Saxe. vehemently declared he would perish before traveling that route
again.
“We would never find it,” Saunders interrupted. “The crater is in
constant eruption, heaving new mountains, leveling new valleys, and
utterly obliterating the monster fissures we traveled upon. I knew of
the danger, but we were determined to reach the Pole. A burnt-out
volcano, Saxe.! Ye gods, that we escaped is miraculous! Literally, we
traveled over an ocean of fire, an egg-shell between. Had faith in the
_Propellier’s_ speed, but—I say, boys, look back at the earth’s summit!”
It looked like a monstrous explosion, great masses of rock flying in all
directions, while column after column of fire belched to the sky, then
poured in torrents down the mountain side, a flood of boiling, seething
lava. We were miles from the volcano, but the fiery sea seemed spreading
with appalling rapidity, and Saxe. kept the _Propellier_ at high speed
till the great barren mountains, and awful chasms of the mighty polar
volcano, were dimly outlined in the distance, and upon a broad level
plain we sped to wide fields of virgin snow. Late in the afternoon we
halted long enough for Saunders to take observations. He reported the
temperature fallen two degrees, and wanted to know if we had noticed it.
Saxe., who had a vivid imagination, began a speech about the sudden
vigor he experienced, but Saunders called our attention to the sky.
“The most remarkable phenomenon man ever witnessed!” he exclaimed.
The filmy gray clouds parted, giving us a flash of brilliant, blue sky.
A dull-red ball glided into view, casting a roseate glow with long
streamers of penetrating light which fell upon us, sending a warmth
through our bodies we had not felt for months; then the clouds rolled
together, but far in the distance the great red ball blazed; it flew
downward, bounded and bounced over mountain and plain, disappearing, to
re-appear, remained stationary an instant, then swinging into space with
a flash it bounded out of sight. The phenomenon lasted seven minutes.
“It is the Sun,” Saunders explained, “and touches this point once a
month.”
Sheldon aired his doubts of course, and suggested the “wonderful sun-lit
appearance” merely a reflection or another of Saunders’s fake auroras.
But he (Sheldon) honestly believed this “atmospheric exhibition” a deep,
Simon-pure aurora at last. Then the argument was on which lasted for
hours, and though they were really fond of each other, the energy
displayed for flinging out insults without coming to blows was about as
wonderful as the Sun visiting the polar regions once a month.
During the night we escaped from the shadowy quarry-land, and light as a
bird skimmed over the old, familiar plains of ice and snow.
Saxe. began making calculations; we never interfered with him, he
delighted in figuring out just how long it would take the _Propellier_
to cover this or that distance, and as his calculations always went
wrong we didn’t bother him. Sheldon and Saunders suddenly became very
busy and pre-occupied, and for no particular reason we all grew much
elated and nervous with energy. Saunders said it was the atmosphere, and
the farther we advanced in the vigor-producing air the livelier we would
become. We certainly were very jubilant and chatted in excited
consultation over the great progress made during that week, when a
sudden sharp, whizzing sound, coming from the _Propellier_ warned us of
disaster. The machine stopped with a jerk, the cars banged together and
we were thrown from our feet, then with a dying spurt the doomed
_Propellier_ bounded forward. In panic we bolted from the car, but did
not escape entirely, though we suffered little injury. The four of us
were hurled high in the air by the explosion; one, two, three, like
cannonading, then all was quiet, and Saxe.’s life-work, his brilliant
invention, was destroyed. Destruction was complete.
Saxe. ran around the wreck wringing his hands, muttering incoherently.
The top of the _Propellier_ was blown clean away, the cylinders torn
wide open, and the diamond prod had shot up in the air with such force
that apparently it never came down again. We were unable to find it.
Both cars were overturned, one entirely wrecked, but the other was
hardly damaged and was to be our sole future conveyance.
We tried to be cheerful, but Saxe. took it hard and considerable time
was wasted humoring him; he obstinately believed he could do something
with his wrecked machine. We righted the last remaining car and stored
everything in it that escaped the explosion; then we buried the
_Propellier_, and courageously formed new plans.
It seemed easier and wiser to advance, so the word was: “Forward!” We
hauled the car in pairs, changing every two hours: Saxe. and Saunders,
Sheldon and myself. It would never do to yoke Sheldon and Saunders
together, they would consume all steam in argument.
We traveled under great difficulties, and the outlook was anything but
encouraging. Our heating, cooking apparatus had gone up in the
explosion, and our store of prepared stuffs limited; but we trudged
along with mighty determination.
Grit is as rare as genius, and the foundation of every lofty aspiration;
those possessing the magic power, accomplish all desire, no matter how
wild; but few comprehend, and still less realize, which accounts for a
world overflowing with nondescript.
