THE BREAK--A RACE FOR LIFE--THE ISLAND--STRANGE TOWER--A SAFE
HARBOR--CROSSING THE OPEN POLAR SEA--STRANGE PHENOMENA--SAILING
SOUTH--HORIZON OBSCURES FAMILIAR CONSTELLATIONS--RETURN TO THE
TOWER--NO EXPLANATION--OFF FOR THE POLE AGAIN--A WONDERFUL DISCOVERY.
[Illustration]
I WAS startled from my slumbers by the alarm and sprang to my feet. The
strong breeze that had been blowing from the southwest had increased to
a gale and the hissing of the steam revealed the fact that sufficient
warning had been given to enable the engineer to be ready to start the
machinery as soon as the parting of the ice gave us an opening through
which we could move. The time for action had come and I heard Battell
give the order to cut the cables.
As I hastened on deck, the two great ice mountains between which we lay
were lifted by the waves, and a moment later parted, and a shower of
ice fragments from the sundered roof fell upon the upper deck with an
awful crash; but thanks to the wise precautions that had been taken,
no one was hurt, and the injuries to the vessel were but slight. The
ice-field had parted along the line that had been predicted by Captain
Battell, and the Ice King was at once subjected to the full force of
the winds and waves which urged us forward with an irresistible force.
But under the influence of the same power the ice continued to part
before us, and all we had to do was to keep in the channel that was
forming.
While the waves behind us were driving the ship to seeming destruction,
they were at the same time rending the ice-field asunder in the
direction we were moving, creating a narrow, but constantly widening
channel between the walls of ice on either side. Captain Battell, as
usual in cases of emergency, was in command. Captain Ganoe was at the
wheel, while I took my place at his side to take notes and render
assistance as occasion might require.
Captain Battell was right when he said we might be compelled to run
for our lives. The gale continued to increase in its fury, and as we
followed the channel that was forming before us, the wind was closing
up the channel behind, by huge masses of ice in wild commotion. A halt
would have invited destruction, and if we missed the channel that was
being opened before us, we might be dashed to pieces against the ice.
While the general direction of the channel being formed was toward
the north, the ice did not break along a straight line, but was often
zigzag, and it took the closest kind of attention to keep the ship
from dashing against one side or the other and being disabled. The ice
pack that was always forming behind us, urged forward by the wind and
probably a strong ocean current made retreat impossible, even if we
had so desired. There was but one thing that could be done, which was
to move forward regardless of the continual danger of a collision that
might prove fatal.
This strain was kept up for several hours, when to our great delight
we could discern what seemed to be a small island toward the northeast
and an open sea beyond. A minute later; what appeared to be a mighty
watch tower, at least two hundred feet in height, loomed up before our
astonished vision just a little off from our starboard quarter. It
stood at the edge of the water and the waves were dashing against its
base.
This island was evidently the obstruction against which the ice-field
had been lodged. The tower was built of dressed stones accurately piled
upon each other; and at one time had apparently been surrounded by a
spiral staircase which led to an observatory on top. This conclusion
was the logical deduction from the existence of a spiral ledge from
the base to the summit, plainly indicating that it had been used as a
support for an external structure.
We were now running under a full head of steam through a channel that
had been formed between the ice and the island, which led into an open
sea beyond. This channel brought us close to the strange tower, and
as we came even with it, Captain Battell gave the word: "Starboard
your helm! hard up!" "Aye, aye, sir," came the response, and the wheel
fairly spun in Captain Ganoe's hands. The Ice King lurched, trembled,
and in the next instant shot around the tower, and into comparatively
still water, under the cover of the island, which we now discovered,
extended from west to east, about two miles, in the form of a crescent,
constituting a safe harbor from all storms except from the north. We
determined to cast anchor until the wind had subsided and give our
small crew a much needed rest. This gave me an opportunity to make
sketches of the tower and island at my leisure.
The rest was most welcome to officers and men after the unusual
fatigues of the last few days, culminating in the excitement and
extraordinary efforts of the last few hours. While we slept, the winds
ceased to howl, the skies became clear, and I sketched the tower and
the island while they were bathed in the glorious hues of an Arctic
sunset.
