Doctor Jones' Picnic

by S. E. Chapman

  CHAPTER XII.

  Greenland's Icy Mountains and the Russian Bear.

  Upon the morning of the third day from Constance House the wind shiftedalmost due west. Silver Cloud was in latitude 65 deg., longitude 70 deg.13 min., and they were driving rapidly toward Greenland.

  "We are still two or three points north of east in our course, and willlet her drive as she goes for the present," said Dr. Jones. "And youwouldn't mind seeing Greenland's icy mountains, about which you havesung so many years, would you, girls?"

  "O let us see Greenland, by all means, Doctor!" cried Mattie.

  "What noted travelers we will be when we get back to Washington," and heplaced an arm about each of their waists and galloped them up and downthe little sitting room several times.

  "I do believe that you grow to be more of a boy every year of yourlife," panted Mrs. Jones, as she smoothed her rumpled hair.

  "You are quite right, Maggie; and what is worse, I do not expect to everimprove a bit on that line. Give me the heart of a boy while I live. Andnow, Professor, I am ready to give you revenge for that last game or twoof chess that went to my credit."

  While these two were oblivious to the world in a very closely contestedgame, Mrs. Jones sat knitting while Mattie read aloud to her from a latemagazine. Denison and Fred were pacing the balcony for their"constitutional." Will was working on his oil painting of Jennie Barton,and so beautifully had he succeeded in bringing out the lovely features,and trusting, fearless spirit that beamed from a pair of dark blue eyes,that all the company, even to Sing, expressed their unqualifiedadmiration.

  "Me sabe," said the acute Mongolian. "Ah! Will heap likee Miss Jennie."

  The artist blushed, and they all laughed uproariously at his confusion,and Sing went chuckling to the kitchen.

  The following morning Silver Cloud had nearly crossed Davis Strait, andthe bold headlands of the western coast of Greenland were in plain view.They crossed the western boundary line of that land of perpetual winter,just a few miles north of the Arctic Circle.

  "Hurrah!" shouted Dr. Jones. "In the Arctics at last!"

  The wind held still a little north of due east, and Silver Cloud rode atan elevation of between 3,500 and 4,000 feet. The surface of Greenlandwas cold, dreary, and uninviting to a degree. Vast tracts of ice andsnow stretched in every direction, far as the eye could see. Away in theinterior a range of mountains broke the monotony of the landscape.Toward morning a violent snowstorm gathered below them and hid the faceof Greenland from view until next morning. Silver Cloud, meantime, wassent up to nearly 5,000 feet altitude, so that they might not collidewith any mountain peak during the night.

  "Upon my word," said Professor Gray, as he stood on the balcony thefollowing morning, and looked out over the white and ghastly picture ofdesolation, "I thought Labrador the most inappropriately named countryupon the earth, but think of calling this picture of all that isinhospitable and forbidding--Greenland!"

  By noon they were crossing swiftly the ridge that runs the length ofGreenland, so far as is known. Silver Cloud swept within three hundredfeet of one lofty peak, covered with eternal ice and snow. Then on andon, swift as an eagle, over the high plateaux and steppes of EasternGreenland. Early the following morning they arose to find the ArcticOcean beneath, and Greenland disappearing in the misty horizon behindthem. The wind bore a point or so more easterly, and Dr. Jones wastempted to seek a more favorable current. He descended to the 2,000 footlevel, but experienced no perceptible change.

  "Well, we'll stick to my original plan. Anything north of due east orwest is good enough for us," said he.

  But he grew restless as they hour after hour steadily continued uponnearly the same latitudinal line, and descended to 1,000 feetelevation. There was some change for the better at that altitude formany hours. One thing that specially pleased them was the wonderfulsensitiveness of the globe to the slightest variation of the temperaturewithin its interior. The Doctor's plan of using hot air alone as thefloating power had been modified to the extent of dividing one-half ofthe globe's interior into several compartments by thin sheets ofaluminum, and these were filled with hydrogen gas. The gas fell butlittle short of the power necessary to float the ship, so that a slightelevation of the temperature in the air chamber above that of theexternal atmosphere was sufficient to float the vessel. When it wasdesirable to descend, a trap being opened in the upper and lower partsof the air chamber caused the hot air to rush out and the cold air in,and the descent could be made rapidly or slowly, at the will of thecommander. By virtue of the zinc lining of the air chamber thetemperature would remain at a given point for many hours without theconsumption of a particle of fuel.

