The Open Polar Sea: A narrative of a voyage of discovery towards the North pole, in the schooner "United States"Hayes, I. I. (Isaac Israel)
History
The Open Polar Sea: A narrative of a voyage of discovery towards the North pole, in the schooner "United States"
Hayes, I. I. (Isaac Israel)
Arctic regions; United States (Schooner)
"Overcome with the gravity of my situation, I find myself unable
to make you a speech befitting the solemnity and importance of the
occasion. It is proper, however, that I should state, in behalf of
myself and my Bohemian brother, that, in observance of a time-honored
custom, we will keep our opinions for ourselves and our arguments
for the public. The inhabitants of Port Foulke desire the speedy
return of the Sun. We will advocate and urge it. They wish for Light.
We will address ourselves to the Celestial Orbs, and point out the
opportunities for reciprocity. They are in search of happiness. We
will, in pursuance of that same time-honored custom, (which I may say
has made the press a power, sir, in this great and glorious nineteenth
century)--we will, I say, at all times freely counsel them to the
observance of both public and private virtue.
"Fellow-citizens:--This is a memorable epoch in the history
of Port Foulke. We are informed that its aboriginal name is
Annyeiqueipablaitah, which means, after it is pronounced, 'The Place of
the Howling Winds.' On this public occasion it is proper that we should
direct our thoughts to the future, especially to our sublime 'mission.'
This 'Place of the Howling Winds,' you will observe, fellow-citizens,
is on the remotest confines of our wide-spread country,--a country,
fellow-citizens, whose vast sides are bathed by the illimitable ocean,
and which stretches from the rising of the sun to the setting thereof,
and from the Aurora Borealis to the Southern Cross. But why do I say
the Aurora Borealis, fellow-citizens? Have we not left that vague
border of the national domain far behind us? Yes, fellow-citizens!
and it now devolves upon us to bring the vexed question of national
boundaries, which has been opened by our enterprise, to a point--to a
point, sir! We must carry it to the very Pole itself!--and there, sir,
we will nail the Stars and Stripes, and our flag-staff will become the
spindle of the world, and the Universal Yankee Nation will go whirling
round it like a top.
"Fellow-citizens and friends:--In conclusion allow me to propose a
sentiment befitting the occasion,--A Free Press and the Universal
Yankee Nation: May the former continue in times to come, as in times
gone by, the handmaiden of Liberty and the emblem of Progress; and
may the latter absorb all Creation and become the grand Celestial
Whirligig."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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