I applied the camera to every prominent object in sight. The island had
the appearance of a segment of the top of a circular mountain which
might have been, in geologic ages, the crater of a vast volcano, since
which time the land had been depressed, or the water level elevated,
perhaps several hundred feet. The shore-line was a granite precipice,
rising to the height of about one hundred feet. Over this was a lofty
covering of ice, cut into the most fantastic shapes by streams of water
which come with summer and depart with winter. In places where the
surface had been laid bare I could discover traces of man's handiwork,
which for the present I had no opportunity to investigate, owing to the
precipitous nature of the shore-line.
But the object of the greatest interest was the tower. As I made my
sketch, the last rays of the sun illuminated this strange guardian of
these unexplored waters with a luster which impressed the beholder
with a feeling of awe. We examined it closely with our glasses and
speculated as to its origin. It had evidently been erected to serve
some important purpose, by a people who were skilled in architecture.
From its location, it might have served the purpose of a light-house
in some far off time, before these regions were covered with their
present mantle of ice.
As this mighty column loomed up above its icy background, its presence
was thought-provoking as well as awe-inspiring. It seemed like some
sentinel placed here to guard the gateway to this unknown northern
sea. But when was it built? and for what purpose? were questions
that were continually forced upon our minds. As to the time: it must
have been before the great ice age, when tropical plants as well as
animals, flourished in the far north, and a tropical, or semi-tropical
climate extended from the equator to the poles. But this did not
indicate the purpose for which it was erected. Was it an observatory
for astronomical purposes, or a light-house for the guidance of the
pre-historic navigators of these waters, now locked in the embrace of
almost impassable ice barriers? Who could tell? All we could do for
the present was to record our observations. The tower was there, two
hundred feet in height, and its latitude was 85° north, and longitude
180° west. This was all that we could learn for the present.
As had been the experience of all other navigators in high northern
latitudes, the dipping of the needle rendered the compass useless, and
we had to depend on the sun, moon and stars for our guidance. But the
skies were clear and the sea open, so that we apprehended no further
trouble, notwithstanding this was the beginning of winter. Accounts of
the expedition were sealed in bottles and sent up in balloons, as was
our custom, and as there was no ice in sight, we determined to sail due
north from the tower.
After holding our course for a few days, we found that the needle had
again assumed the horizontal position and that we were sailing due
south. We knew we had started north and had not consciously changed our
course. Here was a mystery we could not fathom. But this was not all.
The horizon seemed to be rising up and obscuring stars that ought to
have been in full view.
The pole star, which had been near the zenith was sinking toward the
horizon behind us. The whole face of the celestial vault was changing.
As the northern lights, which were dropping to the rear grew less
brilliant, the southern horizon beamed with a halo of light, which
continued to grow brighter. Without having changed our course we were
now sailing away from the constellations by which we had so long been
guided in our progress toward the pole. What could it mean?
These strange phenomena upset all of our calculations. Everything
seemed weird and unnatural. The engines were stopped and we lay to, in
order to make observations and study the situation. Accounts of these
strange phenomena were securely sealed in bottles and committed to the
care of the winds.
Captains Ganoe and Battell held a council in the library and made a
careful study of the best authorities, but could find no solution to
the problem, as to why we should be going south. It was determined to
change our course to the northeast. Continuing in this direction, we
found the cold increasing, while the northern lights grew brighter, and
stars that had been obscured, again made their appearance above the
horizon.
At the end of this run, the ice-pack, now frozen solid, made its
appearance. We changed our course toward the east, keeping the ice on
our starboard quarter until we were again at the great tower from which
we had started. We had discovered no opening in the ice-barriers and
no solution to the problem we had started out to investigate.
We found ourselves in an open sea, but encompassed by an impassable
barrier of ice. We again determined to sail directly north, and, if
possible, cross this wide expanse of ocean around which we had been
sailing.
In a few days we again found ourselves running south and leaving the
pole star behind us. Star after star began to disappear behind the
horizon. Again the light in the south appeared and began to grow
brighter.
Again, Captains Ganoe and Battell held a conference. After carefully
comparing notes and going over all the facts revealed by our
observations, Captain Ganoe asked me to hand him a magazine which he
selected from the catalogue. I complied, and he looked through it for a
minute and handed it to me saying:
"There is the solution of the problem."
I found the article which he had marked, to be a review of the
"THEORY OF CONCENTRIC SPHERES,"
by Captain John Cleves Symms. "According to this theory," says the
reviewer, "the earth is a hollow globe and open at the poles. The
diameter of the northern opening, is about 2,000 miles, or 4,000 miles
from outside to outside. The south opening is somewhat larger. The
planes of these openings are parallel with each other, and form an
angle of twelve degrees with the equator. The shell of the earth is
about 1,000 miles thick, and the edges of the shell at the openings are
called verges, and measure from the regular convexity without to the
regular concavity within, about 1,500 miles."