  The Doctor and Will together had devised a most ingenious method ofheating the hot-air chamber instantly. By the use of a small air pumphundreds of atmospheres could be compressed into a very strong aluminumchest or cylinder. Beneath this cylinder were a number of burners thatheated the compressed air several hundred degrees. As we said before,when they desired to descend, an upper and lower trap were opened, thehot air rushed out above and the cold air in below, causing the globe todescend with great rapidity. This descent could be arrested at any levelby closing the trap, and a certain amount of the air let off from thehot-air chest, and any temperature desired could be attained at once.All this could be done at an expense of oil that was ridiculously andincredibly small. While they could by no means steer or guide this ship,yet, if the Doctor's theory of air currents should prove to bescientifically correct, then they were by no means entirely at the mercyof any and every adverse gale. And, at the worst, when a favorablecurrent could not be found, they could descend to the earth and anchoruntil a fair wind prevailed. One thing further should be explained. Whenit became desirable to ascend suddenly or rapidly, the hot-air chestwas thrown completely open, and the vast chamber was instantly filledwith air at any temperature required. When this operation was from anycause necessary, the upper trap was closed and all the lower aperturesopened. The hot air from the chest immediately mounted to the upper endof the air chamber, and forced the excess of cold atmosphere out throughthese lower traps. The effect upon the globe was marvelous. It wouldbound skyward like a rocket. By a series of experiments Will hadascertained just the amount of pressure per square inch and thetemperature that was necessary to send the ship to a given altitude. Therate of ascent was under perfect control by letting off the hot airslowly or rapidly.

  "What a mighty engine for good or evil in the world this ship would be,if it could be guided or steered," remarked Professor Gray.

  "I doubt if that can ever be done," replied Will. "The surface presentedto the current of atmosphere is too great to allow any sort of device tooperate satisfactorily."

  "The Government is making experiments with what is called the aeroplane,and the indications are that it is the coming method of aerialnavigation. But the degree of comfort that we are enjoying can never bean attendant of that plan. I shall never cease to wonder at the speedwith which we are traveling over these Arctic regions in perfectcomfort. I never felt better in my life, and I have grown to feel assafe as I ever did in my home in Washington," said Professor Gray.

  They occasionally saw whales spouting, and it was exceedinglyinteresting to watch the great icebergs that floated here and there overthe face of the deep. Some of them towered like crystal mountains,hundreds of feet into the air.

  "Just think how incomprehensibly great these masses of ice are,"observed Professor Gray. "It is estimated that but one-eighth of theberg protrudes above the surface. Now look at that monster! Not lessthan eighteen or twenty miles long, and from five to six hundred feethigh, making it in the neighborhood of a mile in thickness. Ah! see thatbig fellow turning over! Did you ever see anything so grand! I don'twonder that navigating these seas is next to impossible."

  They were all standing upon the balcony when they beheld this startlingscene.

  For two whole days the beautiful ship continued steadily upon nearly thesame course. The
Professor pointed out their position upon the map atlatitude 70 deg. 35 min., and longitude 50 deg. 20 min., East Greenwich.At this point they encountered a terrible gale from the north. TheDoctor raised higher and higher, until they reached an altitude of tenthousand feet. Still they flew at amazing speed toward the south. Heascended to fifteen thousand, then twenty thousand feet elevation, buton they went into the heart of Russia. Will went up into the globe andhurriedly returned.

  "You must lower, Doctor! The strain upon the rods is tremendous! Theoutside atmospheric resistance is so slight at this elevation that weshall certainly explode if you ascend any higher."

  "Then we will descend and anchor at the first favorable spot, and thereawait a south wind. There seems to be a great demand for air at theequator just now. Well, let them have it," said he grimly, "but we aresure to get a regurgitation in our direction before many days. So downwe go to study Russian habits and customs."

