[Illustration:
OSGOOD ART COLORTYPE CO., CHI. & N. Y.
An Antarctic Iceberg]
THROUGH THE FIRST
ANTARCTIC NIGHT
1898–1899
A NARRATIVE OF THE VOYAGE OF THE “BELGICA” AMONG
NEWLY DISCOVERED LANDS AND OVER AN UNKNOWN
SEA ABOUT THE SOUTH POLE
BY
FREDERICK A. COOK, M.D.
SURGEON AND ANTHROPOLOGIST OF THE BELGIAN ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION
_WITH AN APPENDIX CONTAINING A SUMMARY OF THE SCIENTIFIC RESULTS_
Illustrated
[Illustration]
WILLIAM HEINEMANN
LONDON
1900
Copyright, 1900, by
FREDERICK A. COOK.
Portions of this narrative have appeared in the _Century_, _Scribner’s_
and _McClure’s_. Though this material has been much changed
and rewritten, my acknowledgments are due to these magazines.
Press of J. J. Little & Co.
Astor Place, New York
TO THE LITTLE FAMILY,
THE OFFICERS, THE SCIENTIFIC STAFF, AND
THE CREW OF THE “BELGICA,”
WHOSE FORTUNES AND MISFORTUNES MADE
THIS STORY OF THE FIRST HUMAN EXPERIENCE
THROUGHOUT A SOUTH POLAR YEAR;
TO THESE MEN,
WHOSE CLOSE COMPANIONSHIP AND STURDY
GOOD-FELLOWSHIP MADE LIFE ENDURABLE
DURING THE STORMS, THE
DARKNESS, AND THE MONOTONY
OF THE ANTARCTIC,
THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED.
INTRODUCTION.
For three hundred years explorers have been active in pushing aside
the realms of the unknown towards the north pole; but the equally
interesting south pole has, during all this time, been almost wholly
neglected. There have been expeditions to the far south, but compared
to arctic ventures they have been so few and their work within the
polar circle has been so little that the results have been largely
forgotten. It is not because valuable results have not been obtained
in the antarctic, but because the popular interest in the arctic has
completely overshadowed the reports of the antipodes. The search for
the North-west and the North-east passages, which commerce demanded
to reach the trade of the Orient during the seventeenth and the early
part of the eighteenth centuries, fixed the public eye persistently
northward. This extended effort to find an easy path to the wealth of
Asia was fruitless, but it was followed by a whale fishery, a sealing
industry, and a fur trade, which has proven a priceless boon to
mankind. As a result of these two periods of trade exploration, we have
now entered upon a third stage, a period of scientific research which
will not, and should not, end until the entire area is outlined in the
growing annals of exact knowledge.
The antarctic has a history somewhat similar, but it is almost
forgotten. Until 1772 the south frigid zone was pictured by fiction
writers in flowery phraseology. They placed here a fertile country,
projecting far northward into the Atlantic and the Pacific. This land
was supposed to be inhabited by a curious race of people who possessed
a super-abundance of gold, precious stones, and other material wealth.
To learn the truth of this new “land of promise” Capt. James Cook was
sent out in 1772. Cook, with a thoroughness which characterised all
his efforts, circumnavigated the globe close enough to the antarctic
circle to convince the world that if land of large extent existed
around the south pole it must be far beyond the usual ice-limits. Sixty
years later, through the efforts of American and British sealers who
had searched every known rock of the southern seas for fur-seals, and
sea-elephants, the United States, England, and France, fitted out rival
expeditions. The combined work of these expeditions marked the second
period of antarctic exploration and resulted in the re-establishment
of a great polar continent on the Austral chart. Sixty years again
passed before another expedition was sent to press beyond the southern
barriers of ice. The voyage of the _Belgica_ is the beginning of
a third revival of antarctic exploration which has been brought about
by determined efforts, made almost simultaneously in England, Germany,
Belgium, and the United States. This third period of antarctic
research, like the third stage of arctic exploration, is wholly in the
interest of science.
The first country to complete the outfit of a modern expedition was
Belgium. England and Germany now have expeditions in preparation,
but the honour of being the first to send a scientific venture, with
trained specialists and appropriate equipment to the antarctic, belongs
to Belgium.
For the origin of the Belgian Antarctic Expedition we are indebted to
the energetic efforts of Lieutenant Adrien de Gerlache. By soliciting
private subscriptions and finally by securing the financial aid of the
Belgian Government, Gerlache succeeded in collecting the sixty thousand
dollars which were barely sufficient to fit out the enterprise. The
vessel selected for the mission was the Norwegian sealer _Patria_,
which was rechristened _Belgica_. She is a strong vessel, of
about two hundred and fifty tons, built some ten years ago. She was
not strengthened or altered on the plan of Nansen’s vessel, the
_Fram_, as has been so often stated. Nevertheless, she proved
herself a craft of extraordinary endurance, withstanding the thumps of
rocks, iceberg collisions, and pressure in the pack-ice, in a manner
perfectly marvellous. Owing to a scarcity of funds, the accoutrements
of the ship and the outfit for polar exploration were somewhat
imperfect. If we had been compelled to stay longer, or if it had been
necessary to make a forced overland journey, or a retreat homeward on
the ice, we should have found our equipment inadequate.
