Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1910-05-06

seem TO such excited men. a stern nro-
hipition against further approach to
'ne pole; but 1t needed but a glance
at their resolute faces to know that
they would neither yield to winds nor
waves, but go right on to the end
FOR whole day the struggle lasted
oeath threatening them EACH moment
Inc next evening, just as the fury OF
.ne waves seemed at its highest pitch.
there came sudden calm. The wind
WAS stiiied as If miraculously, and the
sea became smooth as glass.
ihen came most extraordinary in
expiicable phenomenon.
The fog, withour dispensing. became
strangely luminous, and the sloop sail
eo along In zone of electric light.
mast SAIL and rigging appeared PEN
ched In black against the prosphor-
escent SKY with wondrous distinctness.
Inc men were bathed In light. and
thelr faces shone with a fiery glow.
II Is phenomenon" replied the
doctor, seldom met hitherto. II we 20
on, we shall soon get out of this bril-
hant glow and be back in the darkness
and tempest again."
Well. let's go on, come what may"
said Hatteras.
Ihe doctor was right. Gradually the
fog began to lose its light and then its
transparency, and the bowling wind
was heard not far off, A few minutes
more and the little vessel was caught
In violent squall, and swept back in
to the cyclone.
But the hurricane had fortunately
turned point toward the south, and
left the vessel free to run before the
wind straight toward the pale.
At last they began evidently to near
the coast Strange symptoms were
manifest In the air; the fog suddenly
rent like curtain torn by the wind;
and for an instant, like a flash Of light
ming, an immense column Of fame was
seen on the horizon.
The wind suddenly changed to
southeast and drove the ship back
again from the land
AS Hatteras stood with disheveled
hair, grasping the helm as II welded to
his hand, he seemed the animating
soul of the ship.
All at once a fearful. sight met his
gaze.
Scarcely twenty yards in front was a
great block of ice coming right to-
wards them, mounting and falling on
the stormy billows. ready to overturn
at any moment and crush them in its
descent
But this was not the only danger
that threatened the bold navigators.
The iceberg was packed with white
bears, huddling close together, and evil
IDENTIFY beside themselves with terror
For a quarter Of an hour, which
seemed a whole century, the sloop sail
ed on in this formidable company,
sometimes a few yards distant and
sometimes near enough to touch.
The storm now burst forth with re-
doubled fury. The little bark was lift
ed bodily out of the water, and whlrled
round and round with the most fright
full rapidity. Mast and sail were torn
off. A whirlpool began to form among
the waves, drawing down the ship
| gradually by its irresistible suction.
All five men stood erect. gazing at
each other in ,speechless terror. But
suddenly the ship rose perpendicular
| ly, her PROV went above the edge of
the vortex, and getting out of the CEN
| ter of attraction by her own velocity,
she escaped at tangent from the cir
| conference, and was thrown far be-
yond, swift as a ball from a cannon's
mouth.
| n'n1noly In, ha
| For few seconds they seemed stu
pefed, and then a cry of "Hatteras!"
broke from every lip.
On all sides nothing was visible but
| the tempestuous ocean.
Take the helm, Altamont," said the
doctor. "and let us try our utmost to
find our poor captain"
Johnson and Bell seized the oars,
and rowed about for more than an
hour: but their search was vain-Hat-
| teras was lost!
Lost! and so near the pole, Just as
| he had caught sight Of the goal!
At such a distance from the coast It
was impossible Hatteras could reach It
alive. without an oar or even so much
as q spar to help him; II ever he
touched the haven of his desire, 1t
would be as a swollen. mutllated
| corpse.
Longer search was useless. and moth
| ing remained but to resume the route
north. The tempest was dying out,
and about In the morning. on the
18th of July, the wind fell. and the sea
gradually became calm. The sky re-
covered It's polar clearness. and les.
than three miles away the land ap-
peared In all its grandeur.
The new continent was only an ISL
and, or, rather, a volcano, fixed like a
lighthouse on the north pole of the
world.
The mountain was In full activity
pouring out mass of burning stones
and glowing rock.
This enormous rock in the middle Of
the sea was 5000 feet high. Just about
,ha altitude of Hecla.