The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-05-29
CHAPTER TX.
THE POLE.

~ IXTEEN DAYS ONLY SIXTEEN
~ days! II might have been sixteen
~ years to look at them. Two haggnrd
spirits, blnsted by the boisterous conflict
against icy chasns, binding snow, terrible
wind and deadly cold, starvation and
slespless anxiety. staggered slowly on.
He who walked in advanos had a resoluts
air and bore his head high. His eyes, fever :
ish and bleared with privation. still looked
about the desolate "ics- scaps'' with the I'M
moving intelligence OF q ptsrmignn. He
sought the sun itself, which no longer rose
and fell with the day, but circled endlessly
on its parallel course with the malsdict
horizon. Here 10 NO rising and NO setting.
no night, no day, no revolution, and no
change. Here upon the apex of the globe
upon the axis of the earth, tho prophecy 10
fulfilled that there shall be NO more
time.''
That delusive mode of duration which il
formed in the mind by its own powe Of
observing and measuring passing object
has NO place here. Why? Because the idea
Of time refers to the only particular me-
ridian on which a person happens to be-
placed, and is marked by the distance Of
some heavenly body from that meridian.
But where all meridians meet-namely,
at the pOle-apparent time has no exist
ence.
This march they had crawled for six
hours. At last the sergeant halted and
laid down his emaciated bundle. Ho went
back and took the tutor tenderly by the
arm, and supported hin to the spot which
he had chosen because it gave q shelter
from the desolate wind.
I'VE will rest here for a few hours and
eat" said Ssrgt. Wilitwig, as he helped his
companion along. You'll feel better soon,
old fellow" he added. with affected Cheer
fuln essa after a pause. 1--WE must be there.
The tutor answered with a rare smile. He
carried no load. The awful dash into the
north had been too much for this lad. He
was no longer able to make the observations
for which he had come. The sergeant had
guided them himself during the last three
days. 4 -A
Among other instruments they carried a
spirit compass. Being one OF the finest
made. it was heavy. With this they had
hoped to measure the magnetic curves
about the pole. But why not use it TO
guide them to the pole itself?
Its no use carving this any more"
said the sergeant, sadly. Every ounce Of
weight added to the hardships that we're now
becoming intolerable. He had inspected
one instrument after smother and had de-
clded against the innocent ompass
I'll carry it," pleaded the tutor.
But what real use is it now, We only go
by the sun. This needle points plumb
south. It's ne earthly use.''
Very WE'LL" said the tutor, YEARLY.
They wsre now less than a twelfth of q de-
gree from the nineteenth latitude. Long
since the nesdle had turned ri9h. about
face. n pointed steadily backward at she
magnetic pole, which Sir James Ross deter
mined to be At seventy degrees ave min
utes north and ninty-six degrees forty-two
minutes west; nearly 100 miles south of
the geographical pole. on which these two
madmen hoped soon to stand.
The last observation placed them within
five miles of the ninetieth degree of latitude
within five miles of their stupendous des-
tination.
"Let me stay here until you come back?''
urged the tutor after the eleventh day.
by heavens, nor answered the sergeant
with a strong exclamation. He shouidsred