Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-10-31

shone upon US through a misty or smoky at
mosphere and bathed the islands in the vicinity
with soft. rich light. Our cannon fred and
band played. A sort of Intoxlcation of ex-
element swept over the steamer. The soberest
hurrahed and sang and the lighter minded
danced and drank with redoubled vigor and
enthusiasm.
We saw the midnight sun to the best advan-
tage at North Cape itself, 71o 10. Early in the
evening we steamed into the little bay to the
east and south of the cape. Before supper the
captain embarked US in row boats and set us
ashore for the ascent. His plan was that we
should climb to the top, see what was to be
seen, and return to the steamer by II o'clock,
deck.
ON NORTH CAPE.
We toiled up zigzag path, pulling our
selves up for a considerable part Of the way by
ropes fastened to iron supports. After the
climb of nearly thousand feet we followed a
guiding wire for long distance across a
plateau to the PERCEPTIONS northern edge OF the
cape, from which we looked out across the
open polar sea toward Spitzbergen and the
pole. We hung over the very edge of this
volcanic mount tain, and looked down its bleak
jagged, deeply cleft walls of dark gray slate to
the sea beneath. Visitors from the ship were
scattered over the summit as inclination led
them. some collecting geological specimens
and flowers, some throwing stones over the
precipice into the ocean, some exploring all
the corners of the plateau, with the varied views
Of ocean, rocky surface and snow deposits,
some drinking the cham payne which was the
sole article in the stock of an enter
plising vendor. who occupied a wooden
structure on the summit, some sketching, some
gazing dreamity out upon the mysterious ex-
panse Of the Arctic ocean and endeavoring to
realize that they were within few days steam
ing distance Of the POLE and some were col
iected IN groups engaged as ccnspirators in
organizing the great Neptun
NORTH CAPE STRIKE.
For x1en the time crived at which the summit
must be left to enable the return to the steamer
to be made by IL o'clock, as planned by the
captain, the American Passengers revolted
They had come seve, al thousand miles to be on
North Cape at midnight, they intended to re-
outstanding, and they did A few Of the
more timid passengers, with tine fear Of the cap
tain Cr q longing for supper impelling
them, returned seasohably to the steamer
and reported the mutihy, but the
majority Of the passengers enjoyed on
North Cape the brightest midnight Of which
it 10 possible to conceive. There was absolutely
nothing to suggest the night On other even
ings we saw the midnight sun in varied phases
at times nearly down to the horizon and with
the atmosphere in such cloudy OF misty condi-
ton that the orb presented the angry biood-red
appearance which some Of the poets attribute
to the midnight sun, and there was that weird
duskiness in the air which suggested an eclipse
or the fulfllment OF Isaiah's prophecy of the
time when ''the light shall be neither clear nor
dark" But there was no ambiguity about the
sun on the night Of July II, as seen from North
Cape. The sky was cloudless and clear and
the sun shone bright and dazzling as on a
summer afternoon in our latitude. There
was nothing whatever strange or uncanny
in its light The barren and desolate
scenery, and appreciation Of the lonesome iso-
lation Of the situation in this Arctic latitude,
gave one the sensation of being an uncomforta-
bly, long way from home, but the sun himself
was the familiar Washington o'clock iuminary.
As midnight approached the Neptun passen-
gers and the passengers from another steamer
the northernmost edge Of the cape. A number
Of our German friends testified to the thrilling
character Of the occasion by collecting around
the granite monument erected on the summit
In honor OF King Oscars visit in 1873, and
drinking countless bottles Of beer, which they
had brought with them, which. In fact, accom-
panied them in every visit to . wonder Of
nature On the trip-the more extraordinary
the sight, the more beer consumed.
They drank and sang and placed
empty bottles on the top Of Oscars
monument and playfully smashed them. And
90 the midnight found this group. Tho English
Aocked by themselves and at the stroke of
II sang with great solemnity ''God Save
the Queen. The Americans were here and
there and everywhere. Some Of them
marked the midnight hour by taking kodak
snap shots at their friends and the summit
scenery. There was difference in time be-
tween the watches Of the passengers Of the two