Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1918-03-12
f0UNDAc0NTnNENT
captain Nathaniel B. Palmer q
Front Rank Of Explorsra
stenInstsn, Conn., Was s'rthPlaes .
Brave sailor Who Was ths Fsrss
% Discover Land IN 0fs0
Antarctic Ocean.

American sailors have In more tnan
one instance proven. while fonoMns
their pursuits, to be explorers OF tne
iirst magnitude.
This fact IL recalled In the case 0.
Can't Nathaniel B. Palmer, . native OF
stonington, Conn. a port that once
supported a prosperous aset OF mess
chant vessels
Captain Palmer, when twenty year.
old. discovered the Antarctic continent
Today Captain Palmers old home N
the ouiet seashore town Of his birth -
4 place honored by resident and via'
tor alike. while few miles from II st
Noank. a famous old shipyard, bearing
still the name Of Palmer. II psrpetua"
ing the traditions Of the locality Dy
turning out ships for the new merchant
marine, under the construction pl0
gram Of the United States shppins
board.
Captain Palmer was IN aenve
strong. aggressive character. When ~
a lad of eighteen he made voyage On
the brig Hersilia as second mate, II
CHANGED that he was landed at tne
Falkland Islands to kill wild buiioc.s
for meat. while his ship sailed away u
search Of an island Of which the yam
kee captains had heard vague storiss'
but had never seen.
In the absence Of the Hersilia an Al.
Rentine vessel. the Espidto santo'
touched at the Falklands for water.
Her captain told young Palmer that ne
was bound for a place whsre tnefs
we're Thousands Of seals
The Argentine sailed away before
the Hersilia came back: but On biz
vessels return, young Palmer insisted
that she put after the Espirito Sanfo'
IN hone 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 ShetlandA
In 1921, Nathaniel Palmer, a com
mandsr Of q stoninston sloop. the
Hero, sailed again to the South shse-
lands for seals Finding the seals near
" e1terminated there. he sailed Tar
ther and farther In search Of now seal
ing grounds, stopping only when he
sighted land not laid down on any
chart. There were numerous ISLANDS,
and beyond them a wild coastline ana
dim mountaina
One night the Hero lay becalmed In
q thick fog that enveloped her Ike q
blanket. After taking the deck At mid
night for the middle watch, Captain
Palmer was astonished when bis man
at the helm struck one bell. to hear the
sound repeated twice. The same thing
happened at two bells and 80 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 a mile away. After the
United States ensign was run up at
the main peak Of the Hero. one Of the
warships sent q boat alongside with an
| invitation from Commander Beiling-
hansen Of the Russian navy for the
captain Of the American sloop to como
on board his ship.
Captain Palmer went just as he was
| dressed-in sea boots and sou'wester.
The scene was one Of impressive con-
trasts when Captain Palmer stepped
into the commanders luxurious cabin.
The polished, accomplished Russian
commander insisted on sitting down to
luncheon with the rugged young Yam
kee In sea boots, q meal that Captain
Palmer found elaborate, after the fare
on the Hero.
The Russian officer had been two
years on voyage of discovery. He
J examined keenly the chart and log.
book of tho 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: II 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 sloop only little larger than the
launch Of my frigateT
Islands named for Peter and Alexan-
der are still 50 designated on charts
Of that part Of the Antarctic; but the
land found by the boy captain Of Ston-
ingtQn appears on every chart Of that
part Of tho world a. Palmer Archi-
pelago."
It was nearly 20 years after Captain
Palmer's discovery that the rim Of the
Antarctic continent was explored, by
an Englishman. Sir James Ross, Of the
famous Erebus and Terror expedition