The National tribune., 1900-08-30
AMONG THE ICEBERGS.
Visit of Portland People to Spitzbergen-
Place From Which Andre Took His Flight.
Portland (He) Press

Advent Bay: Spitzbergen, July 10. 1900
The Polar Sea is popularity supposed u
be always rough and stormy, but happn!
this voyage has been exceptional, OWING.
perhaps, to the fact that storm winch
had prevailed for several days before the
Auguste Victoria left the North Cape
had just passed. leaving the sea, for
brief period. unvcXed. 1t was, however,
intensely cold. cold so penetrating that
no ordinary Winter clothing could KEEP
il out; in fact as was remarked, 1T was
the coolest cold to be found anywhere
else" On the second day out, or, rather.
IS hours, for it is one continuous day, as
the sun is always above the horizon, vast
fields of moving ice were encountered
which compelled a run of several hours
southwest in order to escape them. Sat
urday afternoon, however, we entered Ice
ticrd, and toward night came to anchor III
Advent Bay. The scene was deSOlatc
enough, for hills covered with snow and
ice stretched away on every hand, but Ii
was Il kind of dcSolatiOn eXhiiarating and
even attractive, owing. perhaps. to the
novelty. 1t was from SpitZenbergen thai
Andre set out on his aerial flight to tn,
pole, and only when one stands here ana
looks out over the forbidding eXpanse oi
SNOWY peaks, icy gOrgcS and treacherOus
glaciers, can one realize the SuperhumaI
courage required to undertake so hopeless
an achievement, though the glittering goa
is but a little more than 600 miles away
Even if it could be reached by an :liII
pathway, the obstacles TO safe return
would seem insurmountable, and if the
eyes of the enthusiastic adventurer wert
gladdened by a glimpse of the pole, We
may hardly expect him to return to dis
close to us the mysterious vision. Standing
here it IS impossible to realize that one i
So near the mystery which has cost SO
much suffering and life to solve, and that,
as was remarked at the breakfast table.
we might, if the way was only open, have
a piece of ice from the pole with which t.
cool our water at dinner tomorrow. Oul
ship, we are told, though | have no means
at hand to verify it, is lying farther north
than was Nansen's when he abandoned il
in the ice to make his journey to "Furthesi
North" Near us lies a Russian man-of-
war with an exploring party on board. fol
Russia has an eye on this far-away land.
and also a Norwegian steamer with a par
ty of hunters, which has been disabled il
the ice. The hunters, who had two polar
bears and 4 number of reindeer which they
had killed, are glad to get chance e
reach Norway ON our ship, as they nigh,
find no other opportunity to do so this
season, and TO remain here might cost
them their lives, as it has others who have
been so unfortunate as to get icebound III
this bay. a few years ago four men from
Trimsoe We're caught here in the ice. and
succeeded IN building rude hut from part
Of their vessel. Their suffeIings We're So
great that one died and one became in
sane. The remains of the hut and the
graves of the unfortunate men are still t.
he seen on tie shore.
We spent all day on shore, and had the
good fortune TO see the sIedges of the Rus
san exploring party drawn by dogs. The
active animals were tied to stakes driver
into the ground, and when their drivers
began to get the sledges ready, they seemed
Wild with delight, and as soon as Gber-
ated rushed to their places to be har
messed. They could hardly wait for the
harnesses to be adjusted, and when they
were and the driver had seated himself
away they went like the wind, and were
speedily out of sight
We were fortunate to have clear wealth
er to enter Bell Sound and see the great
glaciers there. For the seven past years