The members of the expedition were from many lands, as the following
list will show:
Commandant, Adrien de Gerlache (Belgian).
Captain, Georges Lecointe (Belgian), Executive Officer and
Hydrographer.
Roald Amundsen (Norwegian), 1st Mate.
Emile Danco (deceased) (Belgian), Magnetician.
Emile Racovitza (Rumanian), Naturalist.
Henryk Arctowski (Russian), Geologist, Oceanographer and
Meteorologist.
Antoine Dobrowolski (Russian), Assistant Meteorologist.
Frederick A. Cook (American), Surgeon, Anthropologist and
Photographer.
ENGINEERS.
Henri Somers (Belgian).
Max Van Rysselberghe (Belgian).
SAILORS.
BELGIANS.
Jules Melaerts.
Jan Van Mirlo.
Gustave Dufour.
Louis Michotte.
NORWEGIANS.
Adam Tollefsen.
Hjalmar Johansen.
Johan Koren.
Engebret Knudsen.
Carl Augustus Wiencke (deceased).
Altogether we numbered nineteen when leaving Punta Arenas--seven
officers, housed in the cosy little cabins, and twelve marines,
including Dobrowolski, housed in the forecastle. Thus divided, we were
two happy families, and as such we tried to extract from the frozen
south polar surroundings such rare comforts as regions of perennial
snows afford.
The _Belgica_ left Antwerp at the end of August, 1897. She
steamed and sailed down the Atlantic to Madeira, then across to Rio de
Janeiro, down to Montevideo, and into the Strait of Magellan to Punta
Arenas. After spending some time in the Fuegian channels and among the
Cape Horn Indian tribes, we took our departure from the known world,
at Staten Island on January 13, 1898. We sighted the South Shetland
Islands a week later, where, during a violent tempest, we lost by an
accidental fall overboard, the young and faithful Norwegian sailor,
Wiencke. We next crossed the ever-foggy and ever-tempestuous waters
of Bransfield Strait, and on the afternoon of January 23, 1898, came
in sight of the outer fringe of a new land, the Palmer Archipelago.
Entering this, we discovered a new highway, which in size compares
favourably with Magellan Strait. To the east and west of this strait,
we charted about five hundred miles of a land which had never before
been seen by human eyes--part of a great continental mass which
probably surrounds the south pole. It is buried even in midsummer
under a ponderous weight of perennial ice. Passing out of the strait,
we entered the South Pacific, and after skirting the western border
of Grahamland to Adelaide Island and then to Alexander Island, we
attempted to enter the main body of the pack-ice westward.
The work of the first three weeks in the new regions proved the
discovery of a highway perfectly free for navigation during the summer
months from Bransfield Strait, two hundred miles south-westerly,
through an unknown land to the Pacific. This highway has received
the name of our ship. To the east of Belgica Strait we discovered a
high, continuous country which probably connects with the land charted
as Grahamland. This has been christened Dancoland, in memory of our
companion, Lieutenant Danco, who died on the ship during the long drift
in the pack-ice. The land to the west of the strait is cut up into
islands by several channels, and is named Palmer Archipelago, in honour
of Captain Nathaniel Palmer, the American sealer who was the first of
all men to see the outer fringe of this land. Scattered about in the
waters of Belgica Strait are about one hundred islands and several
groups of islands. About fifty of these are of considerable size. The
islands, the capes, the bays, the headlands, and the mountains have
mostly received the names of Belgian friends of the expedition; but
prominent outside workers have not been forgotten, as is evidenced
by Nansen Island and Neumayer Channel. Each officer was given the
privilege of bestowing some names. Hence two islands which fell to my
lot are named after the city of my home and the first mayor of Greater
New York--Brooklyn and Van Wyck Islands.
After passing out of the strait into the open Pacific, we strove to
follow the mainland southward, but the pack-ice forced us away. Late
in February we entered the main body of the sea-ice, intending to
push southward and westward. After penetrating ninety miles we found
ourselves firmly beset. Unable to extricate the ship, we drifted with
the ice to and fro, but generally west, for thirteen long months.
During the early part of the long polar night Lieutenant Danco died.
Except for the depression of this melancholy bereavement, the health
of the members of the expedition was fairly good; but the seventy days
of continued darkness weighed heavily upon us. The scientific work was
prosecuted throughout the year of the drift. Each department has reason
to feel proud of its records. But all were happy when, on March 14,
1899, we were released from the icy fetters which had held us so long.
We left the pack from longitude 103° west of Greenwich, and latitude
70° 45′ south. We had thus drifted from about 85° to 103° of west
longitude and between 70° and 72° south of latitude. In March and April
we drifted westerly to longitude 92° 25′, where we were on April 25th.
