The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-10-11
FEf1iA KtpOL,B
assSBY JULES VERHE.E $500
Continued from yesterdays
edjtjon1

All at once, however, some sure
indication met his eye, and strech.
ing out his arm to the horizon he
shouted in a clear, ringing voice:
Land! Land!"
His words produced an electrical
effect on his companions, and ev-
cry man rushed to his side.
Il see it; see it," said Claw
bonny.
Yes, yes, so do Il" exclaimed
Johnson.
ut is a cloud" said Altamont.
Land! Land" repeated Hat
teras, in tones of absolute convic-
ton.
Even while he spoke the ap-
pearance vanished, and when it re-
turned again the doctor fancied he
caught a CLEAN of light about the
smoke for an instant.
1T is a volcano!" he exclaimed.
"A volcano?" repeated Alta
mont.
Undoubtedly
'In so high a latitude?"
"Why not? Is not Iceland vol
canic standardized, almost made
of volcanoes, one might say?"
We'll, has not James Ross af-
firmed the existence of two active
volcanoes" the doctor agreed, "the
Erebus and the Terror, on the
southern continent, in longitude
10 degrees and latitude Is de-
grees? Why, then, should not vol
canoes be found near the north
pole?"
ut is possible, certainly" replied
Altamont.
"Ah, now l see it distinctly" ex-
claimed the doctor. 1T is a vol
cano!"
Let us make right for it, then"
said Hatteras.
1t was impossible longer to
doubt the proximity of the coast.
In "a hours, probably, the bold
navigators might hope to set foot
on it's untrodden soil. But strange
as it was, now that they were so
near the goal of their voyage, no
one showed the joy which might
have been expected. Each man
sat silent, absorbed in his own
thoughts, wondering what sort of
place this pole must be.
The birds seemed to shun it,
for though it was evening, they
were all flying toward the south
with outspread wings. Was it,
then, so inhospitable, that not so
much as a sea gull or ptarmigan
could find a shelter? The fish, too,
even the large cetacea, were has
tening away through the transpar-
ent waters. What could cause this
feeling either of repulsion or ter
ror?
At last sleep overcame the tired
men, and one after another
dropped off, leaving Hatteras to
keep watch.
He took the helm, and tried his
best not to close his eyes, for he
grudged losing precious time; but
the slow motion of the vessel rock
ed him till, in spite of himself, he
was soon, like his companions,
locked fast in deep slumber.
While Hatteras dreamed of home
and fame, an enormous cloud of an
| olive tlnge nau begun u udIheh
sea and sky. A hurricane was at
hand. The first blast of the tenn
pest reused the captain and his
companions, and they were on their
feet in an instant, ready to meet it
The sea had risen tremendously
and the ship was tossing violently
I'D and down ON the pillows. Hat
teras took the helm again, and
kept a firm hold of it, while John
son and Bell baled out the water
which was constantly dashing over
the ship.
1t was a difficult matter to pre-
serve the right course, for the
thick fog made it impossible to
see more than a few yards off.
This sudden tempest might well
seem to such excited men, a stern
prohibition against further ap,
proach to the pole; but it needed
but a glance at their resolute
faces to know that they would
neither yield to winds nor waves,
but go right on to the end