Doctor Jones' Picnic

by S. E. Chapman

  CHAPTER XIX.

  The Planting of the Flagstaff.

  The whole of the party now shouted--Sing always excepted. Thatindividual was strictly attending to his business in the kitchen duringthe excitement. They ran--or waddled, for they moved with difficulty,loaded as they were--to the spot where the two men and Mrs. Jones werestanding. They gathered in a circle about the steel rod that marked theexact spot for which the boldest navigators and explorers have longed,and striven, and died by thousands during many decades of the past.

  The Doctor broke out in his sonorous voice, the rest immediately joininghim in the familiar doxology, "Old Hundred,"

  "Praise God from whom all blessings flow."

  When they had finished, at a signal from the Doctor, they all kneeledupon the icy pavement, and he offered up a fervent prayer of praise andthanksgiving for the preservation of their lives, and for the wonderfulsuccess that had attended their enterprise. Then in unison they repeatedthe Lord's prayer.

  And what could be more appropriate? The echoes first awakened in thisultra-frigid region by the human voice were praises to God in song andprayer. The ends of the earth had bowed the knee to the Father Almighty,and it seemed to the little band to be the beginning of the good timeforetold, when the glory of God shall cover the earth as the waters dothe face of the deep.

  "Now let us see what Sing has for breakfast, lunch, or whatever meal itmay be. I have been so interested in our work the last few hours that Ihave paid no attention to time," said Dr. Jones.

  A few moments later they were seated about their dining table, and nohappier company could be found in Christendom that day.

  "Did anyone note the time that we arrived here?" asked Will.

  "At 7 o'clock, 45 min., 20 sec., August 6, 19--, we located the NorthPole, and planted our steel rod as marker thereof," replied ProfessorGray.

  "What is the next thing on the program, Doctor?" asked Denison.

  "We will immediately set about planting our aluminum flagstaff. We areliable to a terrible storm at any moment, and might be driven awaybefore we had accomplished that important ceremony. It would possibly bemonths before we should encounter so favorable a gale again. Let us notrest until we have finished all we came to do, then away for home."

  "It is all very well to say 'Plant the flagstaff'; but how on earth canwe possibly set up a 300 foot metal pole at this extremity of the earth,without derrick, blocks and tackles, or any machinery whatever?"returned Denison.

  "I'll show you a Yankee trick in a short time," cried Dr. Jones.

  They hurried through the meal and prepared again to go out into theterribly cold atmosphere. The fireboxes were again lighted anddistributed about their clothing as before. All then went out andassembled again about the rod.

  "I must get through this crust of ice and see what depth of snow thereis below," said the Doctor.

  With the sharp-pointed steel rod he picked and worked several minutes,but made very little progress in the flinty ice.

  "Get a hammer, Denison," said he.

  The tool being procured, they hammered upon the upper end of the rod,and drilled as miners do in rock. After some time of this work theDoctor said:

  "This will never do. We have evidently a great thickness of ice to gothrough, possibly more than we can ever penetrate. We can do no work inthese fur suits, and we should instantly freeze if we took them off. Wemust settle the globe upon this spot, then we shall be within the cabinand can throw off our coats and go to work. We have a big job on hand.Let's pull the ship over at once."

  The wind had subsided to a nearly dead calm, and it was remarkable howall nature seemed to be auspicious to the occasion. She had been forcedto yield up her secrets, fast locked and frozen by the chill hand ofJack Frost so many centuries, and now seemed disposed to surrender themwith a good grace. The globe was raised a few feet from the earth. Twoof the anchors were carried to the opposite side of the Pole, and Willturned on the spring windlasses. Thus they easily drew the ship to thedesired spot, and it was slowly settled down so that the "manhole," asthey called the hole in the floor through which the cage operated, camedirectly over the steel rod, the rod standing precisely in the center ofthe manhole.

  "Now, my hearties, furs off!" cried the energetic little Doctor. Hedoffed his own suit hurriedly, pulled on a pair of woolen gloves in lieuof the sealskin ones, pulled the steel rod out and laid it aside,grasped an axe and began chopping into the ice with all his might. Theice chips flew about the engine-room in a shower. He was soon obliged tostop for breath. Will shoveled the loosened ice out, then seized the axeand worked for a short time with the same spirit that animated theDoctor. And so by turns they kept the axe and shovel flying, making veryrapid progress. They soon were too deep to use long-handled tools, andresorted to mallet and chisel, and a short-handled hand axe. Slowly andmore slowly progressed the work as the shaft grew deeper. Finally thehead of the man in the shaft disappeared below the surface, being nownearly seven feet deep.

  "We shall have to devise some plan for hoisting before long," said Dr.Jones.

  "Can't we use the windlass?" suggested Denison.

  "So we can!" cried the Doctor. "The steel springs forever! Will neverdid a better thing than when he invented the spring power windlass. Wemay have to go twenty-five or thirty feet. But we will hoist by hand forawhile yet."

  They had reached the depth of between eight and nine feet, when Will,who was in the hole, shouted, "Hurrah! I've broken through!" and hetossed up a handful of snow.