From May to October we drifted back again to a place near our starting
point. From November to the time we left the ice we drifted rapidly
westward. The winter drift then is eastward, the summer drift is
westward, and this is also the direction of the prevailing winds. Our
farthest south was on May 31st, latitude 71° 36′ 5″ south, longitude
87° 40′ west. It would not at any time have been possible to push
farther poleward in our position. The various soundings which we took
prove the existence of a sea where there was previously thought to be
land. Through these soundings also we have discovered a submarine bank
comparable to the bank off the coast of Newfoundland. The excellent
series of magnetic observations by M. Lecointe indicate the magnetic
pole to be about two hundred miles east of its present assigned
position. The hourly meteorological observations, under the direction
of M. Arctowski, are of priceless value to students of weather. The
painstaking zoölogical work by M. Racovitza, and the numerous other
observations and studies of antarctic life and phenomena, are of a
like value. As an American I can with due modesty say that the work of
this, the Belgian Antarctic Expedition, will form the stepping-stone to
future antarctic exploration.
In the following pages I have not attempted to elaborate on our
experiences and observations. This I leave for a future work. My aim
has been to select from my diary and notes such data as might prove of
interest to the general reader. In my desire to condense this story
into a single volume I have omitted much of the daily routine of
life. I have also omitted a discussion of technical topics. There is
no pretence made by me that this book contains all of the scientific
data of the expedition. The observations, descriptions of specimens,
and scientific deductions will be published in other channels. The
Belgian Government has liberally set aside a sum sufficient to publish
in proper form the scientific records, and a commission is at present
occupied in making a preliminary study of the material with this end in
view.
We did not start out to mount the south pole, as we have been reported.
Our aim was a less ambitious work of scientific exploration along
the edge of the unknown. In this we were reasonably successful.
My story, then, is not one of pole-chasing, with its many certain
disappointments. It is a record of the first expedition to pass through
the ordeal of the long antarctic night and its gloomy winter storms. It
is, I hope, a contribution of new human experience in a new, inhuman
world of ice.
The illustrations in this book are made, with but a few exceptions,
from photographs, and since these are the first photographic
reproductions of antarctic life and scenes, it is hoped that they will
be of value as records of the unknown south. In the color plates we
have aimed to give a few examples of the daily touches of colour, which
serve to relieve the awful monotony and glittering whiteness peculiar
to the south polar regions. The vivid complexity of delicate shades
of most scenes is impossible of imitation by the present means of the
printer’s art, but the success attained by the artist, the engraver,
and the printer in these reproductions has been an agreeable surprise
to me.
In the notices of my return from the antarctic, and in the story of the
Belgian Antarctic Expedition, as published in the American newspapers,
it has unintentionally been made to appear as if I desired to claim
a major share of the credit for the results of this expedition. This
I wish to disclaim. The credit of organising the expedition belongs
to its Commander, Adrien de Gerlache; the honour of sending out the
venture belongs to the enterprise of Belgian citizens. The fame and
honour, which are the results of a successful expedition, belong to
every member of the expedition. Every one, from the highest officer to
the cabin-boy, has done his share of the work nobly and faithfully.
Everyone, then, from the cabin to the forecastle, deserves equally the
honorable mention which is the explorer’s only pay.
FREDERICK A. COOK, M.D.
687 BUSHWICK AVENUE,
BOROUGH OF BROOKLYN,
NEW YORK.
CONTENTS
PAGE
Introduction vii
CHAPTER
I In and about Rio de Janeiro 3
II From Rio de Janeiro to Montevideo 16
III Organisation of the Expedition 39
IV The _Belgica_, her Equipment, her Comforts and
Discomforts 50
V Montevideo to Punta Arenas 59
VI Punta Arenas, the Southernmost Town 82
VII From Punta Arenas to Ushuaia, Through the Fuegian
Channels 92
VIII A Race of Fuegian Giants 98
IX Discoveries in a New World of Ice 119
X Discoveries in a New World of Ice (continued) 135
XI From Dancoland to Alexander Islands 150
XII Across the Antarctic Circle--First Efforts to
Penetrate the Pack 161
XIII Along the Edge of the Pack-Ice 174
XIV Over Unknown Waters into the Frozen Sea 193
XV Helpless in a Hopeless Sea of Ice 208
XVI Bird’s-Eye View of the Pack--Autumnal Tempests 216
XVII The Fading Days of the Autumn 227
XVIII The Autumn (continued). Work and Pastime 241
XIX The Fading Days of the Autumn (continued) 253
XX The Days of Twilight Preceding the Long Night 267
XXI The South Polar Night--Departure of the Sun 281
XXII The South Polar Night (continued). Days of
Discontentment 295
XXIII The South Polar Night (continued). The Death of Danco 308
XXIV The South Polar Night (continued). Midnight to Dawn 323
XXV Spring--Sunrise--Twilight of Dawn 339
XXVI The Spring (continued). Return of Light--A Sledge
Journey 350
XXVII Summer 365
XXVIII Summer (continued) 378
XXIX Freed from the Ice-Embraces--Return to Civilisation 390
APPENDIX
I General Results of the Belgian Antarctic Expedition 409
Geography and Geology
Astronomy and Magnetism
Meteorology
Ice
Oceanography
Zoölogy and Botany
II The Antarctic Climate 425
III The Bathymetrical Conditions of the Antarctic Regions 436
IV Nautical Positions and Magnetic Deductions 444
V The Navigation of the Antarctic Ice-Pack 448
VI The Possibilities of Antarctic Exploration 453
[Illustration:
OFFICIAL MAP
OF THE
BELGIAN ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION
CHARTED BY CAPTAIN GEORGE LECOINTE
SECOND IN COMMAND.]
