Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1910-08-13
CHAPTER XII.

The sight of the sloop suggested to
Clawbonny'the propriety OF giving AL
tamont's name to the little bay. His
proposition. to that effect met with
unanimous approval. and the port was
forthwith dignified by the title of AL
lamont harbor.
According to the Doctors calcula-
lions. the travellers were now only
three degrees distant from the pole
They had gone over 200 miles from
Victoria bay to Altamont harbor, and
were in latitude 81 degrees minutes
and longitude lis degrees 35 minutes.
Next morning by o'clock all the re-
naming effects were on board, and the
preparations for departure completed
A quarter of an hour afterward the
little sloop sailed out of Altamont har-
Dor, and commenced her voyage of dis
covery. The wind was favorable, but
there was little of 1t. and the weather
was positively warm.
Toward evening Hatteras and his
companions lost sight of the coast.
Night came on. though the sun re-
manned just above the horizon. Since
the departure from Altamont harbor.
the sloop had made one degree far
Their north.
The next day brought no signs of
land; there was not even a speck on
the horizon.
At length, about In the evening. a
dim, hazy, .shapeless sort of mist SEEM
ed to rise far away between sea and
sky. 1t was not a cloud. for 1t was
constantly vanishing, and then reap
pearing next minute.
- a. ~ a.
peculiar phenomenon; but after an
hours scrutiny through his telescope.
ne could make nothing out of 1t.
All at once, however, some sure in
dication met his eye, and stretching
out his arm to the horizon, he shouted.
In a clear. ringing voice:
land landl"
His words produced an electrical eff
feet on his companions. and every man
rushed to his side.
Il see 1t, see it," said Clawbonny.
Yes, yes. so do T." exclaimed John
son.
1T is a cloud" said Altamont
'Landl land!" repeated Hatteras, in
tones OF absolute conviction.
Let us make right for It, then"
said Hatteras
1t was impossible longer to doubt
the proximity of the coast In TWEEN
ty-four hours, probably. the bold navi-
gators might hope to set foot on It's
untrodden soil. But strange as II was
now that they were so near the goa
of their '>./ge, no one showed the
Joy which might have been expected
Each man sat silent, absorbed in his
own thoughts. wondering what sort OF
place this pole must be.
At last sleep overcame the tired men
and one after another dropped Off
leaving Hatteras TO keep watch.
While Hatteras dreamed of hom,
and fame, an enormous cloud of ar
olive tings had hegun to darken ses
and sky. A hurricane was at hand
The first blast of the tempest rouses
the captain and his companions. ans
they were on their feet in an instant
ready to meet 1t. The sea had riser
tremendously, and the ship was toss
ing violently up and down on the bill
lows. Hatteras took the helm again
and kept a firm hold of It, while John
son and Bell baled out the water whicl
was constantly dashing over the ship.
This sudden tempest might vel
seem to such excited men, a stern pro
ttbition against further approach I
the pole; but II needed but a glanc
at their resolute faces to know tina
they would neither yield to winds no
waves, but go right on to the end
For whole day the struggle lasted
death threatening them each moment
The next evening. just as the fury o
The waves seemed at its highest pitch
there came a sudden calm The win
was stilled as II miraculousiy, and tn
sea became smooth as KlaAs-