  "Good boy!" cried the Doctor. "Now try with the rod and see if there beanother layer of ice within reach."

  The rod, which was six feet long, was easily passed its full length intothe underlying snow.

  "All right!" said Dr. Jones. "The flagstaff will settle sufficientlydeep to hold it there forever. Fire up, Will. I want to rise forty orfifty feet above this hole."

  This was accomplished in a very few minutes.

  "Now let us get the foot of the mast precisely over that hole. I mean tolet it drop from this height, and its weight will sink it 25 or 30 feetinto the snow. That, with 9 feet of ice, will hold it for centuries. Wewill fill the space in the ice shaft about the foot of the mast with theice chips that we have taken out, ram them down good and solid, thenpour water in. This will instantly freeze, and all the gales that everhowled can never blow down the finest flagstaff that ever stood upon theface of the earth."

  The plumb-line was lowered and cables tautened here and slackened thereuntil the butt of the great mast stood precisely over the shaft. Thespiral stair had been so constructed that it nowhere touched the mast.At its entrance into, and exit from the globe, heavy collars connectedthe mast with the ship. These were removed, and a heavy trap door, uponwhich the foot of the flagstaff rested, was its only support. A massivebolt alone held the trap in place. Will and the Professor were by theice shaft, watching the plumb-line. At a signal, the Doctor struck thebolt a heavy blow with a sledge, the trap fell, and the beautiful mastshot like a flash of lightning down through the frosty atmosphere,entered the ice hole precisely in the center, and sank to the depth of35 feet into the snow, which, added to the 9 feet of ice, made a footingof 44 feet for the towering flagstaff. The globe was again settled tothe foot of the mast, the ice chips filled in and rammed solidly, thewater poured about it, and their work was completed. The ingenuitydisplayed by the Doctor upon this occasion showed him to be a bornleader of men, and the little band of associates so acknowledged to himupon the spot. Dr. Jones shut off their effusive demonstrations asquickly as possible. He did not appear to be possessed of any degree oflove of praise; on the contrary, it always embarrassed and made himuncomfortable.

  "And now let us eat again," said Dr. Jones. "We must get away from herebefore we sleep."

  So they sat down to a hearty dinner, all tired and very hungry. But thecoffee and smoking food immediately reinvigorated them, and they arosefrom the table anxious to complete their work and be off for home.

  "Shall we
rest a few hours, or go on with our celebration, andimmediately sail for home--or wherever the wind may carry us?" asked Dr.Jones.

  "O, let us go on by all means! plenty of time for rest and sleep," wasthe unanimous decision.

  "All right," he replied. "That suits me perfectly. This good weatherwill not last long. The Arctics are subject to fearful and suddenstorms, and we must be ready to go at any instant. Whatever we are todo, let us do quickly."

  "I think we should have a patriotic piece or two at the foot of themast, and then our North Pole March. I have had in my mind that it wouldbe fine to raise the globe up ten feet or so, and beneath it we willhave our concert."

  "But how can we sing with our mouths all wrapped up in furs? We shallinstantly freeze if we expose our faces to the cold. See, thethermometer now marks nearly 70 degrees below zero."

  It was Mattie who put this poser.

  "I will tell you the only thing we can do," said Will. "We have anabundance of coal oil. We will set all the pots, pans, and kettlesaboard ship in a circle around the mast at a sufficient distance from itfor our purpose. We will fill these dishes with coal oil, set fire tothem, and within this charmed circle you may sing to your hearts'content."

  "Aye, aye, Will!" cried Dr. Jones. "You've struck it!"

  The globe was adjusted, the vessels of oil set in place, the oilinstantly congealed, but Will had taken the precaution to place intoeach vessel several wicks. He lighted these ends, and in a little whilethe temperature in the circle rose very perceptibly. The organ was thenbrought down and placed by the mast. They threw back their hoods andsang America with deep solemnity and feeling. When they had finished,Professor Gray said:

  "I now propose that we have a speech from Doctor Jones. But first, threecheers for the projector of this glorious enterprise and discoverer ofthe North Pole. Hip, hip, hurrah!"

  These cheers were given with all possible zest and enthusiasm.

  "Friends and fellow citizens," began the Doctor, smiling good-naturedlyupon them, "I sincerely thank you for your expressions of good will. Idid not suppose that I was on the program for a speech. My heart is toofull for utterance when I contemplate the fact that we now actuallystand, safe, sound, and comfortable, at that spot so long sought by thebravest men of all civilized lands. That the world will receive us withopen arms, and will heap honors and riches upon us, I do not for amoment doubt. But all this will do us no good, on the contrary, muchharm, if we allow ourselves to become puffed up thereby, and cease togive to God all the glory and honor. As for myself, I am only proud ofthis achievement by so much as it shall prove a blessing to mankind. Ibelieve that true happiness is found alone in working for others.Selfishness is the direct source of all the unhappiness upon earth, andis the chief or only difference between a devil and an angel. But I seethat our fires are fast burning low, and I must hasten.