I turned and read the passage again, which he had marked for my careful
perusal. I had never heard of this "Theory of Concentric Spheres."
Could this earth be a hollow shell with an outer and inner surface?
At first thought I felt like rejecting the idea as utterly absurd,
but in view of the strange and inexplicable phenomena which we had
encountered, and my confidence in the judgment of Captain Ganoe, I only
requested him to tell me just what he thought about this "Hollow Globe
Theory."
"I believe," he said, "that this theory offers the only logical
solution of the phenomena which have upset all of our calculations. We
found the open polar sea, just as we expected, but when we tried to
sail across it, we found ourselves sailing away from it. We also found
that constellations which ought, according to the popular astronomy,
to have been seen above the horizon were entirely obscured. You will
remember that you remarked the cramped appearance, as you expressed it,
of the celestial vault, when we were imprisoned in the ice.
"This 'Theory of Concentric Spheres' offers a ready and complete
explanation of all these phenomena by which we have been so much
puzzled. It now begins to look as if this theory had been rejected by
scientists with the same unreasoning haste that every other new idea
has encountered. Many things that explorers have met with in the polar
regions, seem inexplicable, unless we admit the truth of this theory."
The last remark aroused the interest of Captain Battell, who was
ordinarily more inclined to listen, than to join in conversation.
Taking up the subject where Captain Ganoe seemed disposed to drop it,
he continued:
"In my long experience as a whaler and explorer, I have often found
tropical vegetation, and evidences of man's handiwork, on the
northern shores of Iceland, Spitzbergen and the borders of Siberia;
trees, vines and flowers. The position where these were found, on
the northern shores, precludes the idea of their having been brought
by ocean currents, from our own temperate and tropical countries.
Besides this, we find that after we pass 80° north latitude, the cold
never increases. We further observe flocks of birds coming from, and
returning to, the north. When we kill them for food, we often find
their crops filled with grain and seeds which must be the product of a
mild climate. All these things have come under my personal observation,
and this 'Theory of Concentric Spheres' offers the most complete
explanation that I have met with."
"Then, do you believe this theory?" I asked, somewhat surprised at the
unusual interest taken by Captain Battell.
"Why not?" he responded. "I have always been among the few who treated
every new thought with fairness and consideration, no matter what might
be my own preconceived opinions. While not accepting every new fangled
theory that comes along, I do not condemn, but investigate, with a
view to ascertaining the exact truth. I will not knowingly twist and
misrepresent facts and logical deductions therefrom, for the purpose
of proving a pre-adopted creed. Hence I have given this theory an
impartial hearing and justice compels me to admit that the arguments in
its favor are well worthy of careful consideration. Scientists have all
agreed that the earth is not a cold, solid body, and to account for its
lack of density they assume that the center is expanded and diffused
by heat. They further assume that it was originally a nebulous body
entirely destitute of a solid surface. If this is true, then the
centrifugal force generated by its rapid revolution on its axis would
certainly throw its constituent elements outward toward the surface,
thus tending to produce a hollow shell, the very thing claimed in this
'Theory of Concentric Spheres.' The operation of this mechanical law,
which governs revolving matter, can be readily illustrated by placing
a quantity of oil in alcohol of the same density. The oil at once
assumes the globular form by virtue of the law of molecular attraction.
Then insert a disk through the center of the globule and begin to turn
it around. The oil at once begins to rotate on its axis and becomes
depressed at the poles and bulged at the equator, just the form which
the earth is conceived to be. Increase the rapidity of the revolution
up to a certain point and the oil separates from the disk and becomes a
revolving ring. Reasoning from these well-known mechanical laws, we are
forced to the conclusion, that if the earth was ever a soft revolving
body it must be hollow at the center, and it is not at all unlikely
that there may be openings at the poles into this hollow space. So, we
see that there is some logical foundation for this Hollow Globe Theory."
"It is true," I replied, "that the motion of a soft revolving body,
such as the earth is supposed to have been, may be so accelerated, that
the mass will separate from the line of its axis, but in such a case
it would become a revolving ring, and not a hollow shell, as required
by this theory of concentric spheres. Have you any theory as to how a
revolving ring could under the operation of known mechanical laws, be
converted into a hollow shell, with convex and concave surfaces?"
