUND,
1t was in the spring Of 1867 that we
sailed from New London, Connecticut, in
the topsail schooner Era, bound for Re.
pulse Bay, small estuary at the head Of
Hudson's Straits, and situated several
degrees inside of the Arctic circle. The
object Of my voyage to the extreme North
was purely one Of adventure, that Of my
shipmates the capture Of the Arctic whale
for his bone and blubber Our vessel was
truly stauu,h little craft, and was withal
as graceful, as trim and taut-looking as
New York yacht club cutter. On the
wind she had heels too; and when she
put on her seven-league boots, and hauled
her sheets fiat aft, there were few of her
size that would venture to compete with
her. To have seen the pretty little thing
under full spread Of canvas in stiff
breeze, running up the coast of Labrador
and taking the full benefit Of an easterly
gale, would have gladdened the heart Of
the most fastidious yachtsman. The Era
made fine run of it, and on the thirtieth
day out we sighted the bleak cliffs Of
Resolution Island, and soon afterward,
after n not very eyentful voyage, entered
Hudson's Straits. | don't know that up
to this time our trials at sea exceeded those
commonly endured by all mariners. 1t is
true, however, that our supply of water had
sadly diminished before we reached Cape
Resolution, aud visions Of short allowance
began to be somewhat alarming Indeed,
for cleansing purposes, fresh water was
obliged TO be taboed soon after we left
port. Performing ones ablutions in the
"briny deep may be all very well at Long
Branch, Newport or Cape May, and no
doubt it is extremely healthful, but when
you arc compelled to bathe in it alone,
day after day, its saline qualities become
to be far from enjoyable, and fresh water,
or, as the Spauiard more aptly expresses
it, aqua dutce, begins to be luxury that
was before indiferently appreciated The
experience of those thirty days at sea also
taught me that "a life on the ocean wave
was unquestionably intensely romantic in
well furnished yacht, or when seated in
snug drawing-room at home with a
charming voice to warble to you its poetic
delights, but associated with uuceasing
deluges of sea water, long night watches,
salt Junk and hard bread, the romance
loses all of its charm, and becomes too
much Of stern reality to be at all attrac-
tive. We had hardly entered the straits
before we encountered immense fields of
"pack ice" setting out toward the sea,
propelled by remarkably strong current,
and it was with the greatest difficulty and
after days aud nights of arduous toll that
we were enabled to overcome the obstruc-
tions and emerge into open water. Moth
ing could be more thoroughly novel, at
the same time transcendantly beautiful,
than the picture presented then to our
view, Mammoth mountains of snow and
lee, formations probably of centuries, met
the eye at every point. One that we
passed very close to, recollect distinctly.
II was a monster mass Of glacial ice, tower
ing, in all its sublime loftiness, far above
our maintopmasthead, while numberless
riyulets poured incessant gushes Of spark
ling water in charming cascades down It's
terraced sides. The sun, warm indeed for
that high latitude, shone with almost
equatorial brilliancy upon the berg, which
reflected its rays in thousand gorgeous
coruscations. The more / beheld this
summer scenery Of the Arctic, the more |
became bewildered with its wild grandeur
and wonderful beauty. That Northern
land seemed to me to be stupendously
majestic in its bold rocks and yawning
precipices large black headlands from
which you gaze down fearfully at the waters
rising and beating against the rugged
ramparts hundreds of feet beneath you !;
where plash waves emerald green, laboring
against pillows that are as blue as sapphire,
whilst from cliff to cliff the sea-birds never
rest from flying, tapping their dripping
wings in the bright spray and sunlight,
plaining piteously their discordant shrieks
and adding to the scene touch of wild
ness that Is strikingly impressive. Caves
of rock and glacier abound-deep dark
cayerns that reyerberate with charming
distinctness the roar of the dashing sea.
Clambering over rock and ice, far above
the sea, passing from cng to crag, new
glimpses of bay and ford, reach and
promontory meet you at every turn-high
rugged rocks, upon whose lodges glistened
with unsurpassed whiteness the everlasting
snow. IL was natures intention that this
should be wild spot but even in this
vast solitude l discovered beauty that |
least expected to witness, and as skirted
the shores on a bright day sometime after
we had entered the Arctic Circle, i not
unfrequently came upon protected, Sc
cluded locality amid the snow and ice
where the reflected rays Of the sun had
formed delightful miniature garden, green
with MOSES and shrubs, or what pass for
such in the paucity Of Arctic vegetation.
After several weeks bufetting with head
wasds and encountering an almost in
kerWisable succession Of fields Of thick
ribbed ice, we reached our supposed
destisstiea toward the latter part OF
August. aad came to anchor at the upper
end Of Repplss Bay, in cosy little har-
Dor, which we found to be situated in
latitude SO degrees 20 minutes north, and
longitude SO degrees ~ minutes west.
1t was on the day after my arrival in Re
pslse Bay that | was presepted 10 the late
Cspt. G. +. Hall. Then when entered
Cap<ain Halls f,pik, or seal skin tent,
piteked on an island not very far distant
from eur anchorage, discovered the
explorer seated, cross-legged, on a deer
Az. a. .s.s s.Na atda