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
An Antarctic Iceberg (_colour_) _Frontispiece_
PAGE
Official Map of the Expedition xx
The Crow’s Nest 3
Rio Harbour from Mt. Corcovado _facing_ 16
Rio de Janeiro „ 16
Part of Montevideo „ 36
The _Belgica_ 49
Fuegian Boys (_colour_) _facing_ 68
Indian Mission Huts „ 74
Part of Punta Arenas „ 74
The Wind-Swept Rocks of the Western Fuegian Islands „ 79
Terminating Ridge of the Cordilleras, Beagle Channel „ 80
Ona Women in Full Dress, with Papoose Strapped to the
Shoulders „ 89
Ona Men on the Chase „ 89
Types of Onas, Chief Colchicoli and one of his Wives „ 90
An Ona Home „ 95
Onas on the March „ 95
Ona Archery „ 96
Comparative Sizes of an Ona and a Caucasian 98
Ona Hunter Ready for Action _facing_ 105
A Bull Sea-Lion at Rest „ 106
Den of Sea-Lions, Staten Island „ 106
Dr. Frederick A. Cook „ 111
Sunrise over Brabant Island „ 112
Mount William, Antwerp Island „ 121
Mount Allo, Liege Island „ 121
Weddell Sea-Leopards of Belgica Strait „ 122
Cormorants at Home „ 127
Arctowski gathering Geological Specimens, observed by a
Megalestris (Cape Lancaster in the Background) „ 127
A Penguin Rookery, Isle Cobalescou „ 128
Penguins--A Family Gathering on the Pack-Ice „ 128
Sunrise and Sunset together over the Eastern Shore of Belgica
Strait „ 137
View Eastward from Neumayer Channel (Part of Wiencke
Island--Sierre Du Fief in the Background) „ 138
Brooklyn Island „ 138
Lemaire Channel--Wandel Island „ 143
Cape Cloos „ 143
Ascending Icy Mountains „ 144
An Encampment „ 144
Cape Eivind Astrup--Northern Point of Wiencke Island „ 153
Cape Renard, Dancoland „ 154
Stratified Tabular Iceberg, off Cape Rasmussen, to the lee
of which the _Belgica_ rested during the night of Feb. 12 „ 159
Iceberg in Belgica Strait with a Great Tunnel through it „ 159
One of the Wauwermans Islands „ 160
Sophie Rocks, Dancoland „ 160
Snowy Petrel 161
Midnight at Midsummer over the Antarctic Mainland
(_colour_) _facing_ 166
The Belgica Pressing Southward through the Drift-Ice „ 169
Iceberg off Cape Tuxen „ 169
Penguins on a Sea-worn Iceberg resembling a Whale „ 170
A Tabular Iceberg, seen at the Pack-edge in the South Pacific
(about 200 feet high) „ 175
Bird’s-eye View of the Pack-ice near the Outer Edge „ 176
Lecointe Making Observations. The Nautical Observatory „ 185
Dobrowolski Measuring the Depth of the Snow-Fall „ 185
Hauling Snow to Augment the Water-Supply „ 186
Making Soundings „ 186
The Sailor’s Recreation „ 191
Bow of the _Belgica_ after a Collision with an Iceberg „ 191
The Hummocks of a Pressure-Angle „ 192
Cestrugi „ 192
A Lake. The Sporting Place of Whales, Seals and Penguins „ 201
Moonlight Photograph of the _Belgica_, May 20, 1898 „ 201
Moss and Lichens „ 202
Moon Faces 204
Moon Faces (_continued_) 205
M. van Rysselberghe at the Condenser, which was converted
into a Snow Melter _facing_ 207
Racovitza at the Microscope „ 208
Arctowski in the Laboratory „ 208
Eight Successive Phases of an Exhibit of Aurora Australis,
March 19, 1898 „ 217
A Page of _Belgica_ Boots „ 224
_Belgica_ Mittens „ 233
Samples of Darnings „ 233
Whale Blow-Hole „ 240
Seal Blow-Hole „ 240
Iceberg in the Edge of the Pack-Ice „ 249
Penguin Tracks „ 249
Crab-Eater „ 256
Ross Seal „ 256
True Sea-Leopard „ 256
Weddell Sea-Leopards on the Pack-Ice „ 265
Arctowski and Amundsen ready for a Stroll 266
The Ross Seal with Trachea Inflated _facing_ 272
Heads of Sea-Leopards and Crab-Eaters „ 281
An Old Lead „ 288
A New Crevasse „ 288
Penguin Interviews „ 297
The Small Pack Penguin „ 304
The Royal Penguin „ 304
“Saennagras” 307
Penguins’ Heads and Feet „ 313
Petrels and Megalestris „ 322
Nansen, the Mascot 325
Amundsen after a _Ski_ Run _facing_ 327
The _Belgica_ in September. The New Tent and the Pack
Travelling Outfit „ 328
Twilight amid the Antarctic Ice (_colour_) „ 332
