ursine family life. It was an exceedingly curious sight, I assure you.
But this patriarchal and rustic scene was destined soon to come to an
end, thanks to the huntsman’s instinct which suddenly awoke within me. I
felt bound, at all cost, to kill this interesting family, the mother and
her cubs. Why? Who can reason with passion, who can reason with a hunter!
Without further idle reflection, and as the chief of a gang who has
resolved upon an immediate attack on a long-desired prey, I ordered my
comrades to remain in the boat until I returned, and on my knees I crept
over the ice, behind the fragments of rocks, towards the three animals.
This ice was perforated like a sieve, and the water fell from it in
small cascades with a continuous and monotonous noise; small fragments
were detaching themselves from it every moment, without, however,
retarding my progress.
“Regardless of all risk, I continued to drag myself along behind
fragments of rocks and approached to within about 430 yards of my quarry.
Now I had no longer any shelter; I was exposed to view. Then I took a
long aim, fired and wounded one of the cubs. The mother rushed towards
it, sometimes looking about her, and sometimes licking the poor beast.
“I could see her very closely with my glasses. I fired a second time,
and the mother then turned furiously towards me. My cartridges had got
damp and missed fire. I became nervous. I was obliged to go and fetch
fresh ammunition from the boat. The she-bear gave up her first idea of
attacking me and returned to her cubs.
[Illustration: SMEERENBURG GLACIER.]
“Then, having taken fresh ammunition, we commenced, all three of us,
to drive the animals towards the open water, and at last, to our
delight, saw the mother, followed by her cubs, start swimming. Mr.
Stack remained on the ice armed with an oar, in order to cut off their
retreat; Appelberg and myself gave chase from the boat. The she-bear,
with one of the cubs on her back, swam at a fairly good pace towards us.
We had scarcely had time to row three or four minutes before the mother
had climbed upon a large block of ice floating in the midst of the open
water. Having approached to within fifty or sixty yards I fired again,
and my bullet striking the bear between the two shoulders, passed through
her lungs. The animal uttered a terrible cry, which was re-echoed from
the mountains. In a great fury she threw herself into the sea, swimming
towards us with rage, but only for a few moments. The poor beast soon
died, still carrying on her back the cub which I had first wounded. It
was at once killed, and the other immediately afterwards.
“We thereupon dragged the animals towards the ice-bank, where I
photographed my victims, stretched out lifeless; and it was not without
much difficulty that we succeeded in putting them aboard our frail
boat. At last we started on our return to the _Virgo_, still full of
excitement, when suddenly we were caught in the fog in the midst of the
Smeerenburg waters.”
The next day the ice pilot, an old sea-dog, assisted by Stadling,
proceeded to cut up the three animals, the skins of which were salted,
and enclosed in barrels; after this the most delicate morsels, seasoned
with various sauces by the cook, who displayed all her talents, adorned
the table at several meals. Without being absolutely exquisite, the dish
is appetising, and besides, the chance of dining off polar bear does not
occur very often.
V
The Midnight Sun
_Friday, July 3rd._—I have not put foot on shore to-day. For three days
past we have had terrible weather, and I wonder whether the shed will
be able to resist the fury of such a wind. However, this is an east
south-east wind, which would suit perfectly well for the voyage, though
the start would be very difficult under these circumstances; this delays
the work of the carpenters, and the shed does not rise up very quickly.
I felt very dull to-day, and was happy enough to read again all the old
journals which had served for packing purposes, as I am not very well
stocked with works of a purely literary character, a few volumes only
composing my whole library. I also read again the expedition of the
_Jeannette_, which Andrée had lent me, and the dramatic episodes of that
story were not calculated to raise my spirits. What an extraordinary
climate!
In these regions fine days are very rare, though it is clear all night;
but for a long time past the sun has scarcely been seen. The thermometer
remains near freezing-point.
But the midnight sun! What a never-to-be-forgotten spectacle is presented
by this polar sea in these radiant nights!
As soon as the fog lifts its veil, leaving the eye at full liberty to
roam over the horizon, one sees an endless succession of palaces of ice,
strong castles, cathedrals, and fantastical structures, some majestically
indifferent to the waves which caress their mighty bases, the others
slowly rocking to and fro, notwithstanding their ponderous masses, and at
each oscillation of their sparkling faces emitting from their alabaster
sides rocket-like flashes of emeralds, rubies, and sapphires.
