CHAPTER TWELVE.
THE OPEN POLAR BASIN AT LAST! ALF WASHES HIMSELF IN IT.
Who can imagine or describe the feelings of Captain Vane and his youngrelatives on finding themselves sweeping at such a magnificent rate overthe great Polar basin?--that mysterious sea, which some believe to be asea of thick-ribbed ice, and others suppose to be no sea at all, but dryland covered with eternal snows. One theorist even goes the length ofsaying that the region immediately around the Pole is absolutely nothingat all!--only empty space caused by the whirling of the earth,--a spacewhich extends through its centre from pole to pole!
Much amusement did the Captain derive from the contemplation of thesetheories as he crossed over the grand and boundless ocean, and chattedpleasantly with his son, or Chingatok, or Toolooha, who formed the crewof his little boat.
The party consisted of thirteen, all told. These were distributed asfollows:--
In the Captain's boat were the three just mentioned.
In Leo's boat were Butterface, Oolichuk, and Oblooria. How it came topass that Oolichuk and Oblooria were put into the same boat no oneseemed to know, or indeed to care, except Oolichuk himself, who, tojudge from the expression of his fat face, was much pleased. As forOblooria, her mild visage always betokened contentment or resignation--save when overshadowed by timidity.
In Alf's boat were Anders, Ivitchuk, Akeetolik, and Tekkona. Theinterpreter had been given to Alf because he was not quite so muscularor energetic as the Captain or his brother, while Anders was eminentlystrong and practical. The Eskimo women counted as men, being as expertwith oar and paddle as they, and very nearly as strong as most ordinarymen.
What added to the romance of the first day's experience was the factthat, a few hours after they started, a dead calm settled down over thesea, which soon became like a great sheet of undulating glass, in whichthe rich, white clouds, the clear sky, and the boats with their crews,were reflected as in a moving, oily mirror; yet, strange to say, thekites kept steady, and the pace of ten or twelve miles an hour did notabate for a considerable time. This, of course, was owing to the factthat there was a continuous current blowing northward in the higherregions of the atmosphere. The sun, meantime, glowed overhead with fourmock-suns around him, nevertheless the heat was not oppressive, partlybecause the voyagers were sitting at rest, and partly because a slightcurrent of cool air, the creation of their own progress, fanned theircheeks. Still further to add to the charm, flocks of sea-birds circlingin the air or dipping in the water, a berg or two floating in thedistance, a porpoise showing its back fin now and then, a seal or awalrus coming up to stare in surprise and going down to meditate,perhaps in wonder, with an occasional puff from a lazy whale,--all thistended to prevent monotony, and gave life to the lovely scene.
"Is it not the most glorious and altogether astonishing state of thingsyou ever heard or dreamed of, father?" asked Benjy, breaking a prolongedsilence.
"Out o' sight, my boy, out o' sight," replied the Captain. "Never heardnor saw nor dreamed of anything like it before."
"P'raps it _is_ a dream!" said Benjy, with a slightly distressed look."How are we ever to know that we're _not_ dreaming?"
The boy finished his question with a sharp cry and leaped up.
"Steady, boy, steady! Have a care, or you'll upset the boat," said theCaptain.
"What did you do _that_ for, father?"
"What, my boy?"
"Pinch me so hard! Surely you didn't do it on purpose?"
"Indeed I did, Ben," replied the Captain with a laugh. "You asked howyou were to know you were not dreaming. If you had been dreaming thatwould have wakened you--wouldn't it?"
"I dare say it would, father," returned the boy, resuming his seat, "butI'm convinced now. Don't do it again, please. I wish I knew whatChingatok thinks of it. Try to ask him, father. I'm sure you've hadconsiderable experience in his lingo by this time."
Benjy referred here, not only to the numerous conversations which hisfather had of late carried on with the giant through the interpreter,but to the fact that, having been a whaler in years past, Captain Vanehad previously picked up a smattering of various Eskimo dialects. Up tothat day he had conversed entirely through the medium of Anders, but asthat useful man was now in Alf's boat, the Captain was left to his ownresources, and got on much better than he had expected.
Chingatok turned his eyes from the horizon on which they had been fixed,and looked dreamily at the Captain when asked what he was thinkingabout.
"I have been thinking," said he, "of home, _my_ home over there." Helifted his huge right arm and pointed to the north. "And I have beenthinking," he continued, "that there must be another home up there." Heraised his hand and pointed to the sky.