A Hunter Taking a Sun Bath „ 337
The Last to Enter the Three-Man Sleeping Bag „ 337
The Four O’Clock Tea Discussion „ 338
Distorted Faces of the Rising Sun 340
Distorted Faces of the Rising Sun (_continued_) 341
Crossing Hummocks and Crevasses. Edge of the Belgica
Field in October _facing_ 343
Edge of the Antarctic Pack „ 344
The Midnight Sun Over the Pack-Ice „ 353
Ice-Flowers „ 354
The Assembled Discs of Ice Crystals which give Origin to
Polar Ice „ 354
An Iceberg held by the Ensnaring Influence of the Pack-Ice,
forming the so-called “barrier” „ 356
The Midsummer Christmas Dinner „ 359
Portraits of Cook, Amundsen and Racovitza “before and
after” „ 360
Snow-Goggles 365
An Old Wind-Swept Hummock _facing_ 369
The Sand-like Drift Snow „ 369
The Tabular Iceberg, the Largest Berg within the Horizon
of the _Belgica’s_ Drift „ 370
On January 1st, 1899, the _Belgica_ was still hopelessly held
in a Field of Ice „ 375
Old Hummocks „ 376
A Tonite Explosion Used in Efforts to Free the _Belgica_ „ 376
Removing the Upper Sheet Preparatory to Sawing the Hard
Undersheets „ 385
Cutting a Canal through the Ice to Release the _Belgica_ from
her Year’s Imprisonment „ 385
Floating Mountains of Ice „ 386
View from the Top of a Tabular Iceberg „ 386
A Penguin’s Friend „ 389
Curious Weather-worn Icebergs, 300 Feet High „ 391
Star-Fish and Sea-Urchins from the Bottom of the Antarctic
Sea „ 392
A New Shrimp of the Genera of Euphausia, Discovered by
Racovitza „ 392
A Group of Penguins,--Visitors to the _Belgica_ „ 401
The Sailors at the End of the Long Night „ 402
Figure 1 428
Figure 2 429
Figure 3 430
Map of the _Belgica’s_ Trip 437
Soundings in the Pack 438
Method of Sounding 441
Sledge-sailing 453
THROUGH THE FIRST ANTARCTIC NIGHT
CHAPTER I
IN AND ABOUT RIO DE JANEIRO
RIO DE JANEIRO, October 30, 1897.
[Illustration: THE CROWS’S NEST]
At last I am on the way to the land which has been the dream of my
life,--“the mysterious antarctic.” I have talked of this journey of
exploration so long, have wished for it so persistently, that now,
when my one foremost ambition seems on the verge of a realisation, I
can hardly assure myself that I am not on the road to another of many
disappointments. In three weeks one half of the distance in an air line
from New York to the south pole was traversed, and here on the lower
edge of the tropics I have waited for the arrival of the ship with the
company of Belgian explorers with whom the journey to the antarctic,
now just begun, is to be made.
On my arrival at Rio de Janeiro the Belgian Legation looked after
my comforts, and the Minister, Count van den Steen, offered me the
hospitality of his home at Petropolis.
After a fortnight of dreamy tropical life, a telegram announced the
arrival of the expedition ship, the _Belgica_, in the Rio harbour.
We took the early morning train and slowly descended the two thousand
feet along several valleys, winding around various hills, down and down
on the curious cog-wheel railroad, until we reached the head of the
bay. Here an old-style side-wheel steamer carried us to Rio de Janeiro.
On the pier a delegation appointed by the Belgian colony of Rio met us
with a tug, in which we were carried to the _Belgica_.
There was nothing about the _Belgica_ to attract unusual attention
from a distance. She was rather odd in shape and colour, but Rio
harbour is full of weird-looking crafts. We boarded the _Belgica_
at about 11 o’clock. It was a scorching morning, and as we ascended
the sea ladder a cloud of hot vapour rose above us from the moistened
decks. The Captain, Lecointe, was at the gangway and greeted each
visitor as the Minister introduced us. Behind him on deck stood
Commandant de Gerlache, at his side the officers and scientific staff,
while the crew was stationed on the port side of the quarter deck.