[Illustration: THE _VIRGO_, AMSTERDAM ISLAND.]
Numerous cascades pour down from the vast sides of these icebergs
into basins formed in the very bases of these enormous ice-mountains,
subsequently losing themselves in the waters of the sea; and all these
waterfalls, large and small, are lit up by the hot, red rays of a
brilliant sun.
This polar nature, which one imagines to be so poor, so icy, so inert, in
regions which we only know from dull and cold narratives of voyages,—this
wonderful nature lavishly spreads out before my eyes the sight of an
endless mass of sparkling and flashing diamonds, a veritable pyrotechnic
display of another world, which the rays of the sun cause to burst forth,
and change twenty times in a minute.
And all this, like a sublime jewel casket, rests on velvet of an
unheard-of variety, delicate green, pale pink, orange red, crimson,
bright red, purple, golden yellow, violet, sky-blue, a marvellous velvet
of deep soft and delicately shaded tints, which the calm and irradiated
water seems to spread out for the greater delight of the eye and the soul.
In the presence of all this grand and mighty nature, what becomes of
man’s most ingenious artifices invented to charm by the excess of
accumulated marvels?
How paltry are the most superb decorations of his theatres compared with
what one sees here—here where the water alone and the sun undertake
the _mise en scène_! What are all the marvels hatched by his brain, by
his sovereign industry, in the presence of miracles of colouring and
brilliancy engendered by a ray of light penetrating a fragment of ice?
_Tuesday, July 7th._—We had very bad weather on Saturday; on Sunday
the atmosphere calmed down a little, and yesterday (Monday) we had a
splendid day. We took advantage of this to make an interesting excursion
in the steam launch to Magdaleina Bay. The peninsula contains an immense
necropolis, dating back several centuries; it is here that the whalers of
Smeerenburg came to bury their dead.
We killed a very large seal, which nearly caused the boat to capsize
when we got him on board. Strindberg killed a black fox at the foot of a
glacier.
We returned at midnight in brilliant sunshine; in fact, at present we
constantly see the sun when the sky is clear. He is describing a circle,
of which the _Virgo_ appears to be the centre, and the sunshine is
sometimes very hot. This morning the temperature was 68° Fahr. in the
sun, and 41° Fahr. in the shade.
The work of erecting the shed is being pushed on as quickly as possible,
but it is a gigantic task. To-day they have reached the second storey;
there are to be two more storeys above that, and these are the most
difficult ones to erect.
In the midst of this feverish work the days pass anxiously by, for I
have had no news from Europe. I am already much perturbed, when at last,
on the night of July 12th, after a very dull day, the watch all at once
signals the arrival of a small sloop, which is sure to bring our mail. In
a few moments everybody is on deck, and the captain of the small boat,
the _Express_, hands us an enormous bundle of letters, which Andrée
distributes among us. I received fourteen, and it would be difficult for
me to express the joy I felt at this moment.
The _Express_ brings six English and German tourists, who have come,
somewhat early, to be present at the departure of the balloon. They are
received on board the _Virgo_, and evince a very lively interest in
Andrée’s project.
VI
National Fête
_On board the “Virgo,” July 14th, at night._—The bad weather continues,
and the squall is so violent that the little sloop _Express_ has been
unable to put to sea. We have a very gay lunch. Andrée made a little
speech, which greatly moved me. He spoke of the national fête in France
and of aerostation, which I represent. He praised the self-denial which I
had exhibited, and finally expressed to me the pleasure he felt in seeing
the bonds of friendship becoming closer day by day. He did not forget
either family or friends.
The captain ordered the French _tricolore_ to be hoisted on the mainmast
and the ship to be dressed with bunting. Champagne sparkled in the
glasses.
[Illustration: ARRIVAL OF THE CAR.]
Strindberg played the national air, and those present overwhelmed me with
kind attentions. The following letter will give an idea of the close
friendship which reigned amongst us:—
“On Board the _Virgo_, Dansk-Gatt,
_July 14th, 1896._
“To MADAME LACHAMBRE, Paris.
“DEAR MADAME,—
“To-day being the national _fête_ day of your native country,
_la belle France_, we gladly seized the welcome opportunity
to present to M. Lachambre our sincere thanks for the great
services which he has rendered to our expedition by the careful
and excellent work which he has executed, and for his personal
attendance here in order to give us the benefit of his valuable
experience. Certainly, this voyage has been a great sacrifice,
both for you and for him, and it is, therefore, our duty to
thank you as well as M. Lachambre.
