The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-11

dressed in gray down, coaxed their moth
ers for food. We expected to see the little
things drop from the narrow resting
places to he destroyed on our heads or on
the rocks below, but such an accident
rarely happened Our greatest surprise
here was the discovery OF large duanti-
ties Of moss and lichens which gave the
spot an appearance of life that to US. after
having seen nothing but ice and black
rocks for so many days, made II true
oasis.
From this point VIC were able to see in
splendid manner almost the entire
length of the channel explored to this
time; but we had not yet been able TO
make a running survey of tho regions in
our Immediate vicinity. To get a better
view II was decided to ascend to the in
terror OF the land and scale one OF the
noonataks. In n bay tBuls bay) to the
westward the land offered an easy slope.
and to 1t we steamed on the following
day. In our preparations for this ascent
we made arrangements to camp on the in
land ice for week. tent was taken.
sleeping bags and fur clothing were gotten
out and bags of provisions were packed,
all OF which were dashed on two small
sledges. We landed late on the after
noon of the 3ist on a little point or land
tCape dUrser with a northern, or sunny
Face. We climbed the steep slopes for 800
feet, and then camped for the night. The
first night was one Of stormy discom-
fort. wind came out OF the bed Of
glacier above us. against which we could
hardly stand. IL took two men TO hold
up the tent and the combined efforts OF
all hands to keep from having our effects
scattered over the cliffs but few yards
away. ON the LIST Of February we made
another effort. and mounted a few miles
into the interior. but fog and wind cre-
haf an ~
The sledges were heavily loaded. and were
difficult 10 drag, and aitpgether the work
Of travelling and the discomfort Of camp
ing were such that the life was generally
miserable. We succeeded, however. In
mounting TO the peak Of a noonatak with
an altitude Of about 500 feet
After stay Of seven days. which was
our FIRST camping experience In the ant
arctic, and the first IN the history OF
South polar exploration. we gladly betook
ourselves to the good old bark. which had
returned from "A cruise southwark. Dur.
Ing oar absence the Belwics had been on
an exploring cruise TO the south. The
effort was brilliantly successful. for Le-
colnte the man Ia charge, reported the
discovery Of several islands. Beyond
these islands there was what promised
TO be an unchstructed highway into the
Pacific. tn examine thia and the extern
sion Of the waters before us was our
next mission. but 1.ecolnte was not yet
satisfied that the wide bay opposite cur
cncamgmsng CNHheimlna h,yl, did not
extead through Dancoland 70 the ATTAIN
tic During the night az February we
steamed across the strait. and early the
following morning We were aff Cape Muir
ray Keeping close 20 the shores We fol-
lowed the great wall ~ ie. which lined
the sh0reline from Cape Murray 10 Cape
Rsclus. AT noon We rounded cape Reclus.
n long tongue - land ice with a snsdle-
shaped mountain IN the center, and EN-
tered a tanal-like body % water, with she
hsah see walls * Danoaiand on the cas-;
and The shore iises % Nanssn and Brook
Z tvu lslar - en- the west