To me this was a moment of special interest. Here for the first time
I met face to face the party of total strangers, the members of the
Belgian Antarctic Expedition, with whom I am to remain as companion
and co-worker for a period of months, perhaps years. I was greeted in
a strange tongue--French--not a word of which I understood. One after
another came to me asking questions, but I could only look askance at
them. After a while I learned that the Commandant could speak English
and all of the scientific staff could speak German, so we began to
exchange ideas in tongues familiar to me.
My first impression of the officers and crew was--as it is
to-day--decidedly favorable. Every one seemed a picture of health,
full of youthful vigour, and jolly good fellowship. The _Belgica_
appeared small, but she seemed well adapted to the prospective
work, and above all, she was filled brim full with good food,--such
delicacies as only a Belgian could select. I am sure as we penetrate
the white antarctic she will seem large enough; she will afford us a
safe home, and many, very many, comforts, as comforts go in the polar
regions.
The _Belgica_ left Ostend, Belgium, on August 24, 1897, and
reached Madeira September 13. From here, after an adjustment of the
instruments and some scientific observations, lasting three days,
she sailed for Rio de Janeiro; but Rio was not reached until late in
the afternoon of October 22. The voyage was made against a series of
adverse winds and calms, making it necessary to steam a part of the
time. Excepting a few cases of seasickness the party enjoyed excellent
health while crossing the tropics.
The general plan of the expedition was now for the first time
outlined to me by Commandant de Gerlache. Up to the present all my
communications had been by cable, and necessarily brief, but now I
was able to elicit from the hardworked projector the prospective plan
of our campaign. The _Belgica_ will start from here, after the
magnetic instruments are adjusted, for Montevideo, where she will stop
perhaps two days. From Montevideo we will proceed to Punta Arenas,
Chile, in the Strait of Magellan.
At Punta Arenas we shall make some scientific observations and
collections, stopping perhaps eight days. And then, after coaling
and restocking our provision supply, we shall sail for the South
Shetland Islands, thence to Grahamland, and southwestward along its
border to the limit of navigation. If time and ice conditions will
permit we shall first sail along the eastern shore of Grahamland
and south into Weddel Sea. But this journey, tempting as it seems,
is now rather doubtful, owing to the short time at our command.
From this western terminus of Grahamland we shall try to map the
coast to Alexanderland and beyond as far as possible, then we are to
press southward and westward to Victorialand. Deep sea soundings and
dredgings will be taken wherever the opportunity presents. Systematic,
magnetic, and meteorological observations are to be made, and large
zoölogical collections are expected. In a general way it is the aim
of the expedition to make a thorough scientific survey of the regions
traversed. The commander reserves the right to alter any or all plans
to suit unexpected conditions as we meet them.
In the afternoon the Minister, Count van den Steen, took Commandant de
Gerlache and most of the scientific staff ashore to begin the first
of a long series of presentations and introductions to the congenial
Brazilian officials. We were first presented to the chief of customs
and the Minister of marine affairs, from whom we derived the twofold
pleasure of being warmly greeted and freed of harbour dues, custom
annoyances, and other troublesome local regulations.
It was to me a source of never-ceasing interest to note the
translations of the various questions asked. This portrayed clearly
the Brazilian notion of a polar expedition. The ideas proved to be
so tropical that I must risk a breach of etiquette and quote enough
to show Brazilian versions of polar work. We were constantly asked,
“Have you a smoking-room and much tobacco?” “Of course you have lots
of wine and other nice drinks, but have you plenty of good things to
eat? You must take some Brazilian coffee.” Others would put to us
questions about our provision for pleasure, music, games, and pastimes
in general, but I do not remember having been asked even once about
the serious scientific work of the expedition. One broad-minded and
apparently intelligent fellow, well on in the winter of life--a member
of the Cabinet, asked the usual questions about wines, cigars, and
personal comforts, and then, having heard of Mrs. Peary’s experience
in the North; he asked if we had any women among us? On being answered
with a rather sharp and quick “no!” he remarked: “Then, I don’t want to
go along.”
This explains the lack of interest of South Americans in anything
polar. So long as beautiful women, good wines, fine cigars, and
delicate foods are not found at the south pole, Latin Americans will
probably not aspire to reach it.
The magnetic instruments were taken to the local observatory for
adjustment and comparison. To do this properly required about a
week, hence arrangements were made for various receptions, tours of
exploration, of pleasure, and what not. The zoölogist, Mr. Racovitza,
learning that he could take a fast steamer and reach Punta Arenas about
a fortnight in advance of the expedition, at once made arrangements
to leave us. This will afford him much additional and valuable time
to make collections and observations in the immediate vicinity of the
Strait of Magellan.
