The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1909-10-21

1t 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 eve ran
over moving plains I'm brilliant waves
of color to dancing horizons. The mi
RACES turned things topsy mrvy In
vertcd lands and queer objects ever
rose and fell i'm shrouds of mystery.
but all of this was due To the atmos-
phcrlc magic of the midnight sun.
With Il lucky series of daily astro-
nomical observations our position was
now accurately fixed for each stage of
progress. AS we nearcd the pole the
Imagination quickcnCd, and n restless,
almost hystcric excitement came over
us. The boys fancicd they saw beaver
and seals. and | had Il new land under
observation frequently. but with
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 cighty-cighth 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 as below the cighty-scventh. 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
gcrncsS to find something unusual may
have fred the imagination, but since
the earth is flattcucd at the pole per-
haps a widened horizon should be de
tcctcd
At o'clock ON the morning of April
10 we campcd on picturesque old
field with convenient hummocks, TO
which we could easily rise for the frc-
quent outlook which we now maintain
ed. The tent was pitched. The dogs
were Silenced by blocks of pemmican.
In us new enthusiasm was aroused 10y
liberal pot of pea soup and few
chips of frozen meat, and then we
bathed in life giving Sunbeams, screen
ed from the piercing air by silk
strands. 1t was Il beautiful day, and
had our sense of appreciation not been
bluntcd by accumulated fatigue we
would have greatly enjoyed the play
of light and color in 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
gitude calculations lined us Mt 81 de-
grees 3 minutes. At noon the suns al
titude was carefully set on the seNtant,
and the latitude quickly reduced gave
50 degrees 81 minutes-twenty-nin
miles from the pole.
My heart jumped for JOY, and the un-
conscious commotion which | was Gre
ating awakened Etukishuk. l told him
that in two average marches we would
reach the 'tigi shu" the big naiD.
Ahwelah was awakened with kick,
and together they went out to a hum
| mock and through glasses sought for
mark to locate so important place
as the terrestrial axis. If but one
sleep beyond it must be seen.
| | tried to explain that the pole was
| not visible to the eye; that its position
was located only by repeated use of
| the various instruments. This entirely
satisfied their curiosity, and they burst
out in hurrahs of joy. For two hours
| they chanted and danced the passions
| Of wild life.
| 1t was the first real sign of pleasure
| or rational emotion which they had
| shown for several weeks. For some
| time / had entertained the fear that
| we no longer possessed the strength to
return to land, but the unbridled flow
Of vigor dispelled that idea.
| More sleep was quite impossible. We
brewed an extra pot Of tea, prepared a
| favorite broth of pemmican dug up a
| 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, We're given an extra lump OF
| pemmican. A few hours more were
agreeably spent in the tent, and then
we started with new spirit for the
uttermost north.
We We're excited to n fever heat.
! The feet were light on this run. Even
the dogs caught the infectious enthusi-
asm and rushed along at pace which
made it difficult for me to keep sufii-
cient advance to set good course.
The horizon was still searched for
something to mark the approaching
boreal center, but 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
were plains of gold fenced in purple
walls, with gilded crests. 1t was one
Of the few days on the stormy pack
when all nature smiled with cheering