The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-06-19
Whalers inside the crater Of an ex-
inct volcano at Deception Island
By Henry N. Nicely

By Henry N. Nicely
WHEN you and l studied -josatry" W.
w got the impression that the Straits Of
Magellan were only about two jumps from
the lowermost edge of the earth. And then,
later, when We began to read those stirring
sea stories that were such favorites with
boys,we met reckless Adventures who capped
their thrilling exploits by rounding the
Horn" and we developed a mental picture
of a gaunt, ice covered rock that jutted so
far south that there was left only water
enough for ship to maDeuver between it
and the perilous edge of the map.
That idea is really quite widespread. And
it is easy TO understand why, because all
ordinary maps and charts of the South At
lAntic ocean go only to 60 degrees south
latitude, and looking az them naturally gives
the subcOnscious impression that there is
nothing below that
But there is
Just below the 6o-degree line, between
the longitudes of A and Al degrees west,
are the South Orkney islands 49,
And, still farther down, from about 81 to
"a south and between Sc and g. west, are
the South Shetland islands.
Below these Shetlands stretches the bleak
shore of Graham's Land and the Antarctic
continent
For about four months in the year-from
the first of December to the first of April
the South Shetland islands echo the clatter
and machinery, the booming of guns. the
sound of tie human voice and the noise of
human activity in general
For the other eight months they are silent
and deserted-protected in their frigid $50
latiOn by the solid ice that locks them in
an impenetrable barrier extending 200 or
300, miles above their northern extremity.
There are no animals of any kind even the
whales and the seals fee from the grip of
the ice, for whales and seals must come up
to breath and they must hunt their prey in
water that is uncon6ned-
Down near the lower end of the South
Shetlands is Deception island. Here, on
its blacklava shores, buried deep in snow
and ice eight months q year, are to be found
The farthest south custom house in the
world.
The tarthest south factory in the world.
The farthest south permanent building
in the world
The farthest south oil tank in the
world
The farthest south marine railway in the
world.
The farthest south "active" graveyard
in the world.
And, last winter-it was, as / have said,
GUNNER" time down there-the annual in
hux of the Norwegian whaling feet added to
this list
The farthest south regular" doctor.
The farthest south postmaster and
postmark- g.,
The farthest south newspaper.
The farthest south regular" dog
The farthest south kittens
Deception island centers about $3.50 south
and 6O.30 west Cape Horn Is about So
south, so that Deception island is something
over 500 land miles below and almost south
Of what you and 1, as boys, thought was
the end of the world
TIHE island is really q remarkable freak Of
i nature Once, ages ago, it was a volcano.
Then came a gigantic eruption, the whole
center Of the mountain was blown cut and
only the jagged and precipitous rock and
lava rim remained With q tremendous cavity
Inside IL
Gradually through centuries probably this
rim sank and the ocean outside beat upon It
uercilessly, dashed to fury by the gales that
prevail down there- In time, the waters
tound one weak spot their assault, year
after year, wore into it little by little and
finally broke through and the sea rushed
into the huge cavity in what must have been
. uaelstrom worth many thousand dollars
for the moving picture rights alone Today,
and for some ten years past, this inner,
vater- filed basin is the rendezvous for the
Noryegi In ships that 60 down there each
,eason when the ice breaks up, to hunt for
whales. But they are not the first who
have made this entirely land licked haven
TIER headquarters For, though they left
no written record, the hardy American whal-
.rs and sealers who sailed out Of New Eng
land over q century ago hunted their pelts
and tried out their blubber On these same
shores, and evidences of their handivork
were found when Captain Forster entered
on board the doughty little Chantieieer and
set ND his pendulum station ashore In 1873.
On one Of the islands in the group, there are
the remains Of an American graveyard with
one cross still bearing the date 1871 in 70