Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1910-09-01

This sudden tempest might well
seem to such excited men, a stern pro-
hibition against further approach to
the 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,
death threatening them each moment.
Tho next evening, just as the fury of
the waves seemed at its highest pitch.
there came sudden calm. The wind
was stilled as If miraculously, and the
sea became smooth as glass.
Then came most extraordinary in
applicable phenomenon.
The fog, withour dispensing, became
strangely luminous, and the sloop sail
ed along In zone of electric light.
Mast, sail. and rigging appeared pen
clled In black against the prosphor-
escent sky with wondrous distinctness.
The men were bathed in light, and
their faces shone with a fiery glow.
1t Is 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 its light and then it's
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 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 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 II welded to
his hand. he seemed the animating
soul OF the ship.
All at once fearful sight met his
gaze.
Scarcely twenty yards In front was
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 a quarter of an hour, which
seemed 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
rul rapidity. Mast and sail were torn
on. whirlpool began to form among
the waves, drawing down the ship
gradually by Its irresistible suction.
All five mon stood erect, gazing at
each other in speechless terror. But
suddenly tho ship rose perpendicular
the vortex. and getting out OF the CEN
ter OF attraction by her own velocity.
she escaped at a tangent from the cir
conference. and was thrown far be-
yond. swift as a ball from q lannon's
mouth.
1t was o'clock in the morning.
For few seconds they seemed stu
pefied. and then cry of "Hatterasl"
broke from every lip.
On all sides nothing was visible but
the tempestuous ocean.
Take the helm. Altamont," said tho
doctor, and let us try our utmost to
md our poor captain"
johnson and Bell seized tho oars.
and rowsd about for moro than an
houri but their search was vain-Hat-
tsras was lostl
Lostl and SO near the pole. just a.
he had caught sight of the goal!
At such = distance from tho coast II
was impossible Hattsrss could reach It
alive. without an oar or oven 20 much
~ . spar to help him; II ever he
touched the haven Of his desire, It
would be a. . swollen. mutilated
corpse.
Longer search was useless. and moth
Ing remained but to resume the route
north The tempest WIS 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 lesl
than three miles away tho land ~
peared in all its grandeur.
The new continent was only an isl-
and. or. rather. volcano. fixed like q
lighthouse on the north pole of the
world
The mountain was In full activity,
pouring out q mass of burning stones
and glowing rock.