The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-03-11
by JULES VERNE.

I is almost more than I can bear? You
have sacrificed this miserable nation
atty for the sake Of the common cause
You have said. What does 1t matter
if only the pole is discovered, whether
| 1t Is by Englishman or an Americana
Why should we brag of being Ameri-
can or English when we can boast that
| we are men?"
| The good little man was beside him
self with joy. He Rugged the recon-
| ciled enemies to his bosom, and ce-
mented their friendship by his own
affection to both.
Calming themselves the men cut up
the oxen and made their way back to
camp. At supper the doctor said:
MY dear old Johnson, I took out an
American and an Englishman with me,
| didn't I?'
Yes, Mr.. Clawbonny."
We'll. 1 bring back two brothers"
This was joyous news to the sailors,
and they shook hands warmly with AL
| lamont; while the doctor recOunted all
| that had passed, and how the Ameri-
can captain had saved the English
| captains life. That night no five hap
pier men could have been found than
| those that lay sleeping in the little
snow-house.
Bell completed the sloop; the ice be-
gan to break up.
A trial was made to Cape Washing
ton. This short sail of six hours suf-
ficiently proved her excellent quail
ties.
n hn of Y,rno OF q
to load the sledge. They put in 200
pounds Of salt meat, three cases of
! vegetables and preserved meat, besides
lime juice, and flour and medicines.
They also took 200 pounds of powder
and stock of firearms. Including the
sloop and the Halkett boat, there was
about $500 pounds weight, a heavy
load.
However. the distance to the pole
was not 355 miles at the outside, and
as they did not intend to go more than
twelve miles a day, as they could do 1t
comfortably in a month. Even If land
failed them, they could always fall
back on the sloop, and finish the jour-
ney without fatigue to men or dogs.
On Sunday, the 23d. all was ready,
and it was resolved to devote the en-
tire day to rest.
They retired early to rest, for they
needed to be up betimes. So passed
the last night in Fort Providence.
CHAPTER XII
Next day at early dawn, Hatteras
gave the signal for departure. The
well-fed and well-rested dogs were
harnessed to the sledge. They had
been having a good time of it all the
| winter. and might be expected to do
good service during the summer.
| 1t was at in the morning when the
| expedition started After following the
windings of the bay and going past
Cape Washington, they struck into the
direct route for the north. and by Z
o'clock had lost sight of the lighthouse
| and Fort Providence.
During the first two days they made
| twenty miles in twelve hours. devoting
the remainder of the time to rest and
meals. The tent was quite sufficient
| protection during sleep.
The temperature began to rise. In
| many places the snow melted entirely
away, and great patches of water ap-
peared.
Hunting was not forgotten during
| the march. for fresh meat was ne
cessity Altamont and Bell kept their
| guns loaded, and shot ptarmigans,
| guillemots, geese, and a few young
| hares.
| Hatteras advised them not to go
more than a mile away, as there was
| not day, nor even an hour. to lose,
| for three months of fine weather was
| the utmost they could count upon. Be-
| sides, the sledge was often coming to
difficult places, when each man was
| needed to lend helping hand.
For several days the expedition had
been attended with no fatigue. The
travellers had only suffered from the
| intense glare of the sun on the snow,
| blindness.
| At another time of the year they
might have avoided this by walking
J during the night. but at present there
was no night at all. Happily the snow
| was beginning to melt, and the bril-
liancy would diminish as the process
| of dissolution advanced.
On the Sth of June the thermometer
/ rose to As degrees, and the rain fell in
| torrents. Hatteras and his compan-
ions, however, marched stoically on,
/ and even hailed the downpour with
/ delight, knowing that it would hasten
the disappearance of the snow.
As they went along. the doctor often
picked up stones. both round ones and
fiat pebbles. as II worn away by the
tide He thought from this they must
be near the Polar basin. and yet far as
the eye could reach was one intermin-
able plain.
There was not a trace Of houses, or
huts. or cairns visible. 1t was evident
that the Greenlanders had not pushed
their way SO far north, and yet the
famished tribes would have found their
reward in coming, for the country
abounded in game. Bears were fire.
quently seen. and numerous herds Of
musk oxen and deer.
On the 29th Bell killed a fox and Al
lamont a musk-ox. These supplies of
fresh food were very acceptable. and