Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-01


the hurly-burly excitement of decision,
OF preparation, of departure and of the first
hours OF their unique experience, individu-
alltles were less pronounced or less import
ant. But now the time had come for the
personality of each passenger to express it.
self. 1t was surprise to the veteran chief
that so young, SO delicate and so sensitive
man should dare the overwhelming perils OF
such hazardous journey. 1t seemed as if the
first blast from the icy lips of Boreas could
penetrate the tutors thin and bony
body, and CONCEAL his insubordinate hope
His face was unshorn and fair. He didn't
look dav over 1S, and was "a He had
full brows, eyes set tar apart-a token of
great perception and acquisitive power
and thin lips that told of quiet, unbrag-
ging, reliable determination. If his frail
physique could support the demands made
upon it by his nervous will, no Arctic ex-
plorer would desire better stuff for First
Lieutenant
1t was Sergeant willtrig's daring, endur-
ing, long-sufering stubbornness and tre-
mendous vitality that enabled him to attain
the highest altitude reached by mortal foot
1t was the combination of unusual ideality
with mechanical ingenuity that made Prof.
Wilder the most dramatic figure in modern
invention.
The two boys hadn't much to offer to the
expedition. On the contrary, though they
knew it not, they were the sources of the
Sergeant's chief arxieties. Did they have
q consuming desire to discover the North
Pole? They could have turned their
superabundant but, at times, ill-regulated
enthusiasm as well, upon the plains of
Thibet or the mountains of the moon. This
was in their eyes gigantic adventure-the
biggest lark of the century. And that gen.
erpl md a1 of
the right handspring to qualify them for
this trip.
This is awtully exciting, but after all I'd
rather take steamer, runaway engine, or
broncho," said Jack to Royal
Royal nodded
These were manly fellows, but we can't
force heroism upon them. In this hurricane
flight in midair they did well not to shrek
to be let down.
II don't hardly dare to move, !" said Royal
in return. 81 feel as if change of balance
would tip the machine over, and then where
would we be?"
''In the bouillon," said Jack, In easy
slang with shake af his head.
They say there is no hunting at the
North Pole, observed Royal with a sigh.
Il suppose We'll have to lecture about it
when we get back
IF We do get back" answered Jack
Hardy, with a snake of his head, "you see
If this thing breaks down, we're up the
stump. As far as downright speculation
goes, I'd rather invest my securities in
Oklahoma corner lots But you never can
tell If this thing goes through shall get
up syndicate to turn the pole into sum-
mer resort. The trip might pay me that
way
''Oh, did you speak?" asked the leader
ohcapf nniDdad1v furnin1 forord =
eyes, sir. Have you decided on your
course?"
"We will take the direct line up Fox
Channel You'll have to take snap shots
every five minutes I wish to make a re-
liable survey, of that chain of islands,
winch l believe extends to the pole"
The Sergeant relapsed again into reverie.
No wonder he was silent, for, in the next
few hours, he was to pass with the CELEBRITY
of cloud above channel and islands made
memorable by the glorious names of Frank,
lin, Ross, Mcclure. McClintock,s Kane,
Parry, De Haven, Hayes and Hall, and
others whose bodies will remain with their
thrilling stories in silent, glacial obscurity
until the universal awaking of the dead,
and the unrolling of the scroll that records
heroic deeds.
"What is this racket I've heard about an
open polar sea?" Jack Hardy popped out
the question so suddenly after half an
hours intense cogitation that it caused
genuine sensation. "a man must be q
born idiot" he continued, 'to think the
water can't freeze at fifty degrees below
zeroi'' e..
People have thought that warm cur
rents are generated at the pole itself, which
are frozen as soon as they reach the Seth
latitute, replied the Sergeant quietly,
''Did not Kane think he saw the opening
of vast Polar sea from Cape Independence
in latitude so, % minutes?' asked the
tutor modestly.
eyes; so did Morton in 1854, but he forgot
that even from height of 4S0 feet he could
not possibly see more than twenty-five
miles, and that the atmospheric effect is
most illusory. 1 have seen twice an open
Polar sea in wonderful mirage. Water
skies are delusive."
"But is there one, Captain, that's the
point?" demanded Jack. "I'd like TO get
little information on the subject"
'T hope you'll get it by experience.
What do you say?" asked the Sergeant,
turning with fatherly motion toward the
tutor.
"Of course, l have no experience, and
only theory" answered Mr.. Ball timidIy,
'tand you men laugh at theory and deity
experience. If there is a Polynia' or open
Polar Sea, perpetually unobstructed by ice.
then it cannot be explained by volcanic
theory; for thousand spluttering vol
canoes would not suffice to keep thousands
of square miles of water from freezing in
temperature lar below freezing. Therefore,
it can only be due to the Gulf stream as it
flows northward through its broad channel,
east Of Spitzbergen, and through Davis
Strait. II the frigid polar waters are con-
tinually displaced by this warm current
from the tropic, there might be such sea.
But here, again, there must be a steady out
flow, as there is an inflow. Explorations
have proved that there is not Whatever
the temperature of the Polar Sea 80 feet be-
low the surface, it must be covered by sue
cessive layers of paleocryptic ice. Inas-
much, according to Captain Mares, as the
sun is not sufficiently powerful to Produce a
thaw after hard winter, until it has at
tanned an altitude of 800, it is doubtful
whether the ice at the pole ever melts above
the eighty-ftth degree. 1t is meteorologi-
cal impossibility that there should be an
open Polar Sea"
As the young man finished, Royal looked
up from the Atkinson cooker, where, ac-
cording to the cook book, he ought to have
nroduoed nv this time a tapiona puddino