We began the week on Monday by the Presidential reception. The Belgian
Minister, Count van den Steen, had arranged the details and according
to his instructions we assembled at the office of Consul Laurys
shortly after noon. From here we embarked in coaches drawn by small
but handsome mules. We were hurried through narrow streets, along an
endless number of low houses, plastered outside and in. The doors and
windows were full of men, women and children, scantily dressed but ill
at ease, all doing nothing in various ways.
In a half hour we reached the White House, an imposing and substantial
building constructed from the local schist which everywhere underlies
the city. Led by Count van den Steen we entered, ascended to the third
floor, and were marshaled to the President’s reception room with very
little ceremony. The room was handsomely decorated by wall paintings,
and fresco decorations probably of Italian design, while the floors
were of beautiful inlaid wood, also of a foreign manufacture. There
were no carpets, but little furniture, and the mantels were covered by
artificial flowers and plants.
In a short time the President, Senor Trudente de Moreas Barros,
entered. We were presented separately, after which the Minister made a
short address in French to which the President replied in a few words,
and then grasping our hands he offered a cheerful greeting to each
member of the expedition.
The Belgian colony had long planned a feast for the expedition, and
this was to be the grand event at Rio, to which we looked for real
joy and lasting comfort. The time had been set for the evening of the
25th, at the Restaurant Petropolis, on Rue de Ovidor. We assembled
at 7 o’clock; there were about 100 people present, representing the
male members of the Colony, the officers and scientific staff of the
expedition, and a few newspaper editors.
The room was large and airy; electric fans were in position, but the
air was cool enough without their use. The walls were decorated with
flags, and the tables with flowers and fruits. The bill of fare was
Belgian--a few local additions to the very best that could be imported
from Belgium. This, I am sure, is sufficient said of a very delightful
collection of rare foods and good drinks. There was much enthusiastic
speech-making and toasting in French, Portuguese, and Italian;
presumably complimentary to Brazil, Belgium and the expedition, but
I did not understand it. The spirit of hilarity, however, was in the
air and, although I was a foreigner among strangers whose language
was unknown to me, I cannot remember having enjoyed a banquet at home
better. We had all been wined and dined, separately and collectively,
before and after, but the occasion which will always remain in our
minds as the best treat of all is the Rio Belgian banquet.
The day following, and for the balance of the week, we visited the
local places of interest, explored the city in various ways, and were
received at a special meeting of the local Geographical Society. Rio
de Janeiro is a city of perhaps six hundred thousand inhabitants, with
about one hundred thousand foreigners. It is the metropolis of South
America, but far, very far, behind Montevideo and Buenos Aires in
modern improvements and in all the present arts of civilization. It is
essentially a commercial city, a center from which exports are sent and
imports distributed throughout Brazil and much of South America.
A great deal of money is made here, but the present money has fallen
to about one eighth of its actual value. Things cannot be much longer
prolonged as the present money market stands, from which it follows
that various rumors of a national bankruptcy are current. A well
informed resident assured me that a crisis would arrive before our
return from the antarctic.
Brazil, in the infancy of its republican form of government, has
very many political difficulties to settle. There is more political
discussion to the square mile in Rio de Janeiro to-day than to an
equal space on any other part of the globe with which I am familiar.
A rebellion has just been subdued in a northern province, but from the
south comes fresh news of another attempted secession. The several
states of Brazil seem to be loosely bound together and before the
country finds its true equilibrium many changes will probably occur.
As a city Rio de Janeiro has been so well and so often described that I
shall only give here the briefest outline of a few points of interest
as they impressed us. The houses are all of stone or brick, rarely more
than two stories, built on an irregular hilly surface, mostly facing
the ever visible and always enchanting inland sea, the harbour. The
rear of the city is lost between the rising hills which encircle the
harbour. The streets are very narrow, are paved with granite, and are
always alive with people of several colors and of all nationalities.
The business streets have an air of bustle and Yankee thrift, but the
side streets are clothed in the usual perpetual ease of the tropics.
The city is easily traversed by electric and mule cars; even the
mountains are ascended by electric and steam roads, which required
great engineering skill in construction. Carriages and waggons are
almost entirely drawn by small mules. The numerous sights and breathing
places are reached without much trouble and very cheaply, for Rio has
perhaps the cheapest carfare of the world, less than three cents a
ride. Rent is nearly as high as in New York in the better or healthier
parts of the city; wages are good, but living in general is expensive.
Nearly all the foreigners, however, consider it an excellent business
place. The health of the city is good, excepting occasional epidemics
of yellow fever, and, if it were not for the intense heat of summer,
Rio would offer a bright future for young, ambitious Europeans and
North Americans.
It would hardly be expected that poleward-bent explorers would grow
enthusiastic about any place in the torrid zone, but Rio de Janeiro,
with all its heat, has people with warm hearts, who were to us a
pleasant inspiration. It has fruits and coffee which are a joy to the
inner man; it has abundant natural resources which will some day make
it a great, a very great, city.