"Yes," responded Battell, "I can very easily formulate such a theory.
I can assume that the earth was at one time a revolving ring of
meteors, or minute planetary bodies, which by the mutual attraction
of its parts became solid. This ring, besides the motion on its own
axis, was revolving around the sun, or common center of the solar
nebula, through space filled with meteors, and by its attraction it
gathered other rings of meteors exterior to itself, thus forming a
series of concentric rings revolving around the first, or present
ring. The materials composing these external rings could not reach
the parent ring at its equator because of the centrifugal force
generated by its revolution around its axis, but under the operation of
well-known mechanical laws, they might be drawn toward the pole where
the attraction was the greatest and the centrifugal force the least.
Under the influence of these contending forces, these external rings,
thus acted upon, would one by one spread out and form, first a canopy
over the central ring, and then it would part at the equator, and be
drawn to the poles where it would ultimately find a resting place upon
its polar edges. Such a process kept up long enough would convert the
original revolving ring, or infant earth, into a hollow shell. Of
course all this is mere speculation, but the same thing may be said of
the nebular hypothesis, the supposed igneous condition of the earth's
center, and in fact of nearly all the teachings of science when it
attempts to go beyond the domain of undisputed facts."
"I am much interested in your reasoning," I said. "This is a new
thought to me and I would like to follow it a little further. How does
this Hollow Globe theory account for volcanoes and other evidences of
internal heat, that have led scientists to the conclusion that the
center of the earth is an igneous mass?"
"To my mind," said Battell, "these evidences of intense internal
heat do not conflict with the Hollow Globe Theory. Assuming that the
shell is one thousand miles thick; at the center, between the outer
and inner crust, there would be a pressure of five hundred miles of
solid matter, more than sufficient to generate a heat that would melt
every known rock, and this of itself will account for every evidence
of internal heat. Scientists have taught us that heat is a form of
motion, or rather that it is the result of motion when arrested. Now
pressure is only arrested motion, or in other words heat. Hence it has
been estimated that the weight of a column of steel blocks, sixty-five
thousand feet in height, would generate sufficient heat to melt the
lower tier of blocks. These well-known laws, to my mind, offer a more
plausible explanation of the existence of intense heat at great depths,
than the assumption that this heat is the residue, that was left over
from the heat of an original planetary nebula. Well known laws of
physics, force us to the conclusion that this earth can never become a
cold body and that the igneous condition at great depths, will continue
as long as the centripetal and centrifugal forces continue to press the
outer and inner surfaces toward each other. Or in other words, as long
as the surface continues to press down upon the materials below, as
they do now, there will be intense heat at great depths."
"Your theory," I replied, "if true, will force scientists to abandon
the wonderful history of creation which they have evolved from long and
persistent research."
"Nothing but their opinions will need to be revised," said Battell.
"Every fact they have discovered will continue to be a fact. We are
here on this expedition to discover facts of scientific importance,
and it now looks as if we are making a most wonderful discovery that
will force scientists to abandon some of their long cherished opinions
and revise others. If we find that this earth is actually a hollow
shell, it will be a fact, that must in the very nature of things
harmonize with every other fact that has been, or will be discovered.
Facts are facts, and while they may not be understood, they cannot
be set aside. It was to discover facts that might benefit the entire
human race by increasing their knowledge that I sacrificed a whaling
business that was paying a handsome profit, to join Captain Ganoe on
this expedition, in which I might lose the accumulations of years, and
possibly life itself. I certainly did not join this expedition in order
to either confirm, or disprove, any of the theories which scientists
have given to the world."
"Then it seems," I responded, "that you joined the expedition with a
view to making discoveries by which mankind would be benefited, by
adding to the sum total of human knowledge, rather than from any hope
of personal advantage."
"Possibly," he said. "But I cannot draw the line that your remark
would seem to suggest. I cannot see how I could help mankind, without
helping myself, at least so far as it would give me satisfaction,
and that after all is the one great object that makes life worth the
living. As to just what I expected to discover, I have only to say that
I am not surprised at present appearances. There now seem to be as
many indications of the existence of a habitable country on an inner
surface of the globe, as there were of a western hemisphere, before the
discovery of America. Columbus gave to mankind a new world, and should
we be the means of discovering an inner world, and of opening a line
of communication between that and the outer world, it would not be so
much a matter of astonishment as it would be of actual advantage." Then
turning to Captain Ganoe he asked: "What do you think of our prospect
of success?"
