Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1916-11-29

those waters, which varied from in
tense blue to olive green. according to
the bottom. The thermometer marked
8 degrees G. above zero. 1t was com
paratively spring, shut up as We were
behind an iceberg. whose heightened
mass was dimly seen on our northern
horizon.
Are we at the pole?" asked the
captain. with beating heart.
II do not know" he replied ''At
noon will take our bearings
But will the sun show himself
through this fog?" said l, looking at
the leaden sky.
"However little 1t shows, 1t will he
enough" replied the captain.
About ten miles south solitary Is
land rose to height Of 1O4 yards. We
made for it. but carefully. for the sea
might be strewn with banks One
hour afterward we had reached 1t; two
hours later we had made the round of
it 1t measured four or five miles in
circumference narrow canal sep.
arated it from considerable stretch
Of land, perhaps continent. for We
could not see its limits. The existence
Of this land seemed to give some color
to Maury's hypothesis. The ingenious
American has remarked that between
the sea Is covered with floating ice Of
enormous size, which is never met
with in the north Atlantic. From this
fact he has drawn the conclusion that
the antarctic circle incloses considera
bic continents, as icebergs cannot form
in open sea, but only on the coasts.
According to these calculations. the
mass OF Ice surrounding the southern
pole forms vast cap, the circumfer'
ence Of which must be at least $500
miles. But the Nautilus. for fear Of
running aground, had stopped about
three cables length from strand over
which reared superb heap Of rocks.
The boat was launched. The captain,
two Of his men bearing instruments,
Conseil and myself were In it. 1t was
10 in the morning. l had not seen Ned
Land. Doubtless the Canadian did not
wish to admit the presence of the
south pole. A few strokes of the oar
brought us to the sand, where we ran
ashore. Conseil was going to Jump on
to the land when held him back.
"Sir," said l to Captain Memo, ito
you belongs the honor Of first setting
foot on this land"
Eyes. SIR" said the captain. land IL
l do not hesitate to tread this south
pole 1t is because up to this time no
human being has left trace there"
Saying this, he Jumped lightly on to
the sand. His heart beat with emo
ton. He climbed rock sloping to
little promontory, and there, with his
arms crossed, mute and motionless and
with an eager look. he seemed to take
possession Of these southern regions.
After five minutes passed in this costa.
sy he turned to us.
when you like. SIR
landed, followed by Conseil, leaving
the two men in the boat. For q long
way the soil was composed of red
dish, sandy stone, something like
crushed brick, scoriae, streams of lava
and pumice stones. One could not mis-.
take its volcanic origin. In some parts
slight curls Of smoke emitted a sui
phurous smell, proving that the inter
nal fires had lost nothing OF their ex-
pansive powers, though. having climb
ed high ACTIVITY, could see no vol
cano for a radius Of several miles.
About half mile farther on the soil
was riddled with ruffs' nests, a sort Of
laying, ground. out of which many
birds were issuing. Captain Memo had
some hundreds hunted. They uttered
cry like the braying Of an ass. were
about the size Of a goose. slate color
on the body. white beneath. with Il
yellow line round their threats; they
allowed themselves to be killed with
stone. never trying to escape. But
the fog did not lift, and at II the sun
had yet shown itself. Its absence
made me uneasy. Without it no OBJ.
serrations were possible. How. then
could we decide whether we had reach
ed the pole? When l rejoined Captain
Memo I found him leaning on a piece
Of rock silently watching the sky he
seemed impatient and vexed But
what was to be done? This rash and
powerful man could not command the
sun as he did the sea. Noon arrived
without the orb Of day showing itself
for an instant. We could not even tel;
its position behind the curtain of fog
and soon the fog turned to snow
'Till tomorrow" said the captain
quietly, and we returned to the Nau
titus amid these atmospheric disturb
ances.
The tempest Of snow continued TIL
the next day. 1t was impossible to
remain on the platform. From the sa
loon where ! was taking notes Of Incl
dents happening during this excursion
to the polar continent | could hear
the cries OF 7etrels and albatrosses
sporting in the midst Of this violent
storm. The Nautilus did not remain
motfonless, but skirted the coast, ad
vancfng ten miles more to the south
In the half light left by the sun as It
skfrted the edge Of the horizon. The
next day, the Goth Of March, the snow
had ceased. The cold was a little
greater. the thermometer showing 2
degrees below zero. The fog was ris-
ing. and I hoped that that day our OBJ
servatl0ns might be taken Captain
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