Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-09
CHAPTER K.

Over the newly discovered coast lines
was written Bradley Land. in honor OF
John r. Bradley, the most important
benefactor of the expeditions AS we
passed north of this land there was moth
ing substantial upon which to fix the
eye.
There was at time a perfectly clea:
horizon. but the weather was good
enough to permit frequent nautical OBJ
servations. The course was lined on un-
interesting blank sheets. but there were
elusive signs of land frequent enough TO
keep up an exploring enthusiasm
Man. under the pressure Of circum-
stances, will adapt himself TO most con-
ditions of life. and to us the other world
environment of the polar pack, far from
terrestrial solidity. was beginning to be
quite natural. There were at the time
sufficient surprise and novelty. mingled
with pleasurable anticipation, not pain
full torture, to compel mental interest and
physical action.
Thus day after day the marches were
forced. The incidents and the posi-
tions recorded. but the adventures were
promptly forgotten in the mental bleach
of the next days effort. The night OF
April was made notable by the swing
of the sun at midnight For number OF
nights it made grim faces at us In Its
setting. a teasing mist. drawn as a
curtain over the northern seat at mid
night, had given curious advantage for
we were unable to determine sharply the
advent of the midnight sun, but here
was a spectacular play which interested
immensely
Now the great bulk was drawn out.
egg-shaped, with horizontal lines drawn
through il. Again it was pressed into a
basin with flaming fires, burning behind
a curtain of frosts blue at other times,
it appeared like huge vase, and 1T re-
quired very little imagination to see
purple and violet flowers.
The Terrifying Cold.
The change was often like magic. but
the last display was invariably face
distorted faces of men or animals were
made to suit our fancy.
We had, therefore. followed the suns
northward advance-from its first peep,
at midday. above the south ice of the
polar gateway to it's sweep of the north
ern ice at midnight. From the end Of
the polar night late in February. to the
first of the double days and midnight
suns we had forced trail through dark
ness, blood hardening temperature and
over leg breaking Irregularities of an
unknown world of ice to an area 200
miles from the pole. To this point our
and ultimate success seemed within
grasp, but we were not blind to the long
line of desperate effort still required
to push over the last distance.
midnight, and its new glory was quite an
incentive to our life of shivers. OBJ
servatiOns on April placed camp at
latitude sc deg 80 min longitude "a deg.
- min. In spite of what seemed like long
marches, we had only advanced ninety
six miles in nine days. Much of our hard
work was lost in circuitous twists around
troublesome pressure lines and high, lr-
regular fields of very old ice. The drift
ice was throwing us to the east with
sufficient force to give us some anxiety,
but with eyes closed to danger and hard
ships the double days of fatigue and
glitter quickly followed one another.
The temperature, ranging between :6
and As degrees below zero Fahrenheit kept
persistently near the freezing point of
mercury, and, though the heat of the per-
petual sun gave light and color to the
cherries wastes, we were not impressed
with any appreciate sense of warmth
Indeed the sunbeams seemed to make
the frost of the air pierce with a more
painful sting.
Heaven Hot in Dreams.
There was a.weird play of orgies, SEEM
ingly most impressive at this time
clouds of steam rose from the frozen
seas. In marching over the golden gilt
ter snow scalds the face. while the nose
is bleached with frost. The sun rose
into zones of fire and set into burning
fields of ice, but with pain we breathe
the chill of DEATH
In camp a grip of the knife left pain
full burns from cold metal. To the frozen
finger the water was hot With wine
spirits the fire was lighted, while oil de-
lighted the stomach. In dreams heaven
was hot, the other place was cold. All
nature was false: we seemed to be near
ing the chilled flame of new hades. In
our hard life there was nothing genu-
inely warm. The congenial appearances
were all deception. but death offered only
comfort. There a
in suicide.
We should have enjoyed this curious
experience, but with endless bodily dis
comforts combined in aching muscles
and an overbearing glacial foliage there
could be no real joys from the glories
OF nature. The pleasure was reserved
for later retrospect.
We now changed our working hours
from day to night. beginning usually at
10 and ending at &. The big marches and
prolonged hours of travel with which
fortune favored us earlier were no longer
possible. Weather conditions were more
important in determining the days run
than the hands of the thermometers
When the storms threatened the start
was delayed, and in strong blows the
march was shortened but in one way or
another we usually found a few hours
In each turn of the dial during which a
march could be forced between winds
1t mattered little whether we Travelled
night or day-all hours and all days were
time to rest, no Sundays, no holiday. no
landmarks or mile posts to pass To
advance and expend the energy acc,1mu-
lated during one sleep at the cost of our
pound OF penmican was the one sole
aim in he
Fewer Crevasses Seen.
The observations of April IL gave lati.
tude 81 deg. 20 min. longitude SO min
10 sec. The pack disturbance of Bradley
Land was less and less noted in the
northward movement. The fields became
heavier. larger and less crevassed. Fewe,
troublesome old foes and less crushed
new ice were encountered. With the i'm
proved conditions, the fire of a racing
spirit came for a brief SPELL
We had now passed the highest caches
of ali our predecessors and had gained
the inspiration of the farthest north fol
ourselves. The time was at hand how.
ever. to consider seriously the necessity
of an early return.
Nearly half of the food allowance had
been used. In the long marches supple:
had been more literally used than antici
pated, and now our dog teams were
much reduced in numbers. A hard ne
cessty had forced the cruel law of the
survival of the fittest, for the less usefu
dogs were fed to the steady working sur
vvors. Owing to the food limits aIlC
the advancing season. we could not pru
IDENTIFY continue the outward march ;
fortnight longer.