Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 January 1910 — FINDNG THE POLE [ARTICLE]

FINDNG THE POLE

BY JULES VERNE.

CHAPTER Xl.—(Continued.) Th« storm lasted for ten hours, and tbs weary travelers anxlqusly watched for the morning. About daybreak its fury seemed to have Spent Itself, and Hatteras, accompanied by Bell and Altamont, ventured to leave"* the tent. They climbed a hill about 800 feet hish, -which commanded a wide view. But what a metamorphosed region met their gazel All the ice had completely vanished, the storm had chased away the winter, and stripped the soft everywhere of its snow covering. But. Hatteras -scarcely bestowed a glance on surrounding objects; his eager gaze was bent on the northern horizon, which appeared Shrouded in black mist “That may very likely be caused Vy the ocean,” suggested Clawbonny. “You are right. The sea must be there," was the reply. “That tint is what we call the blink Of open water,” said Johpson. “Come on, then, to the sledge at once, and let us get to this unknown ocean,” exclaimed Hatteras. Their few preparations were soon made, and the march resumed. Three hours afterwards they arrived at the coast, and shouted simultaneously, “The sea! the sea!” “Ay, ,and open Bea! ” added Hatteras. And so it was. The storm had opened with the polar basin, and the loosened packs were drifting in all directions. The icebergs had weighed anchor, and were sailing out into the open sea. This new ocean stretched far away out of sight, and not a single island or continent was visible. After a careful survey of the coast, Hatteras determined to launch the sloop that very day, and to unpack the * sledge, and get everything on board. By 5 o'clock nothing more remained to be done. The sloop lay rocking gracefully in the little bay, and all the cargo was on board except the tqnt and what was required for the night’s encampment. '

CHAPTER XU The sight of the sloop suggested to Clawbonny the propriety of giving Altamont’s name to the little bay. His proposition to that effect met with unanimous approval, and the port was forthwith dignified by the title of Altamont harbor. According to 'the doctor’s calculations, the travelers were now only three degrees distant from thb pole. They had gone over 200 mUes from Victoria bay to Altamont harbor, and were In latitude 87 degrees 6 minutes and longitude 118 degrees 35 minutes. Next morning by 8 o’clock all the remaining effects were on board, and the preparations : for completed. A quarter of an hour afterward the little sloop sailed out of Altamont harbor, and commenced her voyage of discovery. The wind was favorable, but there was little of It, and the weather was positively warm. Toward evening Hatteras and his companions lost sight of the coast. Night came on, though the sun remained just aboVe the horizon. Since the departure from Altamont harbor, the sloop had made one degree farther north. The next day brought no signs of land; there was not even a speck on the hoyizon. At length, about < in the evening, a dim, hazy, shapeless sort of mist seemed to rise far away between sea and sky. It was not a cloud, for it was constantly vanishing, and then reap* pearing next minute. Hatteras was the first to notice this peculiar phenomenon; but after an hour’s scrutiny through his telescope, he could make nothing out of It. All Hit once, however, some sure Indication met his eye, and stretching out his arm to the horizon, he shouted, .In a clear, ringing voice: "Land! land!”

