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)
Two very conspicuous headlands appear upon the coast: one, lying almost
due north, stands out with a dark front, presenting a mural face at
least 1500 feet high. On my former journey I gave to it the name of
Louis Napoleon, in honor of the remarkable man who, as Emperor of
France, was then first beginning to exhibit to the world the greatness
of his powers. It stands on the north side of a very conspicuous bay.
More directly in our course and nearer to us is the other bold cape, to
which Dr. Kane, on my return from the survey of this coast, appended
my own name; but, since there was some confusion in the maps afterward
between the names Hawks and Hayes, I have discarded the latter; and
this immense rock, to which Gibraltar is a pigmy, will hereafter bear
the name of Cape Hawks. The whole coast before us is very bold, and the
mountain-peaks loom up loftily.
May 2d.
[Sidenote: STORM-STAYED.]
Storm-stayed in the camp of yesterday, and miserable enough. We came
back in the morning for another load, and, when ready to return, it
was blowing and drifting so hard from the north that we could not
face it, and so were forced to seek shelter. The rest is much needed
by the dogs, and this is my only satisfaction. Our camp fixtures were
all left in the camp of last night, and we have nothing to lie upon
but the snow, which is only a shade softer than ice. Out of one of our
provision tins we made a kettle, and of another a lamp, and so got
some supper. Jensen is still partially snow-blind, and his sufferings
have not diminished. This snow-blindness is simply an inflammation
of the entire eye-ball, originating in the retina in consequence of
the intense light produced by the glare of the sun reflected from the
universal whiteness.
May 3d.
The storm detained us in our miserable den for twelve hours. The rest
did the dogs good, and we have made the cheeriest day's work yet. But,
as every rose has its thorn, so every day must have its drawback.
Jensen, stumbling along with his bad eyes, got his leg into a crack and
gave it a severe wrench. He tells me that the leg was broken two years
ago; and the fracture having been oblique, and the parts allowed to
overlap each other while healing, the union has been imperfect.
May 4th.
[Sidenote: A FINE DAY'S RUN.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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