"Why do you think so?" asked the Captain in some surprise.
"Because it is so beautiful, so wonderful, so full of light and peace,"replied the Eskimo. "Sometimes the clouds, and the wind, and the rain,come and cover it; but they pass away, and there it is, just the same,always calm, and bright, and beautiful. Could such a place have beenmade for nothing? Is there no one up there? not even the Maker of it?and if there is, does he stay there alone? Men and women die, butsurely there is something in us that does not die. If there is nospirit in us that lives, of what use was it to make us at all? I thinkwe shall have a home up there."
Chingatok had again turned his eyes to the horizon, and spoke theconcluding words as if he were thinking aloud. The Captain looked athim earnestly for some time in silence.
"You are right, Chingatok," he said at length, or at least attempted tosay as best he could--"you are right. My religion teaches me that wehave spirits; that God--your God and mine--dwells up there in what wecall heaven, and that His people shall dwell with him after death."
"His people!" repeated the Eskimo with a perplexed look. "Are some menhis people and some not?"
"Undoubtedly," replied the Captain, "men who obey a chief's commands are_his_ men--his friends. Those who refuse to obey, and do every kind ofwickedness, are _not_ his friends, but his enemies. God has given usfree-wills, and we may reject him--we may choose to be his enemies."
It must not be supposed that Captain Vane expressed himself thusclearly, but the above is the substance of what he attempted by many astrange and complicated sentence to convey. That he had made hismeaning to some extent plain, was proved by Chingatok's reply.
"But I do not know God's commands; how then can I obey them?"
"You may not know them by book," replied the Captain promptly; "for youhave no books, but there is such a thing as the commands or law of Godwritten in the heart, and it strikes me, Chingatok, that you both knowand obey more of your Maker's laws than many men who have His word."
To this the Eskimo made no answer, for he did not rightly understand it,and as the Captain found extreme difficulty in expressing his meaning onsuch questions, he was quite willing to drop the conversation.Nevertheless his respect for Chingatok was immensely increased from thatday forward.
He tried to explain what had been said to Benjy, and as that youth'smind was of an inquiring turn he listened with great interest, but atlast was forced to confess that it was too deep for him. Thereafter hefell into a mood of unusual silence, and pondered the matter for a longtime.
Awaking from his reverie at last, he said, abruptly, "How's her head,father?"
"Due north, Benjy."
He pulled out a pocket-compass about the size of an ordinary watch,which instrument it was his habit to guard with the most anxious care.
"North!" repeated the boy, glancing at the instrument with a look ofsurprise, "why, we're steering almost due east!"
"Ah! Ben, that comes of your judging from appearances withoutknowledge, not an uncommon state of mind in man and boy, to say nothingof woman. Don't you know what variation of the compass is?"
"No, father."
"What! have you been so long at sea with me and never heard yet aboutthe magnetic pole?"
"Ne
ver a word, father. It seems to me that poles are multiplying as weget further north."
"Oh, Benjy, for shame--fie! fie!"
"Maybe if you had told me about it I might have had less to be shamedof, and you too, father."
"That's true, Benjy. That's true. You're a sharp boy for your age.But don't be disrespectful to your father, Ben; no good can ever come o'that. Whatever you are, be respectful to your old father. Come, I'lltell you about it now."
It will have been observed by this time that little Benjamin Vane wassomewhat free in his converse with his father, but it must not thereforebe supposed that he was really insolent. All his freedom of speech wasvented in good humour, and the Captain knew that. There was, indeed, apowerful bond not only of affection but of sympathy between the littledelicate boy and the big strong man. They thoroughly understood eachother, and between those who understand each other there may be muchfreedom without offence, as everybody knows.
"You must understand," began the Captain, "that although the needle ofthe mariner's compass is said to point to the north with its head and tothe south with its tail, it does not do so exactly, because the magneticpoles do not coincide exactly with the geographical poles. There aretwo magnetic poles just as there are two geographical poles, one in thesouthern hemisphere, the other in the northern. D'ye understand!"
"Clear as daylight, father."