“We have this day drunk the health of M. and Madame Lachambre,
at the same time hoisting the tricolour and singing the
‘Marseillaise.’ On this occasion Andrée has had the honour
of fixing on M. Lachambre’s breast the decoration of the
Academical Palms, and we have congratulated him with enthusiasm
on receiving this well-merited distinction.
“We beg you will rest assured, Dear Madame, that we are doing
our best to minimise the inconveniences resulting to M.
Lachambre from a life in these very inhospitable regions.
“We are, Dear Madame,
“Yours most respectfully,
(Signed) “S. A. ANDRÉE; NILS
EKHOLM; NILS STRINDBERG;
ZACHAU, captain of the
_Virgo_; GOSTE GRUMBERG,
zoologist; CARL EKELUND,
physician; SVANTE
ARRHÉNIUS, hydrographer.”
And while Strindberg strummed on his violin the most poetical and
impassioned Swedish tunes, the wind raged outside and the vessel rocked
and creaked fearfully.
_Dansk-Gatt, on board the “Virgo,” July 16th, noon._—The storm, after
calming down for a short time, burst forth again last night with renewed
violence, and the _Express_, which left at eight, was obliged to return
in haste some hours afterwards to take shelter near the _Virgo_.
The _Virgo_ is a strong vessel, capable of braving a storm, but it
is otherwise with the small sloop, which already has barely escaped
shipwreck in coming here.
VII
The Inflation
_July 21st._—To-day for the first time we were able to commence devoting
our attention to the balloon, which, since its disembarkation, has
remained enclosed in its case at the foot of the shed.
It is now brought to the entrance and extended on the floor, covered with
a thick layer of felt.
It is spread out after the manner of a cast-net, the valves are fitted to
it, together with their rigging, the net is placed in position, as well
as the protecting cover.
The inflating pipes, passing through an opening made in the middle of the
floor, are joined to the gas apparatus situated 87 yards away below the
shed, behind Pike House.
This very difficult work (the envelope alone of the balloon weighs nearly
3,086 lbs., and the net 992 lbs.) was finished in the evening of the
22nd, in a fine and penetrating rain. On the morning of the 23rd snow
commenced to fall in large flakes. The balloon is covered by it with a
thick layer, when about a hundred cubic feet of gas commence to raise
with difficulty the heavy envelope of silk. This operation commences even
before the shed is quite finished. Part of the upper enclosures is still
wanting, and Andrée abandons the idea of having the canvas awning put up,
which, however, would have been very useful; but time presses, and every
delay may jeopardize the departure.
The car, installed in an annex to the shed, is marvellously devised.
The lower part is completely surrounded with sailcloth. It receives its
light through two lateral windows. The middle is occupied by a kind of
mattress, covered with a sleeping sack of reindeer skins.
All around are compartments for holding books, charts, and instruments,
toilet articles, and the kitchen utensils, arms, ammunition, etc. It
is entered through a trap-door made in the ceiling. Above, at a height
of one metre, a ring, mounted on jointed railings, which keep it in a
horizontal position, forms a balcony, in the centre of which two of the
explorers will remain while the third is resting. To this circle the
instruments,—compasses, sextants, theodolites, barometers, thermometers,
photographic appliances, etc., are attached.
The six ropes, by which the car is suspended, are joined at the upper
part by a cable, which brings them nearer to the centre, while keeping
them away from the balcony; they then extend from this hexagon towards
the suspension ring, which is fastened to the net.
Six canvas pockets, with compartments, are fixed between the suspending
ropes from the ceiling of the car up to the balcony, for the reception of
any articles or instruments which the aeronauts may require to have at
hand at any moment.
The load ring carries a table or board divided into compartments occupied
by four baskets intended to hold a number of accessories, buoys,
grapnels, ropes, etc.
In the centre of the platform a square opening leaves room for a rope
ladder, attached to the appendage of the balloon, and facilitates the
inspection of the interior through windows let into the safety valve.
This platform may, if necessary, serve as a refuge for the aeronauts,
should they be compelled to abandon the car.
The load ring supports a differential pulley for moving the guide-ropes,
the action of which, combined with that of the sail, is to afford the
possibility of a certain deviation from the direction of the wind.
