The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-12-28
CHRISTMAS in THE ARCTIC RE-
GIONS.

S@sASA - ~ ~ ~>~SS ~ 49,
GIONS.
We were frozen in, within blight of
the coast in Camden Bay; to the north
ward of all our northern possessions !;
within the Arctic Circle, where there is
one long winter night for months, un-
broken by rising sun.
We had fingered too long on that
northern shore, where we had been
cruising through the short summer sea-
son for whale oil to feed the lamps at
home.
Home! home! The full meaning of
the word came to us as we sat round our
own dim-burniDg lamps down in eur own
well-protected quarters in the steefage
and talked of the loved ones whom we
had left there. Should we ever return
to them? Yes; every one believed it,
and we were still cheerful.
The sun had been long gone, and it
was Christmas time, and because it was
Christmas time we thought the more of
those we had left at home. Santa Claus,
too, and the stockings he used to fill
when we were there, came to our minds (;
and the sleigh.rides, the skating, coast
ing, and the dear girls who used to be
such help to us in enjoying it alive
remembered them, you may well believe,
and we talked of them as well. Every
man (of course we were all men, though
some were little under age) told about
his own particular girl and if you could
have heard us you would have thought
each one had an angel at home, sure.
You can't imagine how lovely the girls
become so far away! Just 90 beyond
the Arctic Circle and get frozen in and
you'll know all about it.
The girls-the dear girls I'VE could
only talk about them, but that was some
comfort. We were all resolved to carry
home something nice for them, at least,
and to that end we had been "scrim-
shaving" whalebone ever since the sun
had set.
don't think you will find scr7n,shap-
ing in the dictionary, for the word isn't
much used on shore. 1t means cutting,
etching, scratching, carving-making
all sorts of pretty things out of whale
bone. We had made jagging-knives, and
things to keep the girls straight, and
things which we had no names for, and
were still working away on our whale
bone "fixins" when Christmas came.
Twill tell you how zoe were " fixed"
The ship lay not far from the shore, and
within blight of the coast, as have
said, so that there was a semi.circle of
snow-covered hills in full view from our
decks, the nearest being hardly more
than q mile distant. Although we had
no sun, the moon was with US, round and
c,,D - ~ nd hn
covered hills glistened in its light. We
often walked as far as the hills, and some
times over them, to give our limbs the
exercise they needed, hut as yet had
never found anything attractive in that
direction.
We suffered less from the cold than you
might suppose. The ship was well pro-
yided with all sorts of warm clothing,
and the captain gave us all the extra gar
ments we needed. at the ships expense.
The quarters of the foremast hands had
been changed from the forecastle TO the
steerage, the space in which had been en-
larged sufficiently to accommodate them
as we'll as the boat steerers, and all but the
officers in the cabin now lived there to-
gether. The cabin was separated from
the steerage only by bulk-head.
The cabin contained stove, in which
a fire was kept always going, giving that
department moderate degree of heat.
The galley range had been lowered into
the steerage, where it stood little to
one side Of the hatchway, and having an
abundance of fuel, consisting in part OF
wbale-scraps,.a fire was kept constantly
going there also. Besides, the walls OF
our apartment were lined all around
with sails-of which we had large sup
ply, besides those we had unbent from
the yards after the ice had fastened upon
us-and all around outside the ship had
been banked with snow almost as high al
the rail. Indeed, we did not suffer with
cold much, but the moisture accumu-
lated in our close quarters to such an ex-
tent as to cause some discomfort from
that source.
The few light duties we had to perform
occupied but small portion of our time
and we were allowed to pass the re.
mainder of it pretty much in our own
way. 1t was almost worth while TO be
frozen in, for one reason at least: We
were not obliged to turn out every few
hours TO stand watch on deck. Still W.
had regular hours for sleep, and were
called out at an appointed time. w,
still felt that we were under our cap
tain's control, though his authority wa
much relaxed.
After all, it was not such a very bat
thing to be frozen in, except for its keep
ing us 80 much longer from home, anC
from all the world besides ourselves. Or
the whole, the time passed rather plea
antly. Having plenty of whalebone
both white and black, and tools to worl
it with, and withal turning-lathe, W,
passed more time in making fancy arti
cles for home than in any other way.
But as Christmas drew near there wa
some talk about visit from Santa Claus
From certain indications he might rea
sonably be expected, and il was evel
proposed that we should all hang up ou
stockings. Several of our number wer
making caps, mittens, mufflers and sucl
things, with which they were taking ur
usual paiDs-more than they would b
likely to if they were going to wear III
articles themselves-and this was wba
suggested TO us that Santa Claus nigh
possibly come.
Uncle Jim, our oldest man, was In
clned 10 laugh at the idea, however
He was of the opinion that Santa Clau
wouldn't come away up there Just I
please O few half-frozen wbalemen bu
IF he should come, he would want som,