Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1886-02-15
THE ARCTIC SPRING.

In June, or as soon as strong
southerly wind breaks the ice, the
foes may be seen covered with spot
ted seals basking in the sunshine,
each one at bis own hole ready to
pop into the water at the least alarm.
1t is amusing to see the bewilder
ment of a young pup when it has
strayed away from its mother. Rails
ed on its hind fiippers, it gives vent
a series of pitiful cries, like help
less baby, until it hears the whine of
the mother and drags itself back to
her care. Gulls of numberless va
riety are now visitors, from the pure
white agile kind to the dark brown
gpillemQtfp aandO y, hiaskte skter wJbH4lAt wJbH Atnlh lhifdc
they fly round and round. now wheel
ing about, chasing each other in
sport, curving and swooping with
graceful actions. Then, as they rise
from the waters surface, the bright
drops falling glisten in the sunbeams
like shower of gold.
When the little creek by the house
burst its icy chains in May the noise
of its ripping and leaping over the
rocky obstacles seemed like music to
our ears, accustomed as they were to
the silence of the past winter, and
its murmur like a welcome to the
coming spring. How lovely are the
evenings of the Arctic springtide !
The sunset is followed by pale
yellowish tint on the western horizon,
under which the ice CLEANS and
glows like a field of gold. Fading
away, this yellowish light is succeed
ed by soft grayish tint, which does
not deepen, but enables one to read
throughout the entire night. So
evenly diffused is this light that
there is not the faintest approach to
shadow, and solemn sense of
calm repose rests on land and sea,
the birds and animals seeking repose
as if total night prevailed. But a
brief space and the sun rises again
in full glory, touching the eastern
sky with roseate hues and the merry
chirping and singing of our feathered
visitors is again heard. Man alone
in these regions heeds no resting
time. The natives sleep but little
during the spring and summer. For
to them spring is the whaling period
the time for laying in a stock of
whale meat and blubber for the win.
| ter, a time to chase the fleet
bowhead to obtain the precious bone
| for barter with the white stranger.
| At this period men and women re-
main on the ice for days, eating raw
seal meat or blubber, cooked food
being inadmissible when they are en-
gagged catching whales. When the
big fish is caught it is hacked and
cut up and taken by sleds to the vii
lage, every one receiving piece ot
flesh OF blubber. Young whale meat
is not to be despised, and the thick
black skin, with super tissue OF
creamy white fat is good when
fresh. So, too, the white cartilage
nous matter at the base of the gums
is eaten, resembling in taste the flaw
or of hazel nut.
But even the Arctic spring has its
unpleasant side. The heat of the
sun, acting upon the dark and soggy
lands and upon the vast ice fields
causes dense vapor to rise, render
ing navigation hazardous and troub-
lesome. Then, too, the continued
prevalence of southerly winds drives
the ice into compact mass in the
distant whaling grounds, and unless
northerly winds set in the ships art
prevented from working their way tt
the limits. So, the brief summer
steals over these inhospitable regions
lasting but three months, when thu
snow begins to fall again and th
ices embrace is once more over SCI
and land.
No can adequately describe the suffering