The sails are fixed to the net by hemp straps.
The three guide-ropes are attached to this pulley by a very ingenious
piece of mechanism. With the aid of a crank and a bevel gear, the
guide-ropes, which are composed of several sections joined to each other
by screw connections, can be turned. Should the end of a guide-rope get
caught between the ice to such an extent as to arrest the flight of the
balloon, the aeronauts can release themselves by exerting an effect of
torsion on this guide-rope by means of the crank, and abandoning the
length of rope caught; a fresh length of guide-rope will then be added at
the top if necessary, making use of spare lengths of rope.
[Illustration: AN EXCURSION TO MAGDALEINA BAY.]
In order to prevent the guide-ropes becoming detached at an inopportune
moment, Andrée has devised the plan of providing a spring consisting of
a flat piece of steel which exerts a pressure upon the connecting screw
nut; the pressure of these springs is graduated, increasing upwards, so
that it will always be the lowest length of rope which will detach itself
first. These guide-ropes are impregnated with vaseline, which renders
them insubmersible and greatly facilitates their gliding over the ice.
Above the ring, victuals and provisions of all kinds are stored in
canvas bags divided into compartments and strongly fastened between the
suspending ropes; all the articles are fixed so that no shock can throw
them out.
The number of suspending ropes is forty-eight, forming forty-eight equal
intervals, of which thirty-six are occupied by bags of provisions, and
twelve by sledges, boats, spars, etc.
The provisions comprise tins of preserved food of all kinds, chocolate,
compressed bread, condensed milk, champagne, claret, alcohol, fresh
water, not forgetting butter, an indispensable article of diet in the
polar regions.
All these bags are weighed, classified, and labelled, and make up a
weight of 2,204 lbs. What is not consumed will serve as ballast, Andrée
having considered it more practical to carry provisions in place of
ballast.
The apparatus for cooking the food consists of a cylinder suspended by a
strap 32 feet 6 inches in length, along which a rubber tube runs; inside
the cylinder a spirit lamp is lighted by being brought in contact with a
match ignited with the aid of a small and very simple contrivance worked
by a cord.
A small cooking pot filled with water, and enclosed in the cylinder, can
be made to boil in a few moments. The lamp can be extinguished from the
car by blowing down the rubber tube, and a mirror, arranged at an angle
of 45 degrees, enables the occupants of the car to see whether the lamp
is well extinguished before hoisting the apparatus up into the car.
VIII
The _Erline Jarl_
_Dansk-Gatt, July 23rd._—The south wind, which has blown almost
constantly since our arrival at Dansk-Gatt, ceased on the 19th of July,
and north and north-easterly winds are now blowing, with their usual
accompaniment of rain or snow.
The gas-working apparatus acts very regularly, yielding about 78 cubic
yards per hour.
The work is divided into spells of six hours at a time, the first watch,
from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., being entrusted to me. I am assisted by two seamen
only, one of whom speaks French fairly well,—viz., a Mr. Knos, engineer,
who has signed for the voyage. My place is then taken by Strindberg, who,
in his turn, is relieved by Andrée, whom I succeed again.
At 11 p.m. the sound of a siren breaks the stillness of the night,
awakening the echoes of the mountains. I then see the _Erline Jarl_,
a splendid boat, flying the Norwegian flag, coming on slowly and
majestically, in order to cast anchor at some distance from the _Virgo_.
Around the place where the sulphates and residues of the hydrogen
apparatus discharge into the sea, the sea-water has assumed a rusty
colour for a distance of several miles. This peculiarity causes great
astonishment among the new arrivals, who imagine that they can see the
sea-bottom.
Captain Zachau, of the _Virgo_, goes to welcome the new-comers, and
returns on board his vessel with a load of letters for our crew.
The snow falls thicker and thicker, and the shed does not afford the
least protection. I have a kind of sentry-box rigged up for me in the
packing-case for the net of the balloon.
We experienced much difficulty at the commencement of the inflation, and
I am frequently compelled to obtain assistance from the gas works, the
material of the balloon being so very heavy to shift about.
[Illustration: SOLAR OBSERVATIONS AT MAGDALEINA BAY.]
I may mention one incident in particular. The balloon had already
absorbed 1,308 cubic yards of gas, when the apparatus suddenly stopped
and absolutely refused to act, which caused great excitement among the
members of the expedition. What does it mean? Here is the solution of the
enigma.
