The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1908-01-08
SAYS HE HAS BEEN TO THE NORTH POLE

and I was able to travel for days
and weeks with ease and comfort.
From subterranean streams | was
able to replenish my stock of pro-
visions from time to time with pc
culiar species of fish that inhabited
those waters.
with the help of my compass and
other instruments | was able to
| locate myself pretty accurately as to
! longitude and latitude, and after
had travelled for perhaps four weeks
| | became aware that | was some
where in the region of the North
pole. My compass acted queerly as
| if in the region of the source of its
magnetic influence, and by the aid
of my other instruments | was con-
WINGED that possibly l was nearer the
North pole than any man had been
before.
"a change in the temperature,
freshness of the current that passed
continually through the passage also
told me that l was nearing some
outer opening
Another days journey brought
me to the free open air again, and
/ rejoiced in the sight of the sun
and sky once more. Knowing that
| must be in the extreme polar re-
gion, | was very much astonished
to find the climate milder than in
Alaska. The atmosphere was per-
fectly still, and the sun, which was
just above the horizon, beamed down
on the earth with a steady glow that
made the blood Jingle.
There was no ice or snow on the
land and | soon discovered that !
was on an island about twenty-five
miles in circumference. Off across
the water in every direction were
mountains of ice, just piercing the
horizon. The water about the island
abounded in fish and on the island
saw unmistakable signs of vege-
tation. 1t appeared that winter had
just broken in the country and that
spring was approaching.
Il was not surprised to find that
the sun instead of rising to the re-
NTH, moved in a horizontal direc-
ton, going no higher up in the sky.
In twenty-four hours the orb made a
complete circuit of the horizon and
was then convinced that | had
reached the extreme northern end
of the earth, and that this was the
beginning OF the long arctic summer
day.
DAY by day, and week by week
the suns course rose higher and
higher, up to about the middle of
June, when it began to recede slow
ly. In midsummer the island was
covered with vegetation in profUsion,
and | had no difficulty in providing
myself with fruit and vegetables in
plenty much like those grown in the
temperate zone.
"The climate was even and tenn
perate, really the most delightful
have ever experienced. | account
for this in this way: After the long
summer day begins the sun shines
steadily on the island without the
cooling effects of the night. There
are no winds to chill the atmos-
phere, this being the center of wind
disturbances from the north. Being
entirely surrounded by the ice re-
gions which are affected by the cold
nights the winds have no play room
and are still.
ut was approaching the autumnal
sunset when | left and the air was
getting chilly. l am sure that the
climate would be almost unbearable
during the long winter night
Il returned to Alaska by the sub
terranean passage and hurried to
the states. l secured enough gold
in the cavern to bring me home and
to buy a small farm in south Ala
bama. | may return to Polar Is
land, as | have named it, for the
summer, but | like Alabama better"