Hi* words produced an electrical effect on his companions, and every man rushed to his side. ■1 see it, I see it!” said Clawbonny. "Yes, yes, so do I!" exclaimed Johnson, ‘lf is * cloud,” said Altamont “Land! land!” repeated Hatteras, in • tones of absolute conviction. "Let us make right for it, then,” said Hatteras. It was impossible longer to doubt the proximltyof the boast In twen-ty-four hours, probably, the bold navigators might hope to set foot on its untrodddn soil. But strange as it was, now that they were‘So near the goal of their voyage, no one showed the jd!r which 'might have been expected. Bach man' sat silent absorbed in his own thoughts, Wondering what sort of place this pale l must be. At last sleep overcame the tired men, and on* after another off, leading Hatteras to keep Watch. While Hatteras dreamed of home and fame, an enormous cloud of an olive tlrig* had begun to darken sea and sky. A hurricane was at hand. The first blast of the tempest roused the captain and bis companions, and they were on their fAst in an instant ready to meet it The sea bad risen tremendously, and the ship was tossing violently up and down on the billows Hatteras took the helm again, and kept a firm hold of it, while Johnson and Bell bated out the water which was constantly dashing over the ship. This sudden tempest might well seem to such excited men, a stern prohibition against further approach to the pole; but it needed but a glance at their resolute faces to know that they would neither yield to winds nor Waves, but go right on to the end. for a whole day the struggle lasted, death threatening them each moment. The next evening. Just as the fury of the waves seemed at it* highest pitch, there came a sudden calm. The wind was stilled as If miraculously, and the ■ea became smootu as glass.

Then came a most extraordinary Inexplicable phenomenon. The fog, wlthour dispersing, became strangely luminous, and the sloop sailed along in a zone of electric light. Mast, sail, and rigging appeared penciled in black against the prosphorescent sky with wondrous distinctness. The men were bathed in light, and their faces shone with a fiery glow. “It is a phenomenon,” replied the doctor, “seldom met hitherto. If we go on, we shall Soon get out of-this brilliant glow and be back in the darkneSband tethpest again." * “Well, let’s go on, come what may,” said Hatteras. * The doctor was right Gradually the fog began to lose its light and then its transparency, and the howling wind was heard not far off. A few minutes more, and the little vessel was caught in a violent squall, and swept back into the cyclone. But the hurricane had fortunately turned a point toward the south, and left the vessel free to run before the wind straight toward the pale. At last they began evidently to near the coast. Strange symptoms were manifest in the air; the fog suddenly rent like a curtain torn by the wind; and for an instant, like a flash of lightning, an immense column of flame was seen on the horizon. The wind suddenly -changed to southeast, and drove the ship back again from the land. As Hatteras stood with disheveled hair, grasping the helm as if welded to his hand, he seemed the animating soul of the ship. All at once a fearful sight met his gaze.

. Scarcely twenty yards in front was a great block of ice /coming right towards them, mounting and falling on the stormy billows, ready to overturn at any moment and crush them in l its descent But this was not the only danger that threatened the bold navigators. The iceberg was packed with white bears, huddling close together, and evidently beside themselves with terror. For a quarter of an hour, which seemed a whole century, the sloop sailed on in this formidable company, sometimes a few yards distant and sometimes near enough to touch. The storm now buret forth with redoubled fury. The little bark was lifted bodily out of the water, and whirled round aild round with the most frightful rapidity. 1 Mast and sail were torn off. A whirlpool began to form among the waves, drawing down the ship gradually by its irresistible suction. All five men stood erect, gazing at each other In speechless terror. But suddenly the ahlp rose perpendicularly. her prow went above the edge of the vortex, and getting out of the center of attraction by her own velocity, she escaped at a tangent from the circumference, and was thrown far beyond, swift as a ball from a cannon’s mouth.

