Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-11-02

Is Canada In Accordance With Copy.
IL right Act. Copyright In Mex.
Z leo Under Laws of the Republic
lt of Mexico. All Rights Reserved
ss*s*s+s*s*s*s*s*s*s*s+s*s
~ YER the newly discovered coast
lines was written Bradley Land,
~ In honor of John R. Bradley.
the benefactor Of the expedi-
ton. As we passed north Of this land
there was nothing substantial upon
which to fix the eye.
There was at no time a perfectly
clear horizon, but the weather was
good enough to permit frequent nauti-
cal observations. The course was lined
on uninteresting blank sheets, but
there were elusive signs Of land fire.
quent enough to keep up an exploring
enthusiasm.
Thus day after day the marches
were forced. the incidents and the po-
sitions were recorded, but the adven-
lures were promptly forgotten In the
mental bleach Of the next days effort.
The night of April I was made notable
by the swing Of the sun at midnight.
For a number Of nights 1t made grim
faces at us in its setting. A teasing
mist. drawn as a curtain over the
northern sea at midnight, had given
curious advantages for celestial stag
ing; settling into this haze, we were
unable to determine sharply the ad-
vent Of the midnight sun, but here was
q spectacular play which interested us
immensely.
Now the great bulk. was drawn out
egg shaped. with horizontal lines
drawn through it. Again 1t was press
ed into a basin with flaming fires,
burning behind a curtain Of frosts;
blue at other times, 1t appeared like
huge vase. and 1t required very little
Imagination to see purple and violet
| flowers.
The change was often like magic,
but the last display was invariably q
face-distorted faces Of men or AMI
mails 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 its sweep OF ths
northern Ice at midnight. From thu
end of the polar night late in Febru
ary to the first of the double days ant
midnight suns we had forced a trai
through darkness, blood hardening
temperature and over leg breaking ir
regularities Of an unknown world o.
ice to an area 200 miles from the pole
The Midnight Sun.
Now we had the sun unmistakablJ
at midnight. and its new glory wal
quite an incentive to our life OF shiv
ers. Observations on April 8 placed
camp at latitude SO degrees 36 min
utes, longitude "a degrees 2 minutes
In spite Of what seemed like Ions
marches we had advanced only 1Ot
miles in nine days. Much Of our hare
work was lost In circuitous twists
around troublesome pressure lines ant
high, irregular fields Of very old Ice
The drift ice was throwing US to the
east with sufficient force to give III
some anxiety, but with eyes closed tt
danger and hardships the double days
of fatigue and glitter quickly followed
one another.
The temperature, ranging between
SO and 46 degrees below zero F., KEEP
persistently near the freezing point Of
mercury, and, though the perpetua
sun gave light and color to the cheer
less wastes, we were not impressed
with any appreciable sense of warmth
Indeed, the sunbeams seemed to max
the frost Of the air pierce with mor'
painful sting.
There was a weird play Of orgies
seemingly most impressive at this
time-clouds Of steam rose from the
frozen seas. In marching over thf
golden glitter snow scalds the race
while the nose is bleached with frost
The sun rose into zones Of fire and se
into burning fields Of ice. but witt
pain we breathe the chill Of death.
In camp a grip Of the knife left pain
full burns from cold metal. 10 the
frozen finger the water was hot. witt
wine spirits the fire was lighted, while
oil delighted the stomach. In dreams
heaven was hot. the other place was
cold. All nature was false. We seem
ed to be nearing the chilled fame Of
new hades. In our hard life there
was nothing genuinely warm. INT
congenial appearances were all decep
ton, but death offered only cold com
fort. There was no advantage in sui
eide.
We should have enjoyed this curious
experience, but with endless bodily
discomforts, combined In aching mus
cles and an overbearing languor, 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 7. The big march
es and prolonged hours of travel with
which fortune favored us earlier were
no longer possible. Weather condi'
tions were more important in deter
mining the days run than the hands
of the chronometers.
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 dur
| ing which q march could be forced be-
| tween winds. 1t mattered little wheth
| er we travelled night or day-all hours
and all days were alike to us-for we
had no accustomed time Of rest. nc
Sundays. no holiday, no landmarks oI
mileposts 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.
The observations of April II gave
latitude 81 degrees 20 minutes. longi
tude 95 minutes 10 seconds. The pack