New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1884-11-26
COMMANDER sCHLEY.
Fascination of the Arctic Regions-Buttine
an Iceberg.

EaSclnatlOn Oh the Afctlc RECOMMENDING
an Iceberg.
Had you any unexpected. expert
ences when yon got in the higher 1ati-
tudeS aside from the general one per-
tanning to the expeditionp''
oh, yes. One morning, for instance,
when the atmosphere was hazy from a
light fall Of snow, in going stiff nine
knot gait, we ran plump into an ice
berg that was in our way, and which
no one could see. For a moment I
thought every mast would go by the
board, and that my hair and teeth had
preceded them. / never got quite such
q shock. I was nearly thrown out of
the crows nest. / expected soon to
hear the Alert was leaking. But,
strange as it-may seem, with rebound
Of at least thirty feet, there was not a
seam started. It was almost miracu-
lous that we had no catastrophe, and
shows how thoroughly that ship was
built for just such encounters in those
seas. On another occasion, when over
against the Greenland coast, I counted
not less than 1900 icebergs that had
been pushed from the glacial formation
on the sloping headlands Of the coast
into the sea. We could occasionally
hear the cracking that indicated the
fissure; but the sight of these majestic
monarchs Of the sea sailing off in the
morning sunlight, with all the colors of
the prism, was something that can not
be described. Fascinating region! do
you ask? Never one more so. l
wanted to stay there awhile. Even the
men I took at New Bedford and New
London jumped at the chance to 90,
though some of them said they did not
expect to come back again. Why, af-
ter we got Greedy and our mission was
accomplished, never felt such pang
Of disappointment that, with seventy
two days Of Summer weather before
me, and an open sea, was obliged to
turn my prov homeward, and abandon
the chance to get higher latitude than
any other explorer. !"
s'Do you think you would have had a
success had you been at liberty to have
entered on such a trip?''
cit seemed so; at least, Just then.
And this leads me to say that the re-
mark | have quoted from Weyprecht
was vindicated in my experience. The
theory of Winter sojourning in the high
latitudes, in order to be on the ground
for another seasons continuance, is, in
my Judgment, all mistake. The men
might as well come home and have the
advantage of civilization. Nothing is
gained b4 remaining within the Arctic
G nrealized the next
sarlyy i the e6ndi-
And these condi-
open sea. Now,
ad1lite5 81 Ne waters are filled
with ice thatsit IS impossible to pene-
trate. The very next season every
strait, bay and channel is likely to be
open water. The winds, currents and
many unknown or undemonstrated in
fluences affect the ice. What should
be done is to get everything in readi-
ness early in the year, and by May or
early June be at the upper settlements.
Then follow promptly the open water,
and the occasion will come, sooner or
later, when the pole will be reached.
In my case could have got far to the
northward, and, if caught in the upper
seas, had provisions that would have
lasted possibly two years, before which
time should have worked out of the
trap. In this connection, let me tell an
anecdote. We were butting pretty eff
fectnally one day some ice that imped-
ed our progress, when one of the Dun
dee whaling captains said in admira-
ton of our prowess: 'Ye did that butt
ting in foine style. and it is a tough
ship that you have; but if you keep it
up you will ruin your ship for a second
season. Second seasOn!' exclaimed I
none for us, if you please! Weshall
find Greedy and be back again long be-
fore we begin to divide The seasons!'
And so it turned. "-Tr071 an Interview
IN the Boston Commonwealth.