The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1909-10-21

: Purple Shows No North, 9
9 No East, No West % % 9
o~o<o~o~o%o~o~o~o<o<o>o~o~
II seemed that something must hap
pen. some line must cross our horizon.
to mark The important area into which
we were pressing.
When the sun was low the eye ran
over moving plains In brilliant waves
OF color to dancing horizons. The mi
RACES turned things topsy turyy. In.
verted lands and queer objects ever
rose and fell In shrcuds OF mystery.
but all OF this was due 10 the atmos-
pheric magic Of the midnight sun.
With lucky series Of daily astro-
nomical observations our position was
now accurately fixed for each stage of
progress. As we neared the pole the
Imagination quickeEed. and a restless,
almost hysteric excitement came over
tbs. The boys fancied they saw beaver
and seals. and had new land under
observation frequently. but with a
change in the direction Of light or an
altered trend In our temperament the
horizon cleared and we became eager
only TO push farther into the mystery.
From the eighty-eighth to the eighty
ninth the ice was In very large fields
and the surface was less irregular. but
In other respects It was about the
same ms below the eighty-seventh. We
noticed here also an extension Of the
range Of vision. We seemed TO see
longer distances and the ice along the
horizon had less angular outline.
The color Of the sky and the Ice also
changed TO deeper purple blues. We
had no way OF checking these impress
sions by other observations. The ca
gerness 10 find something unusual may
have fired ihe imagination. but since
the earth is nattened at the pole per-
haps widened horizon should he de-
iected.
A. O'Clock on the morning Of April
10 we camped on a picturesque old
field with convenient hummOcks. 10
which we could easily rise for the fire.
quent outlook which we now maintain
cd. The tent was pitched. The dogs
were silenced by blocks OF pemmican.
In us new enthusiasm was aroused by
liberal pot OF pea soup and few
chips Of frozen meat. and then we
llathed in life giving sunbeams. screen
cd from the piercing air by SIX
strands. IL was beautiful day. and
had our sense Of appreciation not been
blunted BY accumulated fatigue we
would have greatly enjoyed the play
of light and color 10 the ever changing
scene OF sparkle.
The Eskimos were soon lost In pro-
found sleep. the only comfort in their
hard lives. but ! remained awake. as
had been my habit on succeeding days.
to get nautical observations. The Ion
ritude calculations lined us at 81 de-
crecs 8 minutes. At noon the suns al
titude was carefully set on the sextant'
and the latitude quickly reduced gave
SO degrees 81 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
miles from the pole.
My heart jumped for Joy. and the IN
conscious commotion which ! was Gre
ating awakened Etukishuk. told him
that IN two average marches we would
reach the .'tigi shu" (the big NALL.
Ahwelah was awakened with kick.
and together they went out TO hum
mock and through glasses sought for
mark TO locate so important a place
as the terrestrial axis. II but one
sleep beyond II must be seen.
tried to explain that the pole was
not visible 10 the eye; that its position
was located only by a repeated use of
the various instruments. This entirely
satisfied their curiosity. and they burst
out in hurrahs OF JOY. For two hours
they cbanted and danced the passions
OF wild life.
II was the FIRST real sign Of pleasure
or rational emotion which they bad
shown for several weeks. For some
time | bad entertained the fear that
we no longer possessed the strength 10
return 70 land. but the unbridled dow
Of vigor dispeIed that idea.
More sleep was quite impossible. We
brewed an extra pot OF tea. prepared
favorite broth of pemmican. dug up
surprise Of fancy biscuits and filled up
on good things TO the limit Of the al
lowance for our final feast days. The
dogs. which had joined the chorus OF
gladness. were given an extra lump OF
pemmican. A few hours more were
agTeeably spent in the tent. and then
we started with new spirit for the
uttermost north.
We were excited 10 fever heat
The feet were light on this run. Even
the dogs caught the infectious enthusi-
asm and rushed along at pace which
made IL difficult for me 10 keep sum
clent advance TO set good coarse.
The horizon was still searched for
something TO mark the approaching
boreaI center. hut nothing unusual was
seen. 1t was the same expanse OF
moving seas OF ice on which we had
lived for 800 miles.
But, looking through gladdened eyes.
the scene assumed new glory. There
we're plains OF gold fenced In purple
walls, with gildrd crests. Ii was one
OF the few days on tue stormy pack
when all nature smiled with cheering
lights.
AS the day advanced and the spicn-
dor of summer night was run into the
continued day the beams OF gold on
the surface SHOWS thiekened. while the
shadows OF hummOcks and ridges
spread line Of violet barriers through
which r way must be sought.
From my position few hundred