The Mena weekly star., 1909-10-21

VI ttAC OlCa N
 z The Big Nail" Reached at z
 z Last and "0ld Glory Un- .
 2 furled = Endless Fields of :
 Purple Shows = No North, 2
 No East, No West O. O. 2
 oSo%o~o~o~o~o%o~o~o>o~o>oSS
 imagination quickened. aud a restless.
 almost hysteric excitement came over
 us The boys fancied they saw beaver
 and seals. and | had a new land under
 observation frequently. but with
 change in the direction of light or m altered trend in our temperament the
 horizon cleared and we became eager only to push farther into the mystery.
 From the eighty-eighth 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 eighty-sevonth. 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 ea- gerness to find something unusual may have fired the imagination. but since the earth Is tlattened at the pole per haps widened horizon should be de tected
 At 8 o'clock on the morning of April 19 we campcd on picturesque old field with convenient hummocks to which we could easily rise for the ire 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 by liberal pot of pea soup and a few chips of frozen meat. and then we bathed in life giving sunbeams. screen ed from the piercing air by silk strands. It was a beautiful day. and had our sense of appreciation not been blunted by accumulated fatigre 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 lon gitude calculations lined us at 94 de grees minutes. At noon the suns al- titude was carefully set on the sextant. and the latitude quickly reduced gave miles from the pole.
 My heart jumped for joy. and the un- conscious commotion which was ere ating awakened Etukishuk. l told him that in two average marches we would reach the "tigi shu" fthe big nail,.
 Ahwelah was awakened with a kick, and together they went out to a hum
 mock and through glasses sought for mark to locate so important a place as the terrestrial axis. If but one sleep beyond it must be seen. tried to explain that the pole was not visible to tho eye; that it's 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.
 It 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 q favorite broth of pemmican. dug up a surprise of fancy biscuits and filled up on good things 10 the limit of the ai- lowance for our final feast days. The dogs. which had joined the chorus of giadness. were 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 Wtlt tAGiNtu " n 1tft tfiAt. The feet were light on this run Even the dogs caught the infectious enthusi asm and rushed along at pace which made 1t difficult for me to keep a sufli cient advance te set seed course. The horizon was sriI searched fol something 10 mark the approaching boreal center, but nothing unusual was seen. It was the same expanse Of moving seas of ice on which we had lived for 300 miles.
 But. looking through gladdened eyes.
 the scene assumed n new glory. There were plains of gold fenced in purple walls. with gided crests. It was one of the few days on the stormy pack when all nature smiled with cheering lights.
 As the day advanced and tue splen. dor of summer night was run into the continued day the beams of gold on the surface snows thickened. while the shadows of hummocks and ridges sprcad line of violet barriers through which way must be sought. From my position few hundred yards ahead of the sleds could not resist the temptation to turn frequently to see the movement of the dog train with it's new fire. In this direction |the color scheme wns reversed. The icy walls were in gold and burning col ors. while he plains represented every shade of purple and blue