The Redwood gazette., 1894-12-06

~ ~ = s.
THE IMPAssABLE ROAD.
Of storms unit not piece of level surface
larger than a hedchamber remained. The
day was clear, and with the glass we could
see long distance in every direction.
Everywhere it was the same, and that
same as bad as bad could be, everywhere
the same high barriers alternating with
sludgy pools through which we had been
struggling. We could not fail to under
stand the significance of this view. Its
meaning was defeat, the absolute impossi-
hility of progress to the north, bitter disap-
poihtment for every man in the party.
But this is the fortune of war. Though
we could organize one of the best parties
that ever attempted arctic work, with an
equipment more perfect and adaptable
than was ever before employed, we must
bow to the obstacles which nature has
placed in our way. We have run against a
stone wall and are not foolish enough to
beat our brains out against it. There are
seasons in which a pa1ky like ours would
be able swiftly to advance to the far north,
Picturesque Ice Scenery.
1t behooves us to bear in mind that we
have a long line of retreat before us. We
may even have to make our way over the
ice and along the coast all the way to
Danes island, fully 200 miles of travel
from our present camp. The road is rough
and full of difficulties, as we have found
to our cost, and besides there is the much
dreaded Hinlopen to cross. The dense ice
fogs are becoming more and more fire.
quent and when the heaviest fogs come
we must lie idle perhaps for days at a
time, it being then as impossible to ad
vance as it would be in the darkest night
Our means of retreat and of escape from
| Spitzbergen are uncertain enough to cause
| almost any one to have started back long
before this.
| In our vain search for a road to the
| north we encountered some of the most
picturesque ice we have yet seen on ou1
| journey, nearest the rocky coast the thick
shore ice, in some places upheaved by the
terrific pressure of the pack outside into
hillocks, with valleys and caverns be-
tween. This shore ice acts as continue
tion of the land. Upon it beautiful little
lakes of perfectly fresh water are formed
with blue ice shore and azure islets within
them. Down from the glaciers on the
mountain side runs many river of water
and in places these have worn caves under
the heavy ice near the shore in which a 10
comotive could be buried. Some of these
caves are covered with crusts of snow, a:
the writer found today, to his cost, whe1
he fell in one about ten feet deep, though
luckily escapingwithout any more seriou:
injury than a few abrasions of the skin
On picking himself up'' after his fall h.
found himself in cavern which Luray o.
the Mammoth cave could not surpass fo1
true beauty. The bottom was a pebbly
beach, with a stream Of water gurglins
through it. The walls, inclosing cham
ber large enough for queens audienc,
chamber, were of blue ice as clear as tht
blue of Italy's far famed sky. The roof
broken only by the hole through which W,
had fallen, was a thin crust of snow
through which the sunshine was tryine
its best to break, illumining the scene
with a soft light, as of the rays of an elec
trio incandescent lamp strained through
myriad Of crystals Small cataracts fell
from one ice foe to another occupying &
lower level, and here and there a spring
or what would have been a spring upon
terra firma, bubbled out from under some
large mass.
Forced to Retreat.
July I've acknowledged defeat a,
the hands of the ice king by giving the or
der to retreat to Walden island as rapidly
as possible. The men appeared to be ever
more disappointed than we ourselves, and
with Captain Petersen as spokesman they
begged for an opportunity to make one
more effort to move to the north over the
rugged ice. We perceived that this offe1
came more from their zeal than their judg
ment, and assuring them of our deep ap
probation of their loyalty decided that il
was useless to waste more time and hu.
man strength in attempting to perform
! the impossible.
1t was with sad hearts that we pulled
down the tent and packed the boats fol
the beginning of our return trip. In order
/ to notify DR.. Mohun and his little party
of the change of plan, Captain Petersen
and the writer started for the camp on
Walsh island, intending to send back Dahl,
Franklin and Hovde to help the Lock.
wood crew over the rough shore ice and
across the strait. Imagine our disappoint-
ment upon ascending the heights of Cape
Scott to see that the strait through which
we had rowed for two miles a few days
ago was now not only completely filed
with pack ice, but the smooth shore ice
which had surrounded it was nearly all
broken up. Nothing could better illus
trate the sort of luck which has attended
our enterprise since the 18th day of May.
During the week that we were camped at
Walsh Island waiting e the &c e ct 8
southwestern storm, the lake between that
island and the Reps constantly grew in
size. On Monday it extended nearly from
| one island to the other, and we came across
with ease. Today it is maelstrom OF
/ crushing, saving ice, through which even
| man could not make his way.
In an effort to make our way to Walsh
! island Captain Petersen and took long