  "So by right of discovery, I claim this island for our great republic,the United States of America; and its name shall be, owing to itsposition upon the top of the earth, Summit Island!"

  This speech was received with great applause. Fred then struck up on theorgan the music of the North Pole March. The company began to circleabout the mast, keeping step to the inspiring notes and singing the fourparts. By the time this music was ended the fires were nearly burneddown and the temperature within the circle lowered rapidly. The vesselswere hastily gathered up and all entered the cabin.

  As they were about to hoist the anchors, Professor Gray said:

  "I am not perfectly satisfied as to the location of our pole beingexactly correct. And, to tell you the truth, it has been demonstratedthat the Pole is not a fixed, unchangeable spot, but really swings aboutin a circle, varying from six to thirty feet in diameter, just as theupper end of the stem of a spinning top does when it begins to run downor lose its momentum. Now I am positive that our flagstaff standswithin this circle. But I would like, by another very satisfactoryexperiment, to verify the one we have already made. It will requireanother twenty-four hours."

  "By all means, Professor," answered Dr. Jones, "do so. Let us doeverything possible to establish the fact that we are scientificallycorrect in our location of the Pole. What would you have us do now?"

  "I will explain what I intend doing, and then we will understand and wecan work intelligently together. I wish to photograph the stars directlyabove our heads. If we were here during the winter season, when the sunwas below the horizon, we could see the stars distinctly with theunassisted eye. But from March 21st to September 21st we cannot do thatbecause of continuous daylight. Now you are probably aware that lookingup from the bottom of a deep well or shaft in the daytime, the stars arevisible, even in the sunlight. And that is what I purpose doing."

  "Well, and where is your shaft that you intend looking up through?"inquired Dr. Jones.

  The Professor significantly laid his hand upon the zinc tube whichenveloped the flagstaff. "O ho!" cried the Doctor, "why did not I thinkof that?"

  We should have explained before that the spiral stairs ran up betweentwo zinc tubes, the one six feet in diameter, and the other two feet indiameter. The latter surrounded the mast, and after the globe shouldrise from the flagstaff this tube would indeed be a shaft two hundredfeet in depth, or two hundred and ten feet, for it extended to the topof the roof of the observatory.

  Accordingly, the burners were lighted, the globe arose until the ball ofthe mast was just below the level of the floor of the engine-room. Uponlooking through the tube after all light had been excluded from theengine-room, a bright star could be seen shining down upon them withresplendent brilliancy.

  "Now, Will," cried Professor Gray, "I wish you could go up and lower aplumb-line from the exact center of the top of the shaft. I want to seeif our tube stands perpendicularly. If it does, and the plumb-linepoints straight through the center of it to yonder star, then we are atthe exact spot we seek."

  The line was lowered, and after a little adjustment of the cables, thelower end of the plumb-line passed through the exact center of the tube.The Professor ran his eye up the line and smiled with satisfaction.

  "Look at it, Doctor," he said.

  "Well, that is wonderful!" cried Dr. Jones. "Look at it Fred, Denison.The line runs precisely in alignment with the star."

  "And now," said Professor Gray, after all had verified this laststatement, "let's not lose a moment's time. Get your camera out. We wanta twenty-four hours' exposure through our shaft, and photograph thatstar. If we be exactly at the Pole, it will describe a perfect circleupon the sensitive plate. If we are not so located, the line upon theplate will form an ellipse."

  The camera was set as suggested by the Professor, and then the partyretired for the night. We say "night," but the reader will constantlybear in mind that this term is not used with reference to daylight ordarkness, simply to the clock, or time of day.

  There was an absolute, dead calm during the following twenty-four hoursafter Will had set the camera. Nature was so extraordinarily kind to Dr.Jones during the time that we almost tremble for our reputation forveracity as we record the last-mentioned fact. Any swaying of the globeby the wind would have effectually prevented anything like a goodnegative being made. But the globe remained in the exact position, theatmosphere in the hot air chamber being kept up sufficiently so that asteady strain was maintained upon the four cables. At the end of thetime mentioned the Professor examined the negative with a magnifyingglass, and pronounced the test perfectly satisfactory.

  The globe was lowered down the mast for the last time. Denison and Willran out and loosened the anchors Slowly the ship then glided up thebeautiful mast. The flag, which had been wrapped about the small upperend of the staff to prevent injury being done it while passing throughthe tube, was shaken out at the moment it left the floor of theengine-room. Its fastenings to the peak had been made doubly secure, andit was tenderly manipulated through the final opening by loving hands.The whole company involuntarily shouted at the inspiring sight. Theship was lowered as it moved away,
and the patriotic voyagers weretreated to a side view of the most beautiful, thrilling sight uponearth--the American flag flying at the North Pole at the peak of theloftiest flagstaff ever erected! Well might their hearts swell withpride and their voices break forth in songs of triumph and praise. TheStar Spangled Banner! Emblem of Liberty! How exquisitely meet that itshould be thus planted forever at the summit of the earth, a terror totyrants, and a never-failing