Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1903-08-26
IN ANTARCTIC CIRCLES.
Some Interesting Extracts from an
Artists Diary Aboard the
Ship Antarctic.

black day; a great day as to sky
and seas, but black in it's hidden dan
gers. All night the storm blew with
violence. There were hurried voices
amid the booming and din of the tenn
pest as sea after sea struck the little
vessel, which emitted frightful strain.
ings and groanings, mingled with
crash of falling pots. pans, chairs anc
as the stern was lifted out of the wa.
ter, writes Frank Wilbert Stokes, in
"An Artist in the Antarctic" in Cen.
fury. We breakfasted at ten a. m.
standing. The captain believed that we
were in much danger of being driven
upon the ice-clad rocks of the South
Shetland islands. He was trying tc
keep the ship off to the northward
We lost our best whaleboat, part Of
the starboard bulwarks in the waist
and portion of the shrouds The car.
penter, with gang Of men, construct.
ed in my former cabin a hatch-doOI
for the companionway, in case it's GOV.
ering should be washed away The
sailors came through the gunroom and
between decks to go forward, as the
waist was washed continually by
heavy seas. Oil was poured upon the
water to calm it. but with what effect
| was not able to perceive. Some Of
the men locked themselves in theil
cabins. | managed to gather all of my
sketches and seal them in tin cylin.
ders. which l had provided for sucl
an emergency, in the hope that if VIZ
should founder they might be picked
up. Then l slowly made my way tt
the bridge. 1t was wild scene 4
light-gray impenetrable mist witt
snow was driving in fierce squalls ovel
the surging waves. rendering it impos.
sible to see ahead. The fitful light o.
the sun shOne through the mist to.
ward noon, pale, misty, greenish vel.
low. The sea swept under and ovel
us from the starboard and almos,
broadside, as the engines of the Ant
arctic were too feeble to keep her heat
to the wind. One OF the discouragins
features was that the South Shetland.
were imperfectly known and charted
At the wheel were two men in tarpau
Inns, grizzly and shaggy, and covered
with ice-frost. The cabins were fou
with the stencil of bilge-water, and
went on deck to breathe a little fres1
air, and was Immediately drenched b,
the waves.
There was break-a slight, tran
sient break-of palest blue amid tn,
swiftly hurrying storm-mists and {
faint yellowish gray to windward
when all became >suffused with a pearl
iSh-turquoise tinge. At the eyenin,
meal we stood waiting in silence tn,
captains arrival. Presently he gropei
bis way down the steep companionwa,
in OilSkins, and, without waiting TO.
q query, turned and announced that W,
bad just cleared the rocks Whel
I thanked him, he characteristicall,
replied: Il tank myself"
The storm had blown us so mile,
westward, and at eight in the eveninj
land was sighted, which proved to b.
Elephant island, of the South Shet
land group. Afterward we found tina
we had been within less than two Eng
lish miles of those terrible rocks. Ou
rosition, February 81, at ten a. m. wa,
between Elephant and King Georg'
islands. We rejoiced in a southern,
wind, and set foretopsaiI and jib TIL.
gray mists hung about US, effectuall,
shutting out the ice from our sight
Ind l felt that 1 had painted my las
Antarctic sketch. At night, on Febru
Ary 20, as the evening shadows fel
through the gray. the red and greer
port and starboard lights were put il
position for the first time in man,
days