The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1877-12-27


reached us for 40 many long weeks Our
world was only in our ship, and all
around us, in the half-light Of the weary
mono,onous artic night, lay the appar-
emily boundless desert of ice, while the
snow-laden hurricane howled and moaned
through the silence. We thought, too
of our mates on our companionship, the
Hansea, from whom we had been separa-
ted. Did they still live? Had they been
10 fortunate as to reach the shore, and
were they, like us, honoring Christmas? =?
Who could tell
"For days before the festival an un-
usual activity was observable all over the
ship; and as soon as the severe storm
which ragged from December l6 TO De-
cembcr Il had abated, parties were
organized, under our botanist, DIR.
Pansch, to certain points of Sabine island,
near TO which we were anchored, where,
in a strangely sheltered nook, several
varieties of the native Greenland plant,
Aniromccta fetra9ona, were to be found.
A great quantity of this plant was con-
veyed on board to be converted into
Christmas tree. Under the orders of DR..
Pansch, the Andromeda was wound round
small pieces of wood, several of which
we're attached, like fir twigs, to large
bough; and when these boughs we're
fastened to pole they formed very
respectable fir tree.
CATER dinner on Christmas day the
cabin was cleared for the completion of
the preparations; and on our recall at six
o'clock, we found that all had assumed
IN unwontedly festive appearance. The
walls were decorated with the signal-tlags,
and our national eagle; and the large
cabin table, somewhat enlarged to make
room TO seat seventeen men, was covered
with a clean white cloth, which had been
reserved for the occasion. On the table
stood the "fr" tree, shining in the
spendor of many little wax lights, and
ornamented with all sorts of little treas
ures, some of which, such as the gilded
walnuts, had already seen Christmas in
Germany; below the tree was a small
present for each oius,proyided long before
hand, in readiness for the day, by loving
friends and relatives at home. There was
a packet, too, for each of the crew, con.
tanning some little Joking gift, prepared
by the mirth-loving DR.. Pansch, and Il
useful present also; while the officers
were each and all remembered.
"When the lights burned down and
the resinous Andromeda was beginning
to take fire the tree was put aside, and II
feast began, at which full justice was
done to the costly Sicilian wine, with
which friend had generously supplied
us before we left home. We had a dish
of roast seal Some cakes were made by
the cook, and the steward produced his
best stores. For the evening, the division
between the fore and aft cabins was re-
moved, and there was free intercourse
between officers and men, many toast
was drunk to the memory OF friends at
home, and at midnight polar ball was
improvised 10y dance on the ice. The
boaswan-the best musician of the
f party--seated himself, with his hand
organ, between the anters of reindeer
which lay near the ship, and the men
danced two and two on their novel floor
ing of hard ice
"Such WAS our experience of a Christ
mas in the north polar circle; but the
uncertainties of arctic voyagng are great,
and the two ships of our expedition made
trial OF the widely different fates which
await the traveller in those frozen regions,
and while we on the Germania were sin
gularly fortunate in escaping accidents
and in keeping our crew, in spite of some
hardships, in sound health and good
spirits, the lIansea was crushed by the
ice, and her crew, after facing unheard Of
dangers, and passing two hundred days
on block OF ice, were barely rescued to
return home"
Yet even to the crew of the ill-tateJ
Hansea Christmas brought some share
of festivities. The tremendous gale
1 which had ragged for many days ceased
Just before the day, and the heavy fall OF
G snow with which it terminated and
, which had almost buried the black huts
\ that the shipwrecked men had construct
ed for themselves upon the drifting ice
, bergs from the debris of the wreck, had
/ produced a considerable rise in the tenn
perature, and there was every indication
that season of calm might now be
, anticipated.
. The log book of the Hansea thus
7 describes the celebration of the festival
"The tree was erected in the afternoon,
r while the greater part Of the crew took
9 a walk and the lonely hut shone with
t wonderful brightness amid the snow.
9 Christmas upon n Greenland iceberg
The tree was artistically put together of
4 fir wood and mat weed, and DR.. Laube
8 had saved twist of wax.taper for the
3 illumination. Chains of colored paper
8 and newly baked cakes were not wanting,
4 and the the men had made n knnpsack
v and a revolver case as present for the
II captain. We opened the leaden chests OF
: presents from Prof. Hochstetter and the
geological society, and were much amused
d by their contents. Each man had glass
:, OF port wine and we then turned over
s the old newspapers which we found IN
r the chests and drew lots for the presents,
), which consisted of small musical instrli-
7, ments, such as flies, jewsharps, trumpets,
|, crackers, etc. In the evening we feasted
n on chocolate and gingerbread"
& "We observed the day very quietly"
n writes DR.. Laube in his diary. Ii
h this Christmas be the last we are to see,
e it was at least cheerful one but
:, should happy return home be decree,|
!, for us, the next will, we trust, be iol
h brighter. May God so grant !"-Chom
: btrs' Journal.