The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1909-09-14


with sufficient force to give some anx-
iety. though we were still equal to
about fifteen miles daily. The extended
marches and the long hours of travel
with which fortune had favored us
earlier were no longer possible.
We were now about 200 miles from
the pole, and the sled loads were re-
duced. One dog after another had
gone into the stomach of his hungry
survivors, until the teams were con-
siderably reduced, but there seemed to
remain a sufficient balance of man and
brute to push along into the heart of
the mystery to which we had set our
selves. Beyond the eighty-sixth par
allel, the ice fields became more extern
sive and heavier, the crevices fewer
and less trouble, with little or no
crushed ice thrown up as barriers.
Surprised by Land Ice.
From the eighty-seventh to the
eighty.eighth, much to our surprise,
was the indication of land ice.
For two days we travelled over ice
which resembled glacial surface. The
usual sea ice lines of embarkation
were absent, and there were no hum
mocks or deep crevices. There was,
however, no perceptible elevation and
no positive sign of land or sea.
Observations on the 14th gave Lati-
tude So degs., 81 min, and Longitude
95 degs., 20 min.
We were now less than 100 miles
from the pole.
The pack was here more active, but
the temperature remained below 40,
cementing together quickly the new
crevices. Young ice spread on the
narrow spaces of open water so rap
idly that little delay was caused in
crossing from one field to another.
The time had now arrived to muster
energy for the last series of efforts.
In the enforced effort, every human
strand was strained, and at camping
times there was no longer sufficient
energy to erect a snow shelter, though
the temperature was still very low.
Magic of Midnight Sun.
The silk tent was pressed into serv'
ice, and the change proved agreeable
1t encouraged a more careful scrutiny
of the strange world into which fate
had pressed us.
|
day, but they were deceptive illusions
or mere flight of fancy.
1t seemed that something must be
across the horizon to mark the i'm
portant area into which we were push
ing.
| When the sun was low the eye rar
over the moving plains of color tc
dancing horizons. The mirages turned
things topsy-turvy, inverted noun
tains and queer objects ever rose anG
fell in shrouds Of mystery, but all OF
this was due to the atmospheric magic
IF the midnight sun.
Slowly but surely we neared tn,
turning point Good astronomical OBJ
servations were daily procured to fl,
the advancing stages. The ice stead
lily improved. but still there was {
depressing monotony of scene and lif,
rad no pleasures, no spiritual recrea
lion, nothing to relieve the steady
physical drag or chronic fatigue.
But there came an end to this a
to all things. On April 81 the frs
corrected altitude of the sun CAV,
SO deg, SO min, 46 secs. The pole
therefore, was in sight.
Flag Flies at Pole.
We advanced the fourteen seconds
made supplementary observations anC
prepared to stay long enough to per
IT double round of observations.
Etukeshooke and Aswelab were toll
that we had reached the "Nei,
,Nailuj' and they sought to celebrate
by an advance of savage joys.
At last we had pierced the borea
center and the flag had been raised t.
the coveted breezes of the North Pole
The day was April 81, 1908. The SUI
indicated local noon, but time was
negative problem, for here all merid
ians meet.
With step it was possible to g
from one part of the globe to the op
posite side.
From the hour of midnight to tina
of midday the latitude was 80, tn
temperature 3S and the baromete
29.S3.
North, east and west had vanished
1t was south in every direction, blu
the compass, pointing to the magneti
pole, was as useful as ever.
Though overjoyed with the success
of the conquest our spirits began t
descend on the following day afte
all the observations had been take
with a careful study of the local con
ditions, sense of intense LONELINESS
came with the further scrutiny of tn
horizon.
What a cherries spot to hav
aroused the ambition of man for s
many agesl
An endless field of purple snow,
No life. No land. No spot to reliev
the monotony of frost. We were tn
only pulsating creatures in dea
world of ice.
We turned our backs to the pole o
April 23, and began the long retur
; march. Counting on continued east
erly drift, the course was forced far
Their west.
Crucial Stage OF Campaign.
With fair weather, good ice, and tn
inspiration of the home run, long dil
tances were at frst quickly covered.
, Below the eighty parallel III
character of the Ice changed yer