  The upper and lower traps were opened in the air chamber, and theyrapidly descended to within five or six hundred feet of the earth. Theycould plainly see that the foliage was being thrashed with greatviolence by the gale.

  "How shall we manage to safely anchor in this awful wind, Doctor?" askedWill anxiously.

  "Do you see that high range of hills just ahead?"

  "Yes."

  "Well, they run east and west. We will drop immediately upon the otherside of them. There it must be comparatively calm. But sharp is theword! We are there now!"

  Downward dropped the great ship behind the sheltering crest of thehills, and she, in a moment or two, was skimming quite easily along,just above the treetops. In what appeared to be a great park, the anchorwas dropped into the top of a tree. It held securely, and Will andDenison descended in the cage and made a very strong aluminum cablefast about the trunk of the tree. After all was made secure, Dr. Jonesand Professor Gray also descended. The little company then began lookingaround for signs of life.

  "I see a large stone building down this avenue," cried Will.

  "The Professor and I will prospect the place, while you two had betterremain here until our return," said the Doctor.

  Accordingly they set off at a lively pace toward the building. As theyapproached it they looked in vain for signs of human life. They found itto be a massive ancient castle, standing in the midst of an extensivegrove or park. They were somewhat awed by the deathlike silence thatpervaded the place. They, however, stepped up to a massive oaken door,and Dr. Jones seized the ponderous iron knocker and struck severalvigorous blows. They waited two or three minutes, but could hear nosounds within.

  "We have struck an enchanted castle, and I must see if I cannot awakethe Sleeping Beauty within," said Dr. Jones, and he was about to applythe knocker again, when a deep bass voice from a window above addressedthem in a language with which they were unfamiliar.

  "We cannot speak your language. Do you speak English?" asked Dr. Jones.

  "Are you men, angels, or devils, and what do you want," returned thevoice in fairly good English.

  The Doctor hastened to give the desired information, and told who theywere, etc., concisely as possible.

  "What is that fearful and wonderful silver ball or globe in which youdropped from the skies among us?"

  After further explanations the bars were removed, and the massive doorswung slowly open. There stood before them a large, black-bearded man,holding by the collars two large Russian hounds. The brutes growled andshowed their horrid fangs in a way that made the visitors cringe anddraw back.

  "Please restrain your dogs, sir, for our mission is a perfectly peacefulone," said Dr. Jones; and he smiled so blandly that the man seemed todismiss his apprehensions. He gave a signal which summoned two men, towhom he consigned the dogs, and they were led away. He now invited themto enter, and gave them seats in an adjoining room.

  "Gentlemen, I am Count Icanovich, and this is my castle. I welcome youto its hospitalities. You must excuse the reception we gave you, for Imust confess that I have never been so startled in my life as when I sawyour extraordinary ship come swooping down upon us a few moments ago.Half my people are in fits, or hidden away in all sorts of holes andcorners."

  "I am exceedingly sorry, Count, to have come so abruptly and informallyamong you, but I assure you that we are here very much against our ownwishes. We are bound for the North Pole, but this terrible gale from thenorth necessitated our anchoring for the present. But since fate hascast us among you, I am very happy to make the acquaintance of CountIcanovich. I am Dr. Jones of Washington City, United States, and this isProfessor Gray, of Smithsonian Institute, same city."

  The Count shook hands with them very cordially, and asked, "How many arethere of your party?" Upon being told, he immediately desired that theyall be brought to the castle.

  "We see but little of the world in this place," said he, "and we hailthis break in the humdrum monotony of our life with extreme pleasure."

  The two gentlemen returned appropriate acknowledgments of the Count'skindness, and arose to return to the globe for the company.

  "Will you accompany us to the ship?" asked Dr. Jones.

  "I thank you, but I am a victim of sciatic rheumatism, and can do butlittle walking," returned the Count. "I hope, however, before you leaveus, to be able to inspect your wonderful air-ship."

  "Is your sciatica of long standing?" inquired Dr. Jones, all theinstincts of a good physician being aroused at the presence ofsuffering; and running over in his mind a list of remedies from force oflong habit.

