Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 January 1910 — FINDNG THE POLE [ARTICLE]

FINDNG THE POLE

BY JULES VERNE.

CHAPTER X. * On May 29, for the first time, the sun never set The glowing disc Just touched the boundary line of the horlaon, and rose again Immediately. The period was now entered when the day lasts twenty-four hours. Next morning there was a magnlfl«ent halo; the monarch of day appeared surrounded by a luminous circle. The doctor recommenced his sowing, for hp had plenty of seed, but he was surprised to find sorrel growing already between the half-dried stones, and even pale, sickly to show their delicate pink blossoms. -,At last It* began to be really hot Weather, On the 15th of June the thermometer stood at 57 degrees above aero. By the middle of June the sloop had made good progress, and Hatteras, Altamont and the doctor went hunting. The. three hunters, accompanied by Duke, set out on Monday, the 17 th of June, at 6 In the morning, each man armed, with a double-barreled gun, fiT hatchet and snow knife, and provisions for several days.. About noon of the second day they Sighted two ferocious musk-oxen, and surrounded them on a plateau. The oxen had begun to shake themselves Impatiently at Duke, trying to kick him off, when Hatteras started up right In front of them, shouting' and chasing' them back. This was the signal for Altamont and the doctor to rush forward and fire, but at the sight of two assailants, the -terrified animals wheeled around and attacked Hatteras. .He met their , onset with a firm, steady foot and fired straight at their heads. But both his bullets were powerless. They rushed upon the unfortunate man like furies, and threw him on the ground In an Instant. f - • “He Is a dead man!" exclaimed the doctor, In despairing accents. A tremendous struggle was going on tn Altamont’s breast at the sight of his prostrate foe, and though his first Impulse was to hasten to his help, he stopped short, battling with himself and his prejudices. But his hesitation Scarcely lasted half a second, his better self conquered, and exclaiming, “No, It would be cowardly!” he rushed forward with Clawbonny. Hatteras full well understood how his rival felt, but’ would rather have died than have begged his Intervention. However, he had hardly time to think about It, before Altamont was at his side.

He could not have held out much longer, for It was Impossible to ward off the blows of horns and hoofs of two such powerful antagonists, and In a few minutes more he must have been torn to pieces. But suddenly two shots resounded, and Hatteras felt the balls graze his head. “Courage!” shouted Altamont, flinging away his discharged weapon, and throwing hTmself right in front of the raging anfmals. One of them, shot to the heart, fell dead as reached the ■pot, while the other dashed madly on Hatteras, ami was about to gore the unfortunate captain hrlth his herns, when Altamont plunged.his snow knife far into the beast's, wide open Jaws with one hand, with the other dealt him such a tremendous blow on the head with his hatchet, that the skull was completely split open. It was done so quickly that it seemed like & flash of lightning, and all was over. The second ox lay dead, and Clawbonny shouted “Hurrah! hurrah!" Hatteras was saved. He owed his life to the man he hated "the most. What a storm of conflicting passions this must have roused, in his soul! But where was the emotion he could not master T However, his action was prompt, whatever his feeling might be. Without a moment's hesitancy, he went up to his rival, and said in a grave voice: “Altamont. you have saved my life!” “You saved mine,” replied the American. • There was a moment’s silence, and then Altamont added: “We’re quits, Hatteras." “No, Altajnont," said the captain; “when the doctor dragged you out of yoqr icy tomb I did not know who you were; but you saved me at the peril of your own life, knowing quite well who I was.” ’ “Why, you are a fellow creature at any rate, and whatever faults an American may have, he is no coward.” “No, indeed,” said the doctor. “He is a man, every inch a man—Uke yourself. Hatteras.” “And, like me, he shall have part in the glory that awaits us.” "The glory of reaching the north poleT” asked Altamont “Yes,” replied Hatteras, proudly. “I guessed right, then,” salS Altamont. The American stood still a moment deeply moved. Then he spoke feelingly. ' “And you have actually dared to conceive such a project? Oht It Is grand; I tell pou It is sublime even to think of It!" “But tell me,” said Hatteras, In a hurried manner; “you were not bound for the pole, {hen. yourself?” Altamont hesitated. “Come, speak out man,” urged the doctor. “Well, to ten the truth, I was not, and the truth Is better than self-love. No. I had no such grand purpose in view. I was trying to clear the northwest passage, and that was all.” “Altamont” said Hatteras, 1 holding out his hand; “be our companion to glory, ooma with us and And the north pole.” The two men clasped hands In a warm, {iearty grasp, and the bond of friendship between them was sealed. When they turned to look for the doctor they found him In tear*. “Ah! friends.” he said, wiping his •gee; "you have made ms so happy it

is almost more than i can bear? You have sacrificed this miserable nationality for the sake of the common cause.' You have said, 'What does It matter if only the pole Is discovered, whether it Is by Englishman or an American?’ Why should we brag of being American Or English when we can boast that we are men?" The good little man wad beside himself with Joy. He hugged the reconciled enemies to his bosom, and cemented their friendship by his own affection.4o both. Calming theiheelves the men cut up the oxen and made their way back to cathp. At supper the doctor said: “My dear old Johnson,' I took out an American and an Englishman with me, didn’t I?” “Yes, Igr. Clawbonny;*’ “Well, I bring back two brothers." This was Joyous news to the sailors, and they shook hands warmly with Altamont; while the doctor recounted all that had passed, and hWW the American captain had saved the English captain’s life. That night no five happier men could have been found than those that lay sleeping in the little snow-house,. . Bell completed the sloop; the Ice began to break yp. A trial was made to Cape Washington. This short sail of Six hours sufficiently proved her excellent qualities. f Cn the 22d of June, Hatteras began 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 a stock of firearms. Including the sloop and the Halkett boat, there was about 1,500 pounds weight, a heavy load. However, the distance to the po\e 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 It comfortably in a month. Even If land failed them, they could always fall back on the sloop, and finish the journey without fatigue to men or dogs. On Sunday, the 23d, all was ready,, and it was resolved to devote the entire day to rest. They retired early to rest, for they needed to be up betimes. So passed the last night in Fort Providence.

