The Keota news., 1918-02-08
FOuNDACONTINEN1
CAPTAIN Nathaniel B. Palmer h
Front Rank Of Explorers.
stenlneten, Conn.,, was olrthp'aes q
Brave Sailor Who Was the FSess
% Dloeovor Land In oeeet
Antarctic Ocean.


Antarctic Ocean.
American sailors have In more tnan
one instance proven. while following
their pursuits, to bs explorers OF the
Arst magnitude.
This fact II recalled In the case OF
Capt. Nathaniel b. Palmer. q native OF
Stonington. Conn, q port that ones
supported . prosperous deet OF neF
chant vessels.
Captain Palmer. when twenty years
old, discovered the Antarctic continent.
Captain Palmer was an active
strong. aggressive character. When -
q lad Of eighteen he made . voyage on
the brig Hersilia - second mate. 't
Glanced that he WAS landed ut the
Falkland islands to kill Wild buIlocks
for meat. while his ship sailed away IN
search Of an island Of which the 4an'
kee captains had heard vague stories.
but had never seen.
In the absence Of the Hersilia an Ar
gentine vessel. the Espirito santo.
touched At the Falklands for water.
The Argentine sailed away before
the Hersilla came back: but on bis
vessels return. young Palmer insisted
that she put after the Esparito Santo'
In hope Of finding the strange Island.
This was done. and after many days
sailing, the Yankee brig found not only
the vessel she had followed. but -
lands to that time unknown In North
America. the South shetlands.
In 1921. Nathaniel Palmer. % com.
mander Of q stonington sloop. the
Hero. sailed again to the South Shet'
lands for seals. Finding the seals near.
~ exterminated there. he sailed far
ther and farther In seareh Of new seal.
ing grounds. stopping only when hs
sighted land not laid down on any
chart. There were numerous Islands.
and beyond them q wild coastline and
dim mountains.
One night the Hero lay becalmed In
q thick fog that enveloped her like q
blanket. After taking the deck at mid.
night for the middle watch. Captain
Palmer was astonished when his man
at the helm struck one bell. to hear the
sound repeated twice. The same thing
happened at two bells and 20 on
through the watch. Superstition had
not left the seas in those days. and the
men Of the watch deck were alarmed.
At seven bells the fog lifted little.
and two men-of.war were seen not
more than q mile away. After the
United States ensign was run up at
the main peak Of the Hero. one Of the
warships sent boat alongside with an
Invitation from Commander BellinR.
hansen Of the Russian navy for the
captain Of the American sloop to come
on board his ship.
The polished. accomplished Russian
commander insisted on sitting down to
luncheon with the rugged young Yam
kee in sea boots. a meal that Captain
on the Hero.
The Russian olIlcer had been two
years on q voyage Of discovery. He
examined keenly the chart and log
book Of the Hero. and questioned Cap
tain Palmer at length concerning the
land he had found.
Finally the commander arose, placed
his hand upon the young captains
head. and said: RI name the land you
have discovered Palmer Land In your
honor: but what will my august mas.
ter say. and what will he think Of my
cruising for two years In search Of the
land that has been discovered By boy.
In a sloon only a littlA larReP than fha