  "About three years. I contracted it from getting wet when warm. I amincurable, and must grin and bear to the end."

  "Do you feel better quiet, or when moving about?"

  "Oh! I must move about. I usually put in hours at night hobbling up anddown my room."

  "The bed feels so hard that you cannot find an easy spot to lie on. Youare always worse before storms. After sitting a little while you stiffenup, feeling much better after moving about. The tendons of your legshave a drawing sensation, and feel as if too short. There is more orless of numbness and paralysis, and a wooden sort of feeling of the legwhen walking. You also have lightning-like shocks of pain through thelimb, now and then. Your attacks come on every few weeks, and it is theleft limb that is affected. You can be cured."

  The doctor rattled these symptoms off with great volubility. The Countlooked at him with open-eyed wonder. The professor was not lessastonished at the positiveness with which Dr. Jones thus detailed theCount's symptoms without any previous knowledge of the case.

  "Whether you be angel or devil, I do not know; but certain it is thatyou have told my symptoms better than I could have done myself. But youmake a bold assertion when you say that I can be cured. Do you know,man, that I have had the best advice in Europe, and have spent a fortuneseeking relief?"

  "Are you taking medicine now, sir?"

  "No. I have thrown physic to the dogs, and may God have mercy on thedogs. I am thoroughly disgusted with physic and physicians. And whyshould I not be? Several years since, I saw my wife die of pulmonaryconsumption. And now my only child lies in a chamber above, welladvanced in the same terrible, wholly incurable disease. As if this werenot enough, I myself am suffering the pangs of h--l with a lingering,incurable complaint. Why shouldn't I detest the whole lying, infernalbusiness?" he roared, striking the floor savagely with his cane.

  "Sure enough, sure enough," said the Doctor soothingly andsympathetically. "I do not blame you in the least. But we will see ifsomething cannot be done for you, Count. I believe in my soul that I cancure you, and that right speedily. Let us now hasten back, for ourpeople will be alarmed at our long absence."

  They found them indeed wondering and anxious. All immediately descendedand repaired to the castle. The Count met them at the door, and, aftera formal introduction to each, led them to a large, quite modernlyfurnished drawing-room.

  "Now," said the Count, "please make yourselves at home. I intend thatyou shall be my guests while you remain in this vicini
ty. You will beshown to your rooms in a few moments. You will please excuse me now, andI will see you at dinner, which will be at six o'clock."

  He was about leaving the room, limping painfully, when Dr. Jones steppedup to him, and, pulling a small vial from his vest pocket, said: "Putout your tongue, Count; I wish to give you a dose of medicine that willcure your sciatica."

  The Count looked at him suspiciously a moment, then sat down asrequested, and put out his tongue. Dr. Jones shook a grain or two ofpowder upon it.

  "You will suffer less to-night than you have done in a long time. It isvery possible that this one dose will cure you perfectly andpermanently."

  "I tell you frankly, sir, that I have not a particle of faith in yourminute, tasteless dose affecting me in the slightest," said the Countwith a half angry glare in his deep-set black eyes.

  "I do not care a fig for your faith, sir," replied Dr. Jones in hisindependent American manner. "Happily for you, this is not a ChristianScience cure that I am performing. You have the indicated remedy in yourcirculation now; and with all due respect, believe what you please."

  The company of friends were looking on anxiously, fearing that theDoctor was too brusque with the nobleman. But that individual smiled,and really seemed quite pleased and amused at Dr. Jones' positive,straightforward way of doing business.

  "Evidently _you_ are not deficient in the element of faith, Doctor, andI can but wish that your faith may not be in vain in this instance."

  After the Count had withdrawn, Professor Gray said: "Dr. Jones, I do notat all understand how you could tell the Count his symptoms as you did,without any previous knowledge of the case. Does sciatic rheumatismalways present just the same picture, or set of symptoms, that youshould be able to so rapidly and correctly tell his purely subjectivesensations?"