We suffered terrible hardships, but were spared a repetition of partial
suffocation. A sudden new vigor roused energy, ambition, we could travel
leagues without the slightest fatigue. Even the inevitable blockade,
though formidable, could not weaken our courage.
The noise was deafening as the ice packed and screwed together, layer
upon layer into huge blocks, constantly breaking and shifting, then
piling up again into insurmountable cliffs and peaked, draw-fed
mountains, wedged closely, with occasional gaps or alleyways.
We forced onward, making little headway, some days none at all, and once
to our dismay discovered we were traveling north again. Then disaster
settled upon us. We strayed far from our course and were lost in this
dreary, ice world, wandering for days in a circle.
Almost impenetrable obstacles constantly blocked us; the tedious
climbing, cutting steps in ice boulders, then hoisting and hauling the
car, the descent into dangerous, curving, lane-crevices, with the
constant fear of ice wedging together and crushing us, and once we
barely escaped just clearing the treacherous parting when the cliffs
above caved in, piling high in the opening. The exhausting weeks of
profitless travel harrowed us to desperation, and I cursed my folly in
joining the expedition. We seemed hopelessly, irretrievably lost. With
the exception of myself all suffered some ailment. Saxe. lost two
fingers, the frozen members had to be amputated. Saunders had an attack
of scurvy, which I treated successfully, but could not cure permanently.
I consoled and advised the pair to rest easy. Sheldon thought we could
manage with frequent stoppages, but he soon joined his unhappy comrades,
very seriously hurt. Trudging along, his mind thousands of miles away,
presumably upon the illusive body of water, he calmly stepped in a
rugged new parting, falling his length and breaking his ankle. I set the
bones but Sheldon was laid up two months and would carry a game leg the
rest of his life. He was keen with energy and accomplished much during
his imprisonment. He started a map of the new continent, and out of the
debris collected from the lost _Propellier_ fashioned a queer concern
which he called a stove. Saxe. mixed some mysterious ingredient with the
oil the Esquimaux gave him and produced a fluid that burned, but—stink!
Still it threw out considerable heat and we managed a little cooking.
This comfort lifted some of the gloom, we became more cheerful and
affairs seemed to take a sudden boom, but we wandered five months in
confusion and misery, then at last, through the merest trail, discovered
an outlet from this icy hell. Birds sailed above, monstrous feathered
creatures, shrieking and flapping their huge wings as though to attract
attention. Later, a great flock like an enormous black cloud, sailed
over diagonally in a southerly direction. We decided to follow the
birds, possibly it was death, but in the present predicament, death was
a certainty. Cautiously, persistently we advanced, slowly conquering our
awful difficulties. This encouraged us, and congratulating each other,
we redoubled our efforts, and in three weeks were freed of the hellish
blockade. We yelled, mad with joy, and looked upon the grandest sight
man ever viewed. Before us an interminable expanse of ocean, whose
waters were the clearest, most limpid green, with billows soaring
mountain high, crested with the most delicate tracery of foaming lace,
yet the strength, suction contained in those voluminous waves was
terrifying, magnificent, seeming to increase with monstrous power as
though to engulf the universe. Far to the north was the stifling, frozen
world, and from the vast unit giant floes constantly broke and parted to
be borne swiftly southward by the powerful current. And to the south as
far as the eye reached, this mighty ocean roared and boomed in superb
grandeur and solitude, banked by a level coast of ice and snow. We
followed the coast line. Saxe. indulged in calculations, figuring that
with even travel we should be rid of this “infernal snow region” in
about eight weeks. He informed us this great body of water was a
continuation of the Arctic ocean, and we had been traveling all along
over its petrified, or frozen surface; it was his opinion that at
present we were drifting southward upon a huge floe. Possibly he
believed this, but I have always thought he wished to excite Saunders,
who had been unusually silent of late. Sheldon, wide-awake and
understanding, suggested we had doubled on our tracks and were now
invading an undiscovered portion of Greenland. It occurred to him
(Sheldon) there was something familiar about the scenery.
But Saunders wouldn’t bite, and muttered something to the effect that he
“didn’t give a d——.” Sheldon chuckled knowingly.
We discovered seal and walrus in enormous numbers, great fellows
sprawling over rocks and icy beach; they stared at us in astonishment,
possibly wondering what species we might be. Farther down the coast we
fell in with birds—birds by the million. Undoubtedly they belonged to
the sea-gull family, but resembled storks, with plumage varying from
gray to white. Great birds of solemn mien, they would form in line right
to the water’s edge and stand there upon one leg for hours. We never
found out what they were waiting for, and our approach did not disturb
them. I firmly believe that strong regimental line was formed merely for
slumber. They were easily captured and when cooked and spiced were good
eating, tender, palatable; though the second bird convinced us the first
was sufficient. Their eggs we found in great quantities, in size and
flavor much the same as duck eggs, and vastly superior to the birds. But
we lived principally upon fish. Such fish! Great speckled beauties, with
a flavor—ah!