"Well, Benjy, the famous Arctic discoverer, Sir James Ross, in 1832,discovered that the northern magnetic pole was situated in the island ofBoothia Felix, in latitude 70 degrees 5 seconds and longitude 96 degrees46 seconds West. It was discovered by means of an instrument called thedipping needle, which is just a magnetised needle made for dippingperpendicularly instead of going round horizontally like the mariner'scompass. A graduated arc is fitted to it so that the amount of dip atany place on the earth's surface can be ascertained. At the magneticequator there is no dip at all, because the needle being equally distantfrom the north and south magnetic poles, remains horizontal. As youtravel north the needle dips more and more until it reaches the regionof the north magnetic pole when it is almost perpendicular--pointingstraight down.
"Now, it is only on a very few places of the earth's surface that thehorizontal needle points to the true north and south, and its deviationfrom the _earth's_ pole in its determination to point to the _magnetic_pole is called the variation of the compass. This variation is greateror less of course at different places, and must be allowed for inestimating one's exact course. In our present explorations we have gotso far beyond the beaten track of travel that greater allowance thanusual has to be made. In fact we have got considerably to the north ofthe magnetic pole. At the same time we are a good way to the east'ardof it, so that when I see the compass with its letter N pointing to whatI know to be the magnetic north, I take our geographical position intoaccount and steer almost due east by _compass_, for the purpose ofadvancing due north. D'ye see?"
"I'm not so sure that I do, father. It seems to me something like theIrishman's pig which you pull one way when you want him to go another.However, I'll take your word for it."
"That's right, my boy; when a man can't understand, he must act onfaith, if he _can_, for there's no forcing our beliefs, you know.Anyhow he must be content to follow till he does understand; alwayssupposing that he can trust his leader."
"I'm out of my depths altogether now, father. P'r'aps we'd betterchange the subject. What d'ye say to try a race with Leo? His boatseems to be overhauling us."
"No, no, Ben; no racing. Let us advance into the great unknown northwith suitable solemnity."
"We appear to sail rather better than you do, uncle," shouted Leo, ashis boat drew near.
"That's because you're not so heavily-laden," replied the Captain,looking back; "you haven't got giants aboard, you see; moreover there'sone o' you rather light-headed."
"Hallo! uncle; evil communications, eh? You'd better change Benjy forOblooria. She's quite quiet, and never jokes. I say, may I go ahead ofyou?"
"No, lad, you mayn't. Take a reef in your regulator, and drop into yourproper place."
Obedient to orders, Leo pulled the regulator or check-string until thekite's position was altered so as to present less resistance to thewind, and dropped astern of the _Faith_, which was the name given byBenjy to his father's boat, the other two being named respectively the_Hope_ and the _Charity_.
The prosperous advance did not, however, last very long. Towardsevening the three kites suddenly, and without any previous warning,began to dive, soar, flutter, and tumble about in a manner that wouldhave been highly diverting if it had not been dangerous. This no doubtwas the effect of various counter-currents of air into which they hadflown. The order was at once given to haul on the regulators and coilup the towing lines. It was promptly obeyed, but before a few fathomshad been coiled in, the kites again became as steady as before, withthis change, however, that they travelled in a north-westerly direction.
The value of the leeboards now became apparent.
These were hinged down the middle so as to fold and become small enoughto stow in the bottom of each boat when not in use. When unfolded andhung over the side, they presented a surface of resistance to the watermuch greater than that of an ordinary boat's keel, so that very littleleeway indeed was made. By means of the steering-oar Captain Vane kepthis boat advancing straight northward, while the kite was puffing in anorth-westerly direction. The kite was thus compelled by the boat alsoto travel due north, though of course it did so in a sidelong manner.
Thus far the advance continued prosperously, the pace being but littlechecked and the course unaltered, but when, an hour or two later, thewind again shifted so as to carry the kites further to the west, thepace became much slower, and the leeway, or drift to leeward,considerable. Ultimately the wind blew straight to the west, and theboats ceased to advance. "This won't do, uncle," said Leo, who wasclose astern of the _Faith_, "I'm drifting bodily to leeward, and makingno headway at all."
"Down with the tops,--I mean, the kites," shouted the Captain. "Passthe word to Alf."
Accordingly, the kites were reeled in, the regulators being so pulledand eased off that they were kept just fluttering without tugging duringthe operation. When, however, they passed out of the wind-stratum intothe region of calm which still prevailed immediately above the sea, thekites descended in an alarming manner, swaying to and fro withoccasional wild swoops, which rendered it necessary to haul in on thelines and reel up with the utmost speed.
