The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-11-04
IN ANrARrIc oIHcLes.
Extracts From an Artists Diary
Aboard the Ship Antarctic.


Aboard the Ship Antarctic.
The following is an extract from
Frank wilbert Stokes IAN Artist in
the Antarctic" in the Century Maga-
zine:
A black day. a gray cay as to sky
and seas, but black in its 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.
tngs and groanings, mingled with the
crash Of falling pots, pans, chairs, and
tremendous beatings OF the propeller
as the stern was lifted out of the wa
ter. We breakfasted at 10 a. m,
standing. Tho captain believed that
we were In much danger of being driv-
en- upon the ice clad rocks OF the
South Shetland islands. He was try
Ing to keep the ship of to the north
ward. We lost our best whaleboat,
part Of the starboard bulwarks in the
waist and portion of the shrouds.
The carpenter, with gang Of men,
constructed in my former cabin a
hatch door for the companionway, In
case its covering should be washed
away. The sailors came through the
gun room and between decks to go for
ward, as the waist was washed con-
tinuhlly by heavy seas. Oil was poured
upon the water to calm 1t, but with
what effect was not able to perceive.
Some of the men locked themselves
in their cabins. l managed to gather
all Of my sketches and seal them In
tin cylinders, which I had provided
for such an emergency, in the hope
that IL we should founder they might
be picked up. Then l slowly made my
way to the bridge. 1t was a wild
scene. A light gray impenetrable
mist with snow was driving in fierce
squalls over the surging waves, ren.
dering It impossible to see ahead. The
the mist toward noon, pale, misty,
greenish yellow. The seas swept un.
der and over us from the starboard
and almost broadside, as the engines
of the Antarctic were too feeble to
keep her head to the wind. One of
the discouraging features was that the
South Shetlands were imperfectly
known and charted. At the wheel
were two men In tarpaulins, grizzly
and shaggy, and covered with Ice
frost. The cabins we're foul with the
stencil of bilge-water, and / went on
deck to breathe little fresh air, and
was Immediately drnn"h~.t by the
waves.
There was a breaK-a slight, tran
Bisrt break--of palest blue amid the
swiftly hurrying storm mists and a
faint yellowish gray to windward,
when all became sufrused with a
pearlish turquoise tinge. At the eve
ming meal we stood waiting In silence
the captains arrival. Presently he
groped his way down the steep COM
panionway in ollslSins, and, without
waiting for a query, turned and an
nounced that we had Just cleared the
rocks. When l thanked him, he char
acteristlcally replied: II tank myself"
The storm had blown us so miles
westward, and at In the evening land
was sighted, which proved to be Ele-
phant Island OF the South Shetland
group. Afterward we found that we
had been within less than two English
miles Of those terrible rocks. Our po-
sition, Feb. 27, at 10 a. m, was be-
tween Elephant and King George is
lands. We rejciced in a southerly
wind, and set foretopsan and jib. The
gray mist hung about us, effectually
shutting out the ice from our sight,
and l felt that had painted my last
Antarctic sketch. At night. on Feb.
2S, as the evening shadows fell
through the gray, the red and green
port and starboard lights were put In
, position for the first time in many
days.