All are expert in some particular culinary preparation. Saxe. was
magnificent in saute; he could saute anything and you were thankful to
be alive and enjoy. Sheldon was the only man in the world who could
broil a steak properly; and Saunders excelled in salads, and potato
pancakes. I cooked fish. Dropping them alive in boiling oil of
sufficient quantity for them to swim in. It is the way to cook fish.
Spared from my millions I would have been a famous chef.
We traveled inland to avoid the furious coast gale, and sighted a huge
polar bear tracking it for the north. He spied us about the same time,
and after intently watching our calisthenics, veered around and
stealthily followed us, at times disappearing altogether, then
unexpectedly bobbing into view again with the distance between us
shorter. Though we puzzled him he finally wearied of tame sport and
suddenly rushed us, determined to investigate. Saxe., alert, aimed
carefully. He was a prize shot, and it was all over instantly—we enjoyed
some excellent steaks.
We encountered numerous packs of the strange horned animal. They
traveled in flocks like sheep, and had a well-fed appearance, though
what they fed upon was a mystery. They did not attack us, merely
surrounded the car, sniffing curiously. These flocks finally became so
numerous we gave up the rush for the car every time we saw them
approaching and made friends instead. They invariably surrounded us, but
we patted and played with them, receiving responsive barks while they
frantically wagged their great bushy tails. They were dogs, a strange
new species, but dogs. Where did they come from? Where were they going?
and to whom did they belong?
Saxe. advised us to be prepared for any emergency, reminding us our
adventures were just beginning, to expect all manner of wonders—we had
reached the other side of the world.
The wretched, murky atmosphere, damp with treacherous fog, gradually
lifted, and yesterday, for the first time in months, we caught a glimpse
of the sun as it shone fitfully through breaks in the dull, leaden sky.
The wind suddenly became warmer, relaxing the icy chill from our
quivering muscles, and like a sip from the elixir of life, affected us
strangely with something wonderfully new that each experienced, but no
power on earth could force us to acknowledge, yet silently, thankfully,
we realized.
Sheldon and Saunders became very springy and chirrupy, and resumed their
arguments. Saxe.’s stooped frame straightened, his face flushed
healthfully, his eyes brightened. It made me happy to see the old
buoyancy of the trio returning. And this powerful vitality coursing
through my veins roused to flame the smouldering, ardent desires, that
had led me so far astray. My heart beat joyously, vigorous, lusty,
unconsciously I gloried in my erect, muscular physique. I loved—loved
life.
Hope spurred ambition, each because powerfully intent upon his
particular hobby. Saunders was on the alert for the wonderful star that
failed to appear. Sheldon voiced for the thousandth time his opinion
concerning his great body of fresh water, stating positively that it
rested in the hollow of the highest peak in the universe, which peak he
had still to locate, as Saxe. continually reminded him. Saxe., in his
pride, became rather arrogant. He was the only one who had succeeded. He
discovered the North Pole, and the other side of the earth, and
naturally gave himself airs, confidentially telling me the “boys” were
doomed to disappointment because of their vague, nonsensical beliefs,
and researches after the impossible. He advised me to spruce up and quit
worrying about “that female,” who would prove only a “digger,” if we
ever did find her, which he thought very, v-e-r-y doubtful.
He tantalized Sheldon out of his usual good nature, who testily advised
Saxe. to curb his steep assurance as he had still to prove we were not
traveling in Asia. Nothing roused Saxe.’s ire more than to hint that
this new portion of the globe was Asia. The dispute lasted hours and
once nearly came to blows, but Saunders interfered with a remarkable
theory of his own which, after the first surprise, threw the
belligerents into spasms of laughter.
Then Saunders discovered his star, or thought he did.
Sheldon and I had turned in, after hauling the greater part of the day,
when wild shouting outside startled us. We sprang up in alarm, thinking
we were attacked by animals or savages, and rushed to the rescue.
Saxe., open-mouthed, was gazing heavenward, and Saunders, crazy with
excitement, bounced up and down like a rubber ball, gesticulating
wildly. The stars sparkled brilliantly in the soft, deep blue twilight
sky, but right above us a great globe of light burned red, swinging in
the atmosphere as though attached to a gigantic pendulum.
“It’s the star!” gasped Saunders. “My God, the star!”
“It flashed there suddenly,” echoed Saxe. “The sky cleared shortly after
you turned in and we were star gaping when that thing burst into view
like a meteor.”