Captain Vane was very successful in this rather difficult operation.While he hauled in the line Benjy reeled it up with exemplary speed, andthe kite was finally made to descend on the boat like a cloud. Whensecured the locking-cross was removed, the distending-rods were foldedinwards, the restraining, or what we may term the waist-band wasapplied, and the whole affair was changed into a gigantic Mrs Gampumbrella. Being placed in the bow of the boat, projecting over thewater, it formed a not ungraceful though peculiar bowsprit, and was wellout of the way.
Leo and Butterface were equally successful, but poor Alf was not sofortunate. The too eager pursuit of knowledge was the cause of Alf'sfailure as has often been the case with others! He took on himself, aschief of his boat, the difficult and responsible task of hauling in theline,--which involved also the occasional and judicious manipulation ofthe regulating cord, when a sudden puff of wind should tend to send thekite soaring upwards with six or eight horse-power into the sky. ToIvitchuk was assigned the easy task of gathering in the "slack" andholding on to Alf if a sudden jerk should threaten to pull himoverboard. Anders reeled up.
Just as the kite was passing out of the windy region above into the calmregion below Alf beheld floating near the boat a beautiful, and to himentirely new, species of marine creature of the jelly-fish kind. With awild desire to possess it he leaned over the boat's edge to theuttermost and stretched out his left hand, while with his right he heldon to the kite! Need we say that the kite assiste
d him?--assisted himoverboard altogether, and sent him with a heavy plunge into the sea!
Ivitchuk dropped his line and stretched out both arms towards the spotwhere the "Kablunet" had gone down. Akeetolik roared. Anders howled,and dropped his reel. Left to itself, the kite, with characteristicindecision, made an awful swoop towards the North Pole with its rightshoulder. Changing its mind, it then made a stupendous rush with itsleft to the south-east. Losing presence of mind it suddenly tossed upits tail, and, coming down head foremost, went with fatal facility intothe deep sea.
When Alf rose and was dragged panting into the boat, his first glancewas upwards,--but not in thankfulness for his preservation!
"Gone!" he groaned, rising to his feet.
But the kite was not gone. The word had barely left his lips when itrose half its length out of the water, and then fell, in melancholyinaptitude for further mischief, flat upon the sea.
"Anything damaged?" asked the Captain, as he and Leo rowed their boatstowards the _Charity_.
"Nothing," replied Alf with a guilty look, "the stick and things seem tobe all right, but it has got _awfully_ wet."
"No matter," said the Captain, laughing at Alf's forlorn look, "the sunwill soon dry it. So long as nothing is broken or torn, we'll get onvery well. But now, boys, we must go to work with oars. There must beno flagging in this dash for the Pole. It's a neck-or-nothing business.Now, mark my orders. Although we've got four oars apiece, we must onlywork two at a time. I know that young bloods like you are prone to gostraining yourselves at first, an' then bein' fit for nothingafterwards. We must keep it up steadily. Two in each boat will pull ata time for one hour, while the other two rest or sleep, and so on, shiftabout; till another breeze springs up. Don't fold it up tight, Alf.Leave it pretty slack till it is dry, and then put on its belt."
"Don't you think we might have supper before taking to the oars?"suggested Leo.
"I second that motion," cried Benjy.
"And I support it," said Alf.
"Very good, get out the prog; an' we'll lay ourselves alongside, threeabreast, as Nelson did at the Battle o' the Nile," said the Captain.
Their food was simple but sufficient. Pemmican--a solid greasynutricious compound--was the foundation. Hard biscuit, chocolate, andsugar formed the superstructure. In default of fire, these articlescould be eaten cold, but while their supply of spirits of wine lasted, apatent Vesuvian of the most complete and almost miraculous nature couldprovide a hot meal in ten minutes. Of fresh water they had a two-weeks'supply in casks, but this was economised by means of excellent waterprocured from a pond in a passing berg--from which also a lump of clearice had been hewn, wrapped in a blanket, and carried into the Captain'sboat as a supply of fresh water in solid form.
Laying the oars across the boats to keep them together, they floatedthus pleasantly on the glassy sea, bathed in midnight sunshine. Andwhile they feasted in comfort inexpressible--to the surprise, no doubt,of surrounding gulls and puffins--Benjamin Vane once again gaveutterance to the opinion that it was the most glorious and altogetherastonishing state of things that he had ever heard or dreamed of sincethe world began!