CHAPTER XI. Next day at' early dawn, Hattefai gave the signal for departure. The well-fed and weH-rested dogs were harnessed to the sledge. They had been having a good time of It dll the winter, and might' be expbcted to do good service during the summer. It 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 7 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 meal*. 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 appeared. ' " , Hunting was not forgotten during the march, for fresh meat was a necessity. Altamont and Bell kept their guns loaded, and shot ptarmigans,' guillemots, geese, and a few young hares. Hattdfas advised them not to go more than a mile away, as there was not a day. nor even an hour, to lose, for three months of fine weather was the utmost they could count upon. Besides, the sledge was often coming to difficult places, when eaoh man was needed to lend a helping hand.

For several days the expedition had been attended with no fatigue. The travelers had only suffered from the Intense glare of the sun on the snow, .which threatened them with snowblindness. At another time of the year they might have avoided this by walking dflrlng the night, but at present there wm no night at all. Happily the snow was beginning to melt, and the brilliancy would diminish as the process of dissolution advanced. On the Bth of June the thermometer rose to* 45 degrees, and the rain fell In torrents. Hatteras and hie companions, however, marched stoically on, and even hailed the dbwnpeur 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 flat pebbles, ae If worn away by the tldn. He thought from this they must be near the Polar basin, and yet far as the eye could reach was one Interminable plain. There waa not a trace of houses, or huts, or dalrns visible. It was evident that the Oreenlanders had not puahed their way eo/far north, and yet the famished tribes would have found their reward Jin coming, for the country abounded In game. Bear* were fre-* quently «een y and numerous hards of muak-bxen and deer. On the Hth Bell killed a foot and Altamont a musk-ox. These auppltes of fresh food were very acoeptable, and even the dootor surveyed, with considerable satisfaction, the haunches of meat they managed to proaurs from tints to time. “Don’t let us stint ourselves,” he used to say on’ these occasions; “food Is no unimportant matter In expeditions like ours." "Especially,” said Johnson, "when a meal depends on a lucky shot.” “You’re right, Johnson; a man does not think so much about dinner when -he know* the temp-pot is etfimorlng On the 80th they came to aldlstrlei which seemed to have been JrTimed ?>T come volcanlo convul.ionAo oov-

•red-was it with cones and sharprlsfty peaks. ’’ A strong breese from the southeast was blowing, which soop increased to a hurricane, sweeping over the rocks covered with snow and the huge massSos Ice, which took the forms df lcergs and hummocks, though on dry land. / On aH sides nothing could be heard but Ihe noise of crackings ice and falling avalanches. y N The travelers had to be very careful In avoiding hills, and qven In speaking aloud, for the-slightest agitation In the air might have caused a catastrophe. Indeed, the suddenness is the peculiar feature In arctic*avalanches, distinguishing them from those of Switzerland and Norway. Often the dlslodgement of a block es Ice Is instantaneous, and not even a cannon ball or thunderbolt could be more rapid In its descent. The loosening, the fall and the crash happen almost simultaneously. Happily, however, no accident befell any of the party, and three days afterwards they came to smooth, levels ground again. On the Fourth of July theije was such an exceedingly dense fog that it was very difficult to keep the straight course for the north. - ~ No misadventure, however, befel the party during the darkness, except the loss of Bell’s snowshoes. At Bell’s suggestion torches were contrived, made of tow steeped In spirits of wine and fastened on the end of a stick, and these served somewhat to help them on, though they made but small progress; for, on the 6th, after the fog had cleared off, the doctor took their bearings, and found that they lipd only been marching at the rate of eight miles a day. Determined to make up for lost time, they rose next morning very early and started off. Bell and Altamont as usual going ahead of the rest and acting as scouts. Johnson and the others kept beside the sledge, an& were soon nearly two miles behind the guides; but the weather was so dry and clear that all their movements could be distinctly observed. Storms l?lew up again and the tent was pitched In a ravine for shelter, as the sky was dark and threatening, and a violent north wind was blowing. ’Tm afraid we’l have a bad night," said Johnson.

“A pretty noisy one, I expect,” replied the doctor, “but not eold. We had better take every precaution, and fasten down our tent with good big stones.” “You are right, Mr. Clawbonny. If the hurricane swept away our tent, I don’t know where we should find It again.” The tent held fa’kt, but sleep was Impossible, for the tempest was led loose and raged with tremendous violence. "It seems to me,” said the doctor, during a brief lull In the deafening roar, “as if I could hear the sound of collisions between* lcebegs and ice fields. If we were near the sea, I could really believe there was a general break up in the Ice.” “I can’t explain the noises any other way,” said Johnson. "Can we have reached the coast?” I wonder?” asked Hatteras. “It is not impossible,” replied Clawbonny. “Listen! Do you hear that crash? That is certainly the sound of Icebergs falling. We cannot be very far from the ocean.” “Well ? If it turns out to be so, I shall push right on over the Ice fields." ' “Oh, they'll all be broken up after such a storm as this. We shall see what to-morrow brings; but all I can -say Is, If any |>oor fellows are wandering about in a night like this, I pity them.” —i__- (To be continued.)