Saturday at 2 o’clock was set for the time of sailing, and although
we appreciated the honors and pleasures conferred upon us by the
hospitable Belgians and Brazilians, the appointed time found us all
eager to continue our voyage toward the south pole. Many visitors were
on board at the last moment. The Minister, with his fatherly interest
in the expedition, the Belgian committee, representatives of the Rio
Geographical Society, and various other distinguished visitors were
there to bid us _au revoir_ and _bon voyage_. Among the visitors were a
couple of young ladies who received an unusual share of warm attention
from the prospective frigid explorers. A desire to kidnap them as a
diversion to break the long monotony of the journey was frequently
expressed and no doubt deeply felt by at least one lonely bachelor.
The last visitor was a young Brazilian in a gaudy uniform, who came
by a special Government launch as a representative of the President.
His particular mission was to offer us the President’s compliments and
his wishes for a good, successful voyage. This we appreciated as a
delightful bit of thoughtfulness on the part of President Barros.
On board the _Belgica_ everything was bustle and haste. Provisions
were coming, new articles of equipment were being loaded and stored
away, visitors were going to and fro examining our curious instruments
and the general outfit. Tugs were all around the craft and one, with
several photographers, kept spinning around, snapping at the center
of curiosity from every side. At three o’clock the Commandant gave
the order to start, and the entire mass moved with us. The visitors
remained on deck, and the tugs followed.
The commercial part of the harbour, with its steaming heat and teeming
mass of conglomerate humanity, soon fell behind more interesting
points. Several foreign cruisers were in the harbour among them our
_Cincinnati_, and these kept us busy replying to salutations
and cheers. As we passed the old battered fort of S. João we rather
expected a series of salutes, but instead a large band appeared on
a low crown of torn cliffs playing lively airs. Now and then the
musicians would stop and fill the atmosphere with quaint cheers, all of
which pleased us far better than a display of powder.
As we advanced, a rather strong wind ruffled up an uncomfortable sea,
and as we approached the narrows, which are guarded by two ancient
looking forts, it was deemed best to part with our visitors. The
Brazilian men humored and kissed us, as is their custom--the men only,
not the ladies. Our good friends of the Belgian Colony offered many
cordial greetings, and as the tugs withdrew from us, the oft-repeated
_au revoir_ and _bon voyage_ came with every leap of the sea.
Our progress against the incoming wind and sea was very slow, but this
gave us an excellent opportunity to take a long parting view of the
beautiful Bay of Rio de Janeiro, with all its indescribable splendour.
The sun was low, close to the crests of a ridge of mountain peaks. We
were steaming out of the mouth of the bay, a harbour which is said to
be large enough to afford room for all the naval fleets of the world.
On every side were mountains rising abruptly from the waving expanse
of blue--mountains with cliffs and steep slopes, many apparently
perpendicular, all with sides nearly covered by a thick dark green
verdure. Only the loftiest peaks were bald and even these had a few
weather-worn trees to add colour and life.
As we looked over the stern of the _Belgica_, much of the city
was still in view. The low, irregular houses, with tiled roofs and
sides washed with lime in various bright shades of red, white and blue,
were unique and attractive. They will always remain in our minds as a
pleasing reminder of Brazilian good wishes. Before the city and behind
it were the perennial midsummer waters, spotted with vessels of various
nations, beset by a score of emerald isles and fringed by as many
fascinating bays. It is, however, the crude, rugged majesty,--the rare
grandeur of the mountain peaks around the enchanting harbour which give
it ever fresh and effervescent glory.
Beginning at the left and close to the stern of the _Belgica_,
was a bold peak of solid rock, which from its fancied resemblance to
a lump of sugar, is called _Pão de Assucar_. A little farther on
the eye is stopped by the famous Corcovado, a huge needle of granite,
its base washed by the blue tropical waters, its apex, three thousand
feet above, piercing soft, pearly vapours, and its sides painted by the
hand of nature in various shades of green. Next upon the horizon was
outlined the strange freak of nature, the _Bicodo do Papagaio_,
or Parrot’s Beak. A bit of landscape, more distant and less startling,
but still very alluring, is next in line--the interfolding rock
configurations of Gavea. Then several other sky-scraping mountains,
and the enraptured vision ends upon the whitened crown of fair Santa
Thereza.
Along the head of the bay, ever veiled by a blue haze, are the Organ
Mountains, so named because the various cones and serrated peaks bear
a fancied resemblance to the pipes of an organ. Beyond these, but out
of vision, is Petropolis, the new capital of Brazil, and the summer
home for Rio’s wealthy and foreign residents. To the right are lesser
mountains, separated by deep bays and broad, fertile valleys. The
beds of these are clothed with banana, mango, pineapple, and other
fruit-bearing trees and plants. The scene as a whole is a feast to the
eyes and a nursery to the mind.
But we must be off to less fertile lands--on to the icy south, stopping
only at Montevideo and the Strait of Magellan before we attack the
virgin ice south of Cape Horn.