The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-09-22
WHAT DANES ISLAND Is LIKE
Excellent Headquarters - Fighting Dogs.
Photographing the scenery-oyen's
Willingness to ReInain.
Icoprrirht. lsQl, by walter wellmnn.l

copyright. 1894, by Walter wellman.l
DANES ISLAND, Spitzbergen, May 10
This is our third day at our summer head
quarters, and we are nearly ready to try
our luck farther north BY evening we
shall finish our work here, the headquar-
ters will be fully fitted out, and if tho
wind will permit we shall steam out for
the true arctic waters, which are the bor-
ders Of tho unknown region.
When we went on deck on the morning
after arrival, we found ourselves lying in
beautiful ford, called "gat" on the
charts, after the Dutch, who in the last
century made this rendezvous for their
whaling ships, and surrounded on all sides
by high mountains, with sharp peaks, all
snow covered and with mighty glaciers
running down 60 the waters edge through
a number of the passes Over the sharp
points of the mountains the strong gale
was driving snow in dense clouds much
resembling a fog. 1t was n true arctic
scene, and one which we should have en-
joyed much more had not the gale made
the temperature of CD u. rather biting TO
the handsand noses OF those members of our
party who quickly lung themselves upon
the ice for the first good exercise we had
enjoyed for many long day. The Jarl
shore ends OF which were fast and afford
ell, therefore, a safe haven for the ship.
Less than haif mile from the steamer,
at the foot Of a rugged mountain, stood the
house of Mr.. Pike, an English gentleman
who comes nearly every year 20 Spitzber-
gen 10 hunt for deer, bear, seal and birds.
He was kind enough TO give us the use of
his house rent free, n courtesy which, you
may be sure. we fully appreciate. rs il
saves us not only a considerable expense,
but also n vast deal of annoyance and
time
IL is a surprisingly good house that Mr..
Pike uses "a his shooting box away up
here i'm the arctics It was constructed i'm
Tromso and first erected there the tim
bers being marked for rebuilding here.
Within 10 Is lined with boards and build
ing paper, and oil doors and window cas-
ings are as tight rs tight can hc. The
structure Is 40 feet long and IL feet wide,
divided into four rooms, each room hay-
ing within 10 good stove. One room IS
Mr.. Pike private apartment, on the walls
OF which one may see, written in charcoal,
the autographs OF any number OF lords and
other titled and distinguished gentlemen
who have been Mr. Pixies guests in this
remote retreat. Next 20 this IL a small
kitchen and entry, and then large liv.
ing or working room, and beyond that n
dormitory for the men, containing a num-
ber Of hunks Outside Is a shed or store
house, and the loft, which Is quite high
and roomy, Is also used for stores. Twcn.
ty or more men could here winter in per
feet comfort IL they had enough to eat.
Driftwood for fuel may be had n little
latter in the summer-driftwood that has
come from the West Indies with the gulf
stream which some oversmart scientists
are now trying to prove myth We found
tho key 10 the front door In the lock, left
there by Mr. Pixies orders, so that any
stranded fishermen seeking haven OF ref
uge might not be compelled to break In
doors or windows. We soon had an Amer
lean flag flying from the Flagstaff at the
western end Of the house, and as the col
ors ran mp they were salutcd with cheers
from our party. who by this time were
scattered all over the ice foes.
Orders were Issued which organized our
party fVT the days work. The house was