The Penn's Grove record., 1884-06-14
Life in an

In the story of the Jeanette's cruise,
as told by Capt. Do Long i'll his diary,
occurs this narrative of a summer day
in the Arctic's realms
June 21st, Monday.-The advent and
departure of another day to record and
except that it is the longest day in the
year to some people Though not, of
course, to us, since we have the sun the
whole twenty-four hOurs), it is hardly
worth recording. Observations show
us that we have drifted, since the 10Th,
eleven and three-tenth miles to 5 $50 E.
Discouraging very. And yet my motto
is, 'Hope on, hope ever" A very good
one it is when ones surroundings are
more natural than ours but situated
as we are it is better i'll the abstract
than in realization. There can be no
greater wear and tear on a mans mind
and patience than this life IN the pack.
The absolute monotony the unchang-
ing round of hours the awakening to
The same things and the same conditions
that one saw just before losing ones
self in sleep +; the same faces the same
dogs the same ice the same convic-
ton that tomorrow will he exactly the
same IS to-day, if not a little more dis
agreeable !; the absolute impotence to do
anything, to go anywhere, or to change
ones situation an lota the realization
that food ia being consumed and fuel
burned With no valuable result, beyond
sustaining life the knowledge that no
thing has been accomplished thus far to
save this expedition from being denom-
mated an utter failure ; all these things
crowd in with irresistible force on my
reasoning powers each night as | sit
down to reflect on the events of the
day, and but for some still small voice
within me, that tells me this can hardly
be the ending of all my labor and zeal,
| should be tempted to despair.
All our books are read, our stories re-
lated our games OF chess, cards and
checkers long since discontinued. When
we assemble in the morning at breakfast
we make daily a fresh start. Any
dreams, amusing or peculiar, are related
and laughed over. Theories as to wheth-
er we shall eventually drift n. L. or N.
w. are brought forward and disc used.
Seals liyers as "a change of diet are pro-
nounced a success. The temperature
of the morning watch is inquired into,
the direction and velocity of the wind,
and if it is showing las it generally is)
we call it a '.ine summer day" After
breakfast we smoke. Chip gets a
sounding and announces a drift L. 5.
E. or s.. E., as the 5 may be. We
groWl thereat. Dunbar and AleXey go
off for seals with as many dogs IS do
not run away from them en- route, The
doctor examines Danenhower and lver-
sen, his two chronic patients, Melville
draws a little for this journal, sings a
little, and stirs everybody up to Il reali-
zation that it is daytime. Eisenhower
talks necessarily, on any or all subjects,
with or without an audience. The
doctor moTaliZes between observations.
I smoke; Mr.. Newcomb makes his pre-
parations for dredging specimens Mr..
Collins has not appeared, his usual hour
being II. 30 in the afternoon. Mean
while, the men have been set at work;
a sled and dogs ar despatched for the
days snow for washing purposes. The
decks are cleared up, %soundings made,
berth deck inspected, and the W Tk of
painting scTapIng, or whatever is on
bond commenced. The days ratiOns
are served out To the cook, II then we
commence to drift out on tn ice to dig
bitches, to look at the dogs, calculate
the waste in the ice since yesterday,
and the probable amount by tomorrow.
The dredge is lowered and hauled. |
get the sun at meridian, and we 90 to
dinner. After dinner o smoke, more
drawing. more singing, more talk, more
ditch and cahal-maklug, more hunting,
more work, more dog inspection, and
some attempts at mapping until 4 r. M,
when we are all around for anything
that may turn up. AT $50, time and
azimuth sight, post position in cabin,
make chart, go to supper at 6, and dis
cuss our drift, and then smoke. talk and
general kill time occupations until 10
p. NJ, when the day is ended. The noise
subsidies. those who can, go to bed t; |
write my log and my Journal, make the
observations for meteorology until mid
night. Mr.. Collins succeeds me four
hours, Chip him four hours, the doctor
next four hours, Mr.. Collins next six
hours, | next two hours, Melville next
two hours, and | end the day agaiu, and
so il goes.
Staten Island censuses 40, 900 resi-