The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1902-03-20
MOGUL MAGNET.

After the explosion Of the Giant
Powder Mills in Alabama, a party OF
Northern capitalists purchased the d.
vidends, and determined to erect an
other factory upon the ill-fated spot,
where, for every year for twelve
years, the mill had exploded, causing
terrific loss and many deaths.
The president Of the company re-
euested that I should visit Pittsburg
in search of a magnet endowed with
sufficient power to attract an object of
friction at distance of so feet.
Fortunately, while prospecting through
the North and in Alaska, formed the
acquaintance of Captain Laurence, late
of the Pacific Steam Whaling COM
pany, who kindly informed me that
along the Yukon delta there existed a
peculiar lodestone of wonderful maget-
ism. To me this information was in
valuable, and 1 accordingly accepted
his invitation to join the whalers, who
were soon to leave on an expedition
from Point Barrow.
was a little dubious of this adven-
ture, in spite of the promising report
of the delta, for ten years previous my
brother Jim, my only surviving rela-
tive. sailed from Point Barrow with
Bob Laurence, a brother OF our cap
tain. Wild fellows they were, too, and
the result was the wreck of the reven-
ne cutter and four whaling vessels.
Nine hundred men became castaways,
and eventually perished from hunger
and long exposure on the sterile coast
of Greenland.
Our voyage was replete with events,
!. thrilling and dangerous, and in my en-
thusiasm for the whaling business ]
quite forgot my lodestone mission,
when it was brought to bear upon my
mind in thoroughly disagreeable
way.
The captain and I were together On
deck, discussing the possibility of max
ing our return down the Yukon river,
thus passing through the gold fields
and lodestone ore, when the engineer.
ing crew appeared before US and an
nounced that the machinery in tho
power room refused to work. None
of the engineers could explain the mys
terry; it really seemed inexplicable
Soon the steam died away, but strange
the vessels speed increased, and be-
gan registering as high as 270 knots
an hour. : 49,
It was indeed a ship at sea. What
direction we were going it was impos-
sible to tell, for the compass didn't
show. But with glass saw at dis
tance a mountain of dark color, and
the secret of our speed was revealed.
We were within the precincts Of the
great Lodestone Mountain, that both
the explorers, Ross and Franklin, be-
lieved to be near the Pole, surrounded
by waters presumably unnavigable.
knew that when we arrived within
q certain distance, the attraction of
this Mogul Magnet would be so power
full that the vessel would be crushed
to pieces against 1t. A hasty examina-
ton was made of the vessel; nothing
could be done to avoid disastrous
landing, for the hull was of heavy iron,
of the ordinary build, with fastenings
Of steel.
We therefore thought no more Of the
vessels safety, but of how to avoid
the death shock which most assuredly
would come to us all. Necessity was
the mother of invention in this case.
An avenue of escape was suggested
by British sailor, who, through fear,
had already suspended himself three
feet from the floor by catching to
rubber strap that hung from the cell
ing. Within half an hour we had
strap each,-an were daggHng in mid
air when the crash came. It was
crash indeed, for one side Of the YES
sci was firmly embedded in the ada
mant. With the exception of Good,
who sustained a slight shock, every
man alighted on the mountain bank
unhurt.
We succeeded In reaching the top
of the mountain, where millions of
grouse few gaily enough around, and
/, in advance of the party, stopped and
rubbed my eyes, as well / might
There, not twenty yards in front,
placed in a charming situation, under
q group of oyerhanging cliffs, was the
coy habitation of cliff-dweller!
'What the dickens!" exclaimed !.
"Can this be a mountain of cliff dwell
ers?"
Even as / said it, from an aperture
in the rock there nmped out a Rip Van
Winkle looking fellow, clothed in a
beautiful cloak of duck breasts. and
with glorious crown of white locks. I
thought must nave got touch Of the
sun. How did he ever get here? Be-
sides, he was alone, for we could cas-
lily see all over the mountain. I stared
and stared, and so did the other men,
and just at that instant the captain
came up from the rear.
Here, Cap" said I, us that white
man, or a North Pole joss?"
Then all of sudden the white
haired man gave cry and came mob
bling toward me. When he got close,
he fell down in sort of faint With
spring I was by his side. Great
powers! 1t was my brother jim!
At the sound Of the disturbance an
other figure, also clad in sealskin,
emerged from the cliffs and came run
ming toward us. On seeing the cap
tain, he, too, gave cry.
"Cap," he hallowed, don't you know
me, Bob, your brother?" And he fell
at his kinsman's feet and rolled over
and over, weeping with JOY.
Meanwhile, Jim began
'Ten years ago, Laurence and were
hurled against this mountain. The
ship and the other thirteen men went
into the deep. Since then, We two
have lived like second Robinson Cru
soc and > his man, Friday, hoping
against hope that some explorers