Amador ledger., 1909-12-03

| uIcu lttl ulSn anu TeScnDleS III lJS
upper reaches the highlands of Hell
berg island. The lower shore line was
| at no time visible
From 81 degrees 30 minutes, extend
/ ing to 80 degrees II minutes, close to
the one hundred and second meridian,
the coast is quite straight. Its upper
surface is fiat and mostly ice capped
rising in steep cliffs to about twelve
hundred feet. The lower surface was so
indistinctly seen thar we were unable
to detect glacial streams or ice walls.
Both lands were hOpelessly buried
under accumulated SHOWS
We were eager TO set foot on the
newly discovered coast, for we be-
lieved then, as proved by later expert
ence, that these were the earth's north
ermost rocks, but the pressing need
for rapid advances in the aim of our
main mission did not permit of de-
tours. Resolutions were REINFORCED
and energy was harbored to press on
ward for the pole In an air line.
Fair Marches Made.
Every observation, however, indicat-
ed an easterly drift. and westerly
course must be continuously forced to
Counterbalance the movement. A cur
tain was drawn over the land in the
afternoon of March 81, and we saw
no more of it. Day after day we now
pushed along in desperate northward
efforts. Strong winds and fractured,
irregular ice increased the difficulties.
Progress was slow.
In one way or other we managed to-
gain fair march between storms dur
ing each twenty-fOur hours. In an oc-
casional spell of stiffness mirages
spread screens of fantasy out for our
entertainment. Curious cliffs. odd
shaped mountains and inverted ice
walls were displayed in attractive col
ors. Discoveries were made often, but
with clearer horizon the deception was
detected.
On April the barometer remained
steady and the thermometer sank.
The weather became settled and clear.
The pack became more permanent
glitter of color and joy- At noon there
was now Il dazzling light, while the
sun at midnight sank for but few
moments under a persistent northerly
haze leaving the frosted blues bathed
in monday splendor.
In these days we made long marches. |
The ice steadily improved. Fields be-
came larger and thicker, the pressure
lines less frequent and less trouble
some. Nothing changed materially. |
The horizon moved; our footing was
seemingly solid crust Of ice, but it I,
shifted eastward. All WIS in motion. |
Often we were too tired to build snow |
houses, and in sheer exhaustion we |
bivouaclSed in the lee of hummocks. |
Here the overworked body called for |
sleep. but the mind refused to close the |
eye.
In Lifeless World.
There, was a weird attraction in the |
anomaly of our surroundings which
aroused the spirits. We had passed |
beyond the range of all life. For
many days we had not seen a sugges
tion of animated natures. There were
no longer footprints to indicate other
life; no breath spouts escaped from
the frosted bosom of the sea.
Even the sea algae Of the surface
waters were no longer detected. We
world We had come TO this mental
blank in slow but progressive stages.
AS we sailed from the barren areas of
the fisher folk along the outposts of
civilization the complex luxury of the
was lost ard the brain call
ed for food.
Beyond. in the half savage wilder
ness of Danish Greenland, there was
the dawn of a new life of primitive
delight. Still farther along. in the
ultima Thule OF the abOrigines, the
sun rose over the days of prehistoric
of man, we reached the MONDAY splen-
dor Of thought in times before mans
creation.
Now. as we pushed beyond the habi-
tat of all creatures, ever onward, into
the sterile wastes, the sun sets. Be
yond were night and hopelessness.
With eager eyes we searched the
dusky plains of frost, but there was
no speck of life to grace the purple
run of death.
In this mid-polar basin the ice does
not readily escape and disentangle. 1t
is probably in motion at all times of
the year. and in the readjustment of
the fields following motion and eXpan-
sion there are open spaces of water,
and these during most months are
quickly sheeted with new ice.
Measuring the Ice.
In these troubled areas we were CIV