Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-01-10


yellows, the livery Of antarctic beeches.
This lack of snow where snow is most
expected is due to the prevailing west
ern winds, which come laden with mois-
ture from over the limitless Pacific,
melting the snow as it falls.
THE ISLAND OF HORN.
Seen from a distance there is nothing
especially striking about the Island OF
Horn or Hoorn, whose celebrated cane
is nearest TO the south pole Of any dis
covered land, as IL Is the stormiest and
most dreaded by mariner. But interest
increases with nearer view OF the
high, bleak cliffs that form the south
ern promontory, which, towering 10 a
height of 1000 feet, can be distin-
guished from the decks OF passing YES
sells fifty miles away. Close by is a
little group OF islauds-Hermito, high
and rugged; Wallaston, HersChel and
Deceit, whose mountains rise in sharp
peaks from 1000 TO 5000 feet high, all
composed OF green stone, in which
horneblende, filspar are conspicuous,
their lower decliYities thickly covered
| with dark forests. 1t was the English
man, Drake, believf, who first sighted
the cape, about the year 1878, and near
" forty years later, in 1915, tie Dutch
navigator, Schouten, named it HoOrn,
from his native town in Holland. Near
the Christmas tide OF 17T4 Capt. Cook,
| while examining these coasts, was
forced to seek refuge from the storm
tossed sea in sheltered spot, which he
named christmas sound" and in the
| month Of October Of this good year 81
the party which includes your cores
| pondent, following in his footsteps and
those OF subsequent explorers, passed a
wretched night rolling at anchor in the
same spot.
The notorious promontory still keeps
I'd its ancient reputation and made US
paw the usual tribute 10 the restless
spirit of the place. When approached
the weather-beaten cape hid her face
| like a modest virgin behind veil of
mist of and spray, while black clouds
scudded across the heavens and squalls
OF rain and hail, accompanied by ter
rife wind, made it impossible 10 stand
upon the deck that was constantly
washed by sheets Of spray. Ice hung
moving Alps. with deep valleys
between, came laundering toward US in
an unbroken line; while screaming sea
birds swept round and round In narrow
ing circles, as those birds will when a
severe gale approaches. One mo
ment we were almost bacalmed
in the hollow OF the seas; the next
| we were on their summit, caught by
unseen hands that seemed about TO lift
the tiny ship in malicious sport and
dash il to destruction. And so, as dis
erection seemed TO be by all odds the bet
ter part Of valor, we turned our backs
on the capricious cape aud sought the
shelter of Christmas sound till calmer
weather. Nobody thought OF retiring
on that terrible night, though probably
il was no worse than hundreds upon
hundreds of other voyagers have ex-
perienced in these waters; and when the
mysterious sea, with its dark masses
and snowy creSts, yields mp It's dead
greater company will arise from this
locality than from any other on the face
of the earth. Daylight found US in
Eyrlc sound, with icebergs jostling one
another on either hand, all floating out
ward toward the sea.
Some days sfterward we actually did
roach Hoorn Island and went ashore,
though only for moment, Drawing a
drerching in the raging surffor the sat
isfaction OF having to say that our feet
had touched the southernmOst lands
end-the very iumping-otf place Of all
creation. l am yet too much oppressed