Griggs courier., 1896-10-30


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 sinecure, with
such regularity did all 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 a brad-awl and some leather
laces. At 3:15, while engaged in tax
ing hasty meal, with the welcome ad-
dition of hot grog, one of us eating
while the other attended to the charg-
ing of the condenser, deserted an un-
broken line Of water, and in few min
utes we were flying over the Arctic
ocean. At 3:45, we again deserted land,
which 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 Patrfclx'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 IL
hours!
As it was not my object to approach
the region Of the pole until nearly mid
night, when I could take an observa-
tion 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 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 I might have a
more extended view through my binoc-
ular of the region beneath me, and if
possible catch sight of an Eskimo vii
lage. I was able to sweep circle of
some ten miles radius, and, after 60
ing over some 20 miles of territory,
deserted on the horizon what I thought
we wanted. Again turning on our pro-
pelling power, run of a few minutes
brought us over the place, which proved
to be q settlement Of some 30 huts, so
we proceeded to drop down upon them
at few yards distance. When we got
to within 500 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
ly on the ground. We next got out and
walked about to show that we were
men; and Auchincloss, who had brought
out a bottle Of brandy and tumbler,
held them out and beckoned to one
pigmy who was peering from the door
of his hut. This individual must at
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 tumbler of the beverage. which
he swallowed with evident relish. It
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
would give 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, ter
minutes after alighting among them.
Leaving Prince Patrick's island, we
shortly passed into the unknown sea
A reference to the chart showed m.
that explorers, though penetrating fur
ther to the north In more easterly
meridians, had left the geography of the
earth terra incognita. We were now
in fact, breaking upon the isothe.ma
line which passes through the twi1
poles of intensest cold, and which run,
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 tn,
fur robes, lit our Partagas, and tool
turns of five minutes each in the dut,
of charging the condenser and oilinl
the machinery. We were now runnin.
across tract of ocean blocked, for tn
most part, with ice, in uncouth, irreg
lar masses, but with here and Their
J; straits of open water, varying from