Connecticut western news., 1884-10-22
WHAT COMMANDER sCHLEY SAYS.
Fascination of the Arctic Reaions-ButtInR
 an Iceberg.

"Had you any unexpected experiences when you got into the higher attitudes aside from the general one pertaining to the expedition 2'
 "Oh, yes. One morning, for instance, when the atmosphere was hazy from a slight fNll of snow, in going stiff nine- knot gait, we ran plump into an iceberg that was in our way, and which no one could see. For a moment l thought every mast would go by the board, and that my hair and teeth had preceded them. never got quite such shock. 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 30 feet, there was not a seam started. It was almost miraculous that we had no catas- trophe, and shows how thoroughly that ship was built for just such encounters in those seas. On another occasion, when over against the Greenland coast, counted not less than 1,500 icebergs that had been pushed from the glacial formation Ion the sloping headlands of the coastJ Jinto the sea. We could oc- casionally hear the crackling that indi- cated the Assure; but the sight of these majestic monarchs of the sea sailing of in the morning sunlight, with all the colors of the prism, was something that cannot be described. Fascinating re- zion ? do you ask. Never a one more so. I wanted to stay there awhile. Even the men took at New Bedford and New London jumped at the chance to go, though some of them said they did not expect to come back again. Why, after we got Greedy, and our mission was &C., complished, never felt such a pang of disappointment that, with 72 days of summer weather before me, and an open sea, I wss obliged to turn my prov homeward and abandon the chance to get a higher latitude than any other explorer"
 "Do you think you would have had a success had you been at liberty to have entered on BuCn Lrlp
 'It seemed so; at least, just then. And this leads me to say that the re- mark I have quoted from Weyprecht was vindicated in my experience. Thetheo- ry of winter sojourning in the high lati- tude in order to be on the ground for another seasons continuance Is, in my | judgment, all a mistake. The men might as we'll come home and have the advantages of civilization. Nothing is gained by remaining within the Arctic circle that cannot be realized the next season by starting early if the conditions are favorable. And these conditions rest upon an open sea. Now, some sea- sons all the waters are filled with ice that it is impossible to penetrate. The very next season, every strait, bay and channel is likely to be open water. The winds, currents and many unknown and undemonstrated influences effect the ice. What should be done is to get every thing in readiness 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 I should have worked out of the trap. In this connection let me tell an anecdote. We were putting pretty effectually, one day, some ice that impeded our progress, when one of the Dundee whaling captains said in admi- ration of our prowess 'Ye did that but tering in foine style, and it is 8 tough ship that you have; but if you keep ii up you will ruin your ship for 8 second season. Second season r exclaimed I; none for us, if you please We shall find Greedy and be back again long before we begin to divide the seasons r And ao if turned ont "