I knew it wasn’t a star, but kept quiet. To air opinions is the worst
policy. I never make a noise unless invited.
We examined the great light through the telescope.
Saunders, disappointed and perplexed, at last admitted it was not a
star, and he’d be d——d if he could make out what it was.
Through the telescope the “star” had curious-shaped shadows surrounding
it, which served to puzzle us more.
Saxe. said it looked like the search-light of the lost _Propellier_.
Sheldon snickered, and suggested it was a signal from the Relief
Expedition. The Pole was still to be discovered, and we were lost
wandering around our own side of the earth.
Sporty old Saxe. nodded approval.
“Quite right,” he replied. “I agree with you. That light up there is a
signal of some sort, possibly of searchers. But we’ve crossed the Pole
all right, yet of late I’ve been thinking if we could discover a new
route it would be wise to turn back. Earth and the moon are similarly
degenerating—we have discovered the dead portion of our globe. As
provisions are giving out it occurs to me the situation is becoming
embarrassing.”
Sheldon looked uncomfortable and contrite, death was preferable to him
than turning back without discovering his fresh water ocean.
Saxe. nagged him unmercifully, but eventually they shook hands, then
again we turned our attention to the fiery globe above. While we
indulged in side arguments Saunders had been intently studying the great
light, but could give no satisfactory explanation as to its business up
among the stars. Saxe. suggested we signal to it and hurriedly began
searching among the storage, at last finding, packed near the roof, a
narrow, oblong box, containing rockets, which had been secreted in our
luggage as a joke. “FOR THE PURPOSE OF OCCASIONALLY LETTING THE RELIEF
PARTY KNOW YOUR LOCATION” was written neatly on a card inside the box.
“Old Jordan’s trick,” muttered Saxe., while I aired my suspicions that
the powder had become damp or something equally mysterious had happened
to it—there is always something wrong with rockets.
Saxe. scowled, but signified his intention of sending up rockets just to
see what effect they would have upon that red globe.
“For,” he concluded, “it is not a star, nor a moon, nor a sun. It is
nothing belonging to the heavens.”
We trooped out, each armed with a rocket, then at the signal
simultaneously up they whizzed, bursting with the report into
varied-hued sparks and descending in the usual golden shower. The effect
upon the bright globe was startling. Like a shot it flashed across the
sky, tinging a long, filmy, roseate path; smaller, and smaller it grew,
then vanished in space. Though still mystified we were satisfied with
the experiment. The next day dawned clear, warm. Towards noon the heat
became so intense we were forced to give up travel till evening. Saxe.
and Saunders had covered seven miles during the night, and we made two
in the early morning; consequently were nine miles from the point of the
phenomenon. We decided to wait a reasonable length of time for its
reappearance, and consumed the entire day in arguments. I was thankful
when evening approached. Eagerly we scanned the heavens, the stars came
out bright and clear, but nothing unusual occurred. Saunders informed us
the same phenomenon never appeared twice. Patiently we waited and
watched till near midnight, then, disappointed and angry over the delay,
hurriedly pushed on, when we were startled by the sudden appearance of
four great globes of light flaming just above us.
“Hoo-ray! hoo-ray!” yelled Sheldon. “Whatever it is, it signals to us.
We sent up four rockets and they respond with four balls of fire.
What’ll we do with ’em?”
Saxe. rushed to the car, returning with rockets and sent them up
himself, but their small light faded in the flood of fire that burst
from those brilliant globes. The stars vanished as the sky tinged to a
fiery sea, flames forked and twisted, seeming to gather volume, and in a
second turned to a thousand different hues. It was magnificent!
Gradually the fire dimmed, the stars twinkled richly in the pinkish glow
and the four globes above swayed gently. Then they descended nearer the
earth while a greenish, blue flame darted from each, floating upon the
air like a great ribbon, the color deepening as the four ends joined,
then formed into loops and circles, and in the second a word blazed
across the sky.
“Centauri!” I gasped.
“Centauri!” my three friends exclaimed.
My head grew light.
“Centauri,” I murmured. “I saw it.”
“I should think you did,” Saxe. cried. “We all saw it. I infer we are
traveling in the land of Centauri.”
“Behind each flaming globe,” muttered Saunders, who was unusually pale,
“I saw long, dark shadows of very solid appearance. They are planets
signaling to us.”
“Planets be d——d!” roared Saxe. “They were four balloons with great
electric search-lights. Boys, this side of the earth is inhabited, and
they are far ahead of us when it comes to fireworks.”
“Yes, and fond of airing themselves and their fancied superiority, like
the rest of us,” agreed Sheldon. “Therefore they’re human. Whee! for
Centauri!”