It was* 2 o’clock in the morning. For a few seconds they seemed stupefied, and then a cry of “Hatteras!” broke from every lip. On all sides nothing was visible but the tempestuous ocean. "Take the helm, Altamont,” said the doctor, “and. let us try our jutmost to find our poor captain.” Johnson and Bell seized the oars, and rowed about for more than an hour; but their search was vain—Hatteras was lost! Lost! and so near the pole, Just as he had caught sight of the goal! At such a distance from the coast it was Impossible Hatteras could reach it alive, without an oar or even so much as a spar to help him; If ever he touched the haven of his desire,' It would be as a swollen, mutilated corpse. Longer search was useless, and nothing remained but to resume the route nofrth. The tempest was dying out, and about 5 in the morning, on the 11th of July, the wind fell, and the Bea gradually became calm. The sky recovered its polar clearness, and lest than three miles away the land appeared in all Its grandeur. The new continent was only an Island, or, rather, a volcano, fixed like a lighthouse on the north pole of the world. The mountain was in full activity, pouring out a mass of burning stones and glowing rock. This enormous rock In the middle of the sea was 6,000 feet high. Just about the altitude of Hecla. "Can we land?” said the doctor. “The wind Is carrying us right to It,” said Altamont. "Let us go, then," said Clawbonny, dejectedly. He had no heart now for anything. The north polo was indeed before his eyes, but not the man who had discovered it As they got'nearer the island, which was not more than, eight or ten miles in circumference, tne navigators noticed a tiny fiord, Just large enough to harbor their boat and made toward It Immediately. They feared their captain’s dead body would meet their eyes on the coast and yet it seemed difficult for a corpse to He on It for there was no shore, and the sea broke on steep rocks, which were covered with cinders above water mark. At last the little sloop glided gently Into the narrow opening between two sandbanks just visible above the water, where she would be safe from the violence of the breakers. Before she could be moored, Duke began howling and barking again in the most piteous manner. “Duke! Duke!” called Clawbonny. But Duke had already disappeared* Duke was barking vehemently some distance off, but his bark seemed full of grief rather than fury. He had found the body of Hatteras. Alt four rushed forward. In spite of the blinding cinder duet, and cdttoe to

the far end 1 of a fiord, where they discovered the dog barking round a corpse wrapped in the British Sag! “Ha tt ergs! Hatteras!" cried the doctor, throwing himself beßide the body of his friend. But next minute he started up with an indescribable cry, and shouted, “Alive! alive!” “Yes,” said a feeble voice, “yes, alive at the north pole, on Queen’s Island." For a few minutes the joy of recovery of their captain filled all 1 their hearts, and the poor fellows could nOt restrain their tears. ■, v > The doctor found, on examination, that Hatteras was not seriously hurt The wind had thrown htal' on the coast where landing was perilous Woric, but, after being driven back more than once into the sqs, the hardy sailor had managed to scramble on to a rock, and gradually to hoist himself above the waves. ' Then he must have become insensible, for .he remembered nothing more except rolling himself in his flag. He only awoke to consciousness with the loud barking and caresses of his faithful Duke. , After a little Hatteras was <• able to stand up, supported by the doctor, and tried to get back to the sloop. He kept exclaiming, “The pole! the north pole!” He had become quite delirious with excitement, and fever burned in hit 'frelns. His eyes shone with unnatural brilliancy, and his brain seemed oU fire. Perfect what- he most needed, for thU doctor found it impossible to quiet him. Altamont speedily discovered a grotto composed of rocks which had so fallen as to form a sort of cave. John* son and Bell carried in provisions and gave the dogs their liberty. But Hatteras would do nothing till the exact position of the island Was ascertained; so the doctor and Altamont set to work with their instruments, and found that the exact latitude of the grotto, was 89 degrees BO minutes 15 seonds. The 90 degrees of latitude was then only about three-quarters of a mile off, or Just about the summit of the volcano. When the result was given to Hatteras, he had a formal document drawn up to attest the fact, and two copies made, one of which should be deposited on a on the island. Clawbonny was. the scribe, and indited the following document, a copy of which is now among the archives of the Royal Geographical Society of London: “On this 11th day of July, 1861, in north latitude 89 degrees BO minutes 18 seconds, was discovered Queen's Island at the north pole, by Capt Hatteras, commander of the brig Forward oi Liverpool, who signs this, as also all his companions. “Whoever may find this document ts requested to forward it to the admiralty. , _ .... “(Signed.) “John Hatteras, Commander of the Forward. “Dr. Clawbonny. “Altamont, Commander of the Porpoise. "Johnson, Boatswain. "Bell, Carpenter.” After-the- party made themselves- as comfortable as they could, and Jay down to sleep. (To be continued.) -~