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


applicable phenomenon.
The fo6, withour dispensing. became
strangely luminous. and the sloop sail
ed along in a zone of electric light. |
Mast, sail, and rigging appeared PEN
ciled in black against the prosphor-
escent sky with wondrous distinctness. |
The men were bathed in light. and |
their faces shone with fiery glow.
TT is a phenomenon" replied the
doctor. seldom met hitherto. II we go
on, we shall soon get out of this bril-
liant glow and be back in the darkness
and tempest again"
We'll. let's go on. come what may"
said Hatteras
The doctor was right. Gradually the
fog began to lose it's 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 squat. and swept back in
to the cyclone.
But the hurricane had fortunately
turned a 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 a curtain torn by the wind;
and for an instant. like a flash OF light
ming. an immense column of flame 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 If 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 pillows. 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, budding close together. and evil
IDENTIFY beside themselves with terror.
For quarter of an hour. which
seemed a whole century, the sloop sail
ed on In this formidable company
sometimes 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 whirled
round and round with the most fright
full rapidly Mast and sail were torn
Off. 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 speeches. 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
cumference, and was thrown far be-
yond, swift as ball from a cannon 8
mouth.
1t was o'clock In the morning.
For few seconds they seemed stu
pefied, 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. land 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 sess-h was vain-Hat-
teras was losti
Lostl and so near the pole, Just as
he had caught sight of the goall
At such a distance from the coast II
was impossible Hatteras could reach It
alive without an oar or even so much
as spar to help him; IL ever he
touched the haven of his desire, 1t
would be as swollen, mutilated
, corpse.
| rCl
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 its polar clearness. and less
than three miles away the land as
peared in all it's 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
I pouring out a mass of burning stones
: and glowing rock
This enormous rock in the middle OF
8 the sea was 5000 feet high. just about
, the altitude of Hecla-
Can we land?" said the doctor.
8 THE wind is carrying us right tc
L IT." said Altamont.
s I Let us go, then" said Clawbonny
I dejectedly.
He had no heart now for anything
/. The north pole was indeed before his
!, eyes, but not the man who had dis
covered It
g AS they got nearer the island. which
n was not more than eight or ten mile.
a In circumference. the navigators no.
/. ticed tiny ford. just large enough tC
d harbor their boat. and made TOWARD
d 1t Immediately. They feared their cap.
t, tain's dead body would meet their eye.
n on the coast and yet 1t seemed diff.
: cult for corpse to lie on II. for Their,
: was no shore, and the sea broke OF
l. steep rocks. which were covered with
: cirders above water mark.
h At last the little sloop glided gent,
| f0fn fha