The pump, which draws its supply from the sea, has taken up such a
quantity of shrimps that all the cocks are choked up. We scarcely
expected to see shrimps interfere in this matter.
Andrée, who had thought of everything else, had forgotten to reckon with
these diminutive factors. The generators and valves are cleared out and
cleaned, and the suction pipe is fitted with a rose, whereupon work goes
on without any further hitch.
For the production of the hydrogen 55,115 lbs. of sulphuric acid and
33,069 lbs. of iron shavings have been used. All that chemistry and
physical science has hitherto produced by way of purifying, weighing, and
testing instruments is embodied in Andrée’s plant.
On the morning of the 24th of July the tourists brought over by the
_Erline Jarl_ begin to arrive on the island; there are about sixty of
them, from all countries. Several of them bring me news from my friends,
and an acquaintance is soon struck up. We are assailed with questions on
all hands. Andrée does the honours of the establishment with much grace,
and propounds his theories as to the means he proposes to adopt in his
endeavours to reach the pole. He explains the instruments and apparatus,
while I distribute among the tourists some samples of the material
employed for the balloon.
We hear news from Europe, always acceptable to a degree which no one can
conceive who has never been far away from his native country. Besides, in
these wild regions everything tends to augment the unconscious longing
for all that one has left behind, and those who come from a region more
or less near to one’s native country at once assume something of the
nature of long-expected personal friends.
The night of the 24th is spent very pleasantly. I dine on board the
_Erline Jarl_, and hear a concert given by real artistes. My thoughts
wander back to scenes of the past, and I say to myself that had some
one sitting next to me at a concert in Paris told me at the time that
in so many months, or at such and such a time, I should hear the same
instruments and enjoy the same tunes at Spitzbergen, I should have been
very much surprised at such a suggestion.
_Saturday, 25th._—At noon the small sloop _Express_ arrives, carrying
mails. At 1 p.m. the _Erline Jarl_ leaves on a trip towards the north.
The programme consists in approaching close to the ice-field, and the
amiable Captain Bade offers me a place on board his ship. But, however
much inclined to accept, I cannot leave Andrée at this moment, as the
balloon demands all our attention.
_Sunday, 26th._—Andrée lectures to our crew. His spirited and expressive
language, his technical explanations, given with perfect clearness,
frequently elicit loud applause.
_Monday, 27th._—The inflation is completed at the moment when the _Erline
Jarl_ returns from her trip.
The _Victoria_ arrives at night, and the simultaneous presence of the
four vessels gives Dansk-Gatt a festive air, which is greatly enhanced by
the lovely sunshine. Our little international colony is very lively.
After waiting a week in order to witness the start of the balloon, the
tourists lose patience. They want to be at Vadso on the 9th of August to
see the eclipse of the sun.
On July 30th a sumptuous dinner is given us on board the _Erline Jarl_,
and on the 31st the tourists come in a body to the foot of the shed.
To the right and to the left of the entrance the crews of the _Virgo_ and
the _Erline Jarl_ are formed up in line; at the back the passengers are
grouped round the explorers. Several speeches are made by the captain of
the _Erline Jarl_ and some of the tourists; thereupon a young lady, who
is travelling with her _fiancé_ and a relative, attaches to Andrée’s arm
a blue ribbon, and then hands him for the journey a bottle of the best
wine, a cake, and a rose-tree with four roses, one for each explorer.
Captain Bade, of the _Erline Jarl_, then addressed Andrée as follows:—
“If you reach the mysterious point for which you are bound, deposit there
the fourth of the roses, as a token of peace with the old world.”
“My dear friend,” Andrée replied, in accents full of emotion, “you who
have come so far to see me set out for the conquest of the unknown, my
dear friends, I thank you!
[Illustration: THE _VIRGO_ DECKED FOR THE 14TH OF JULY FÊTE.]
“Mademoiselle, you have adorned me with a ribbon on the eve of my
departure; this ribbon shall be my talisman. I have been called a great
man, but it will be difficult for me to earn this title if the north
winds still continue to blow for some weeks as they do now. Our greatness
will fly with them—far, far away! What can we do to remedy this? If we
cannot make a start, we shall, at least, be able to say that we have
done all that is humanly possible, and you will be able to bear witness
thereto.