The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1909-10-14

There was a weird play OF orgies.
seemingly most impressive at This
time-clouds OF steam rose from the
frozen seas. In marching over the
golden glitter snow scalds the face,
while the nose Is bleached with frost.
In camp grip of the knife left pain
full burns from cold metal. To the
frozen finger the wafer was hot. With
wine spirits The tire was lighted. while
oil delighted The stomach In dreams
heaven was hot. the other place was
cold
All nature was false. We seemed
to be nearing the chilled flame OF
new hadrs. Ia our hard life there was
nothing genuinely warm The congen.
ial appearances were all deception. bur
deaf'i offered only cold comfort. There
was no advantage IL suicide
We should have endowed this curions
experience hut with endless bodily dis.
comforts combined In aching muscles
and an oyerhearing languor. there could
be no real joys from the glories Of na.
tnre. The pleasure was reserved for
later retrospect
We now changed our working hours
from day 10 night. beginning usually
at 10 and ending az & The big march.
es aud prolonged hours of travel with
which fortune favored US earlier were
no longer possible. Weather condi-
lions were more important In deter
mining the days run than the hands
Of the thermometers.
When the storms threatened the
start was delayed. and in strong blows
the man-h was shortened. hut In one
way or nnorher we usually found
few hours In each turn OF the dial dur
Ing which a march could be forced be-
tween winds. II martered little wheth-
er we Travelled night or day-all hours
aud all days were alike 10 us-for we
had no accustomed time Of rest. no
Sundays. no holiday. no landmarks OF
miIeposts TO pass. To advance and ex-
pend the energy accumulated during
one sleep at the cost of our pound OF
pemmican was the one sole aim in
life.
Tie observations OF April II gave
latitude " degrees 20 minutes. iongi.
tude IS minutes 10 seconds. The pack
disturbance OF Bradley Land was less
and less noted In the northward move
....o. rh. a.la. 49,. ..... f,..a.rtar I.r
ger and less crevassed-
We had now passed the highest
reaches OF all our predecessors and
had gained the inspiration OF the far
thest north for ourselves. The time
was nj hand. however. TO consider serl
ously the necessity of an early return.
Nearly half Of the food allowance
had been used. In the long marches
supplies had been more literally used
than anticipated. and now our dog
teams were much reduced In numbers.
A hard necessity had forced the cruel
law OF the survival Of the tittest. for
the less useful dogs were fed TO the
steady working survivors Owing 10
the food limits and the advancing sea.
son We could not prndently continue
the outward march fortnight longer.
". had dragged ourselves 800 miles
over the polar sen IN twenty.four days.
Including delays and detours. this gave
M average Of nearly thirteen miles
daily ON an alf iine In our course.
There remained an unknown line Of
iiD miles before our ambitions could
I,e satisfied. The same average nd.
vance whirh We had made on the pack
would take Us TO the pole IN thirteen
DAYS. There we're food aud fuel enough
TO risk this adventure.
III the diary OF the succeeding days
duings there appear numerous tabu.
latious Of work and observations. In
the new cracks the thickness of the
ice was measured. The water was ex.
anined for life. atmospheric. surface
water aud Ice temperatures were tax.
en-. the barometer WAS noted. the
cloud formations. weather conditions
aud Ice drifts were tabuIated.
watched daily for possible signs
OF dangerous failure In strength. for
serious disability now meant fatal
termination.
A disabled man could neither con.
tInue nor return. but every examina-
tlou gave another reason TO push hu.
man endurance to the limit Of the
strain Of every fiber and cell. The
hard work which followed. under an
occasional burst Of burning sunbeams.
brought intense thirst
Forcing the habit Of the camel. we
managed ~ take enough water before
starting to keep sufficient liquid 10 the
veins for the days march. but Il was
diiiicult TO await the melting OF the Ice
at camping time.
In two sittings-evening and morn.
Ing each took an average OF three
quarts Of water daily. This included
the tea and also the luxury OF an oc-
casIonaI soup. There was water about
everywhere In heaps. but Il was In
crystals. aud before the thirst could
be quenched several ounces OF pre-
cIous fuel. which had been carried
thousands OF miles. must be used. And
still this water. 30 expensive and 50
necessary to us. ultimately became the
greatest bane to comfort II escaped