"The present indications," replied the Captain, "are certainly most
encouraging. From the observations which we have already made, I
believe that we have passed over the verge into the gateway of an inner
world. You remember," he continued, turning to me, "that when we made
our escape from the ice, we sailed directly north and soon made the
discovery that some thing interposed between us and certain stars that
ought to have been visible just above the horizon."
"Yes," I replied, "I remember. But what do you infer from that?"
"I infer," he said, "that it was the opposite side of the verge that
interposed between us and the stars which we calculated ought to have
been visible. And now, I propose to sail south until we find land, or
failing in that, run out at the south opening, if we find one. We have
circumnavigated the north pole and yet when we tried to sail across the
open polar sea we found ourselves sailing away from it, assisted by a
powerful ocean current. Now, the water which comes from this impassable
polar sea, is going somewhere, and it is our business to follow it up
and find out all we can about its destination."
As he spoke, a large flock of birds passed over our heads.
"There," said the captain, "go our oracles that will lead us to land,
and as they are going in our direction I propose to follow them," and
going to the wheel, he placed the ship directly in their track.
"How is it," I asked, "that you now take the birds for our guide,
something you have never done before?"
"Because," said the Captain, "we want to find land and these birds are
evidently on their way to find feeding grounds. I wonder that it did
not occur to me sooner to follow them."
The light we had observed in the southern horizon grew brighter, and
soon we saw the sun emerge as if from behind a cloud and disappear
again near the same point, when we saw the full moon and a few stars
shining through the northern verge. It was indeed a strange sight to
visitors from the outer world. It never became actually dark, as light
from the sun either direct or reflected reached us at all times. We had
therefore reached a country of which it might be truly said: "There is
no night there."
Some two days after the first appearance of the sun shining through the
opening at the southern pole, we sighted a small island with a high,
rocky shore-line, and a deep inlet, which formed a natural harbor, well
protected from storms if any ever came to these placid waters.
We steamed into the inlet, cast anchor and went ashore. This was the
first time in over eighteen months that we had the opportunity to set
our feet upon land. As there seemed to be an abundance of game birds,
Captain Ganoe gave orders that all who desired might take their guns
and enjoy a day's shooting. Notwithstanding the general desolation of
the island it was a most welcome diversion for our small and overworked
crew.
The first thing that attracted our notice, was the stump of a tree
that had been cut down with an axe. Though the stump was much decayed,
the marks of the axe were plainly visible. On examination, we found
plenty of evidence that the island had been inhabited at no very
distant day, as everything in the shape of timber had been cut down.
This we regretted, as we would gladly have availed ourselves of an
opportunity to take on a supply of wood, our coal being well nigh
exhausted.
On one side of the narrow inlet in which the ship was anchored, was
a wall of stone which was covered with figures of men, animals and
hieroglyphics. Captain Ganoe said that he had seen similar sculptured
stones in New Mexico, and from this, he inferred that the time had been
when the same people had visited both localities, and that time had
been before the great ice caps had enveloped the poles. On the other
side of the inlet was found a rude hut constructed of rough stones, and
from the inscriptions on the walls we learned that it had been occupied
by an English speaking people, whose vessel had been wrecked on this
lonely island.
The powerful current which had been the chief factor in liberating us
from the ice, and sweeping us out into the open polar sea, touched at
this lonely island; and it was not unlikely that it was this current,
which had stranded some disabled whaler and its crew, the vestiges of
which were now attracting our attention. This would also account for
the destruction of the few trees which had grown upon this stony waste.
So near the icy verge, fire was a necessity. The scant growth of timber
had been needed for fuel, by these ship-wrecked mariners.
But what had become of the crew? They had evidently burned up all
the fuel, but they had not been frozen, as their skeletons would
have revealed their fate. The supply of ducks, geese and fish seemed
inexhaustible, and hence they had not starved. We searched diligently,
but could find no indications of death in their ranks, except one lone
grave, on the most elevated point in the island, marked by a rough
stone on which was inscribed the one word: "Father."
With my camera I took views of the most prominent objects. We spent two
days on this island to the great relief of all. The sailors enjoyed the
hunt, and a goodly supply of ducks, geese, etc., rewarded their efforts.
[Illustration]