Iron County register., 1896-10-22

4
the latitude 10 be 81 degrees 40 minutes
north, while the river which ran be-
meath concluded to be the Mackenzie
river, in longitude 121 degrees 20 min
utes west. The variation of the COM
pass had increased since leaving Cali
fornia; but, by consulting my tables of
magnetic variation and DETECTION, /
was enabled TO frame an approximate
northerly course; and determined now,
as there were no more mountain ranges
to cross, to keep as closely as could
to the 121st meridian.
After passing Great Bear lake, no ex-
animation of the chart was necessary to
tell US that we had entered the Arctic
circle. The biting breeze from the
east, and the sun which, though skirt
| ing the horizon, seemed never to ap-
proach it, were sufficient to acquaint
| us with this fact. The air of the cabin.
! excepting in the immediate region of
| the stove, was keen and bitter in the
| extreme. Auchincloss' business. ex-
! cept that of oiling the machinery, hav-
/ ing been found to be a sinecure, with
such regularity did ali portions do their
work, he had, half an hour previously,
| come into the cabin, and was engaged
/ in cooking some food for dinner;
previous to doing which he had con-
! verted two of the buffalo robes and
blankets into very rough leggings with
| the aid of brad-awl and some leather
laces. At 3:15, while engaged in TAX
| ing hasty meal, with the welcome adj
dition of hot grog, one of US eating
while the other attended to the charg-
| fr,or ~ = - i 7 Il
broken line of water, and in few min
| utes we were flying over the Arctic
ocean. At 3: IS, we again deserted land,
which a reference to the map showed
me must be Barring island. An hours
| passage brought us again to an open
| sea, which examination proved to be
Banks strait. At five p. m. we again
reached line of coast. which / pre-
sumed to be Prince Patrick's island,
| and accordingly knew that we had
reached the nth parallel of lati
| tude, or less than 900 miles from the
pole. having actually traversed the dis
tance of $500 miles in little over 12
hours!
| AS it was not my object to approach
| the region of the pole until nearly mid
night, when l could take an observa-
| ton to determine its true location, I
resolved if possible to find some Es-
kimo village where we could obtain
suitable wraps to continue our voy-
age, since neither of US now
dared to leave the vicinity of
| the stove for more than a minute or
two at a time, or without quickening
| the circulation of the blood with copi-
Gus draughts of spirits. This latter
seemed to be wholly appropriated by
| the extremities and external portions
of the body without being conveyed to
| the brain.
We now slackened our speed and rose
| into the air, so that / might have a
more extended view through my bincc-
ular of the region beneath me, and if
possible catch sight of an Eskimo viii
lage. 1 was able to sweep a circle of
some ten miles radius, and, after GO
ing over some 20 miles of territory, /
deserted on the horizon what thought
we wanted. Again turning on our pro-
pelling power, run of few minutes
brought us over the place, which proved
to be settlement of some 80 huts, so
we proceeded to drop down upon them
at few yards distance. When we got
to within 200 or 600 feet we had evident
ly attracted their attention. Each pig
my hut poured out two or three deni-
zens of every age and size. They looked
at us for several moments motionless
with amazement, then suddenly dis
persed, some running to their sledges
and dogs, which they proceeded to har-
ness with every sign of alacrity, others
taking refuge within their huts, but
not one staying to look further at the |
strange visitors. We descended very
gradually, and at length alighted quiet |
~ on the ground. We next got out and F.!
walked about to show that we were |
men; and Auchincloss. who had brought |
out a bottle of brandy and tumbier, |
held them out and beclzoned to one |
pigmy who was peering from the door |
of his hut. This individual must 81 |
some previous time have become ac-
quainted with the merits of strangers |
and black bottles, for, under the influ-
ence of the continued signs of Auchin- |
Gloss, he at length approached and re-
ceived n tumbler of the beverage. which /
he swallowed with evident relish. 1t |
acted like magic. He called to his kins-
folk, who reappeared as speedily as |
they had previously vanished. and |
while Auchincloss administered the re-
mains of the bottle, went to the YES
sci and returned with a demijohn.
During the hilarity which ensued. / |
made them understand by signs that l
would give a demijohn of spirits and a
dozen plugs of tobacco for two suits of
furs. The suits were brought, the de-
sired exchange was made, and we were
again ascending into mid-air. amid the
admiring glances of the Eskimos, ten
minutes after alighting among them.
Leaving Prince Patrick's island. we
shortly passed into the unknown sea.
4 reference to the chart showed me
that explorers, though penetrating fur
ther to the north in more easterIy
meridians, had left the geography of the
earth terra incOgnita. We were now,
in fact. breaking upon the isothermal
line which passes through the twin
poles of intensest cold, and which runs
in a Zigzag curve through the north
ernmost regions of America and Sibe-
ria. We kept the stove nearly red hot;
we kept the kettle singing: congratu-
lated ourselves on the acquisition of the
fur robes, lit our Partagas. and took
turns of five minutes each in the duty
of charging the condenser and oilinpt
the machinery. We were now running