  "Not by any means, Professor. A scientific prescription, like a stool,must have at least three legs to stand upon. You will remember that theCount had already told me that moving about, especially at night,mitigated his pains; that he contracted his ailment from getting wet;and I noticed that he favored the left leg in walking. These were thethree legs for my stool, or prescription. I felt positive that theremedy indicated was Rhus Toxicodendron. So I merely mentioned theleading characteristics of that drug, and I was not mistaken. You see,then, that I did nothing marvelous nor supernatural. Now, any one ofmany other drugs might have been indicated if the symptoms had beendifferent from what they were. The symptoms of the disease must alwaysbe the same as those that the indicated drug is capable of producing incrude doses. Rhus tox. will cure the Count because, in every case ofpoisoning by that drug, there will be produced the symptoms found in hiscase. Like cures like. This is a universal law of God. I feel quite surethat the Count will experience great benefit from the one dose I havegiven him."

  "I shall watch this case with the greatest interest," said theProfessor. "You will make a convert of me to your system if you performa cure of so obstinate and painful a disease with an infinitesimal doseof medicine."

  "All right, my dear sir. I always feel confident of a cure when thesymptoms are clear cut as in this instance."

  A general conversation was now entered into for a few moments, whenservants entered and signaled them to follow, and each was conducted toa comfortable apartment. They shortly after assembled again in thedrawing-room and awaited the announcement of dinner. Fred opened thepiano, and he and the ladies sang a trio. They were glad when a servantappeared and signaled them to follow him to the dining-room. The Countwas the only Russian present who could speak English. So he watchedcarefully and interpreted the wants of his guests to the servants, andbut very little trouble was experienced. They found the cooking verypalatable, and their mode of living aboard Silver Cloud in the frostyatmosphere of the Arctic region had sharpened their appetitesenormously.

  The Count talked with them about their journey, and was much interestedin the graphic accounts given by the different members of the party oftheir experiences. Will explained the plan and construction of theglobe. The Count was a good listener, and seemed deeply impressed withall that was said upon the subject.

  "It seems to me incredible that you were so short a time ago inWashington City, U.S., and are now sitting at my dining table in theheart of Russia. And think of the circuitous route by which you came!Still I am prepared to believe anything when I look at yonder wonderfulsilver globe, and remember how you dropped among us from the skies asyou did to-day."

  After dinner Will and Denison borrowed a lantern and went to see thatSilver Cloud was all right for the night. The wind swayed the monsterball back and forward gently, and there seemed to be no great strainupon the cables.

  "I think we had better get out the other two cables," said Will. "I donot feel quite safe. A heavy gust might tear it away, and that would bea calamity indeed."

  So he ascended to the engine-room and passed the cable ends to Denison,who made them securely fast to adjoining trees.

  A very enjoyable evening was spent in the great drawing-room. Of coursemusic constituted the chief source of pleasure. Fred brought his anthemand glee books from the cabin of Silver Cloud, and the old walls of thecastle certainly seldom, if ever, rang with such music as was discoursedthere that night. The domestics had so far recovered from their frightthat they now crowded the adjoining hall to hear the singing. Soravishing was the harmony to their semi-barbaric ears that, conjoinedwith the marvelous manner of their coming among them, these poorcreatures were ready to fall down and worship them as heavenlyvisitants. The Count himself seemed to enjoy the music exceedingly, andencored long and loudly. When they separated for the night, he shookhands cordially with each, and said:

  "My good friends, I cannot sufficiently thank you for the pleasure youhave afforded me this evening. You may be sure that my invalid daughterhas enjoyed your delightful music. She desired that the door be openedso that she has heard it all. She was an accomplished vocal andinstrumental musician before her illness. Perhaps she may feel wellenough to see you in the drawing-room to-morrow evening."

  Turning then to Dr. Jones, he said: "Well, Doctor, whether it be yourmedicine or music that has charmed away my pains, I do not know; but itis certain that I have not been so free from suffering for a long time.I bid you all a very good night."

  After a consultation it was thought best that two should sleep aboardSilver Cloud every night so long as the party remained with the Count.So Will and Denison took upon themselves this duty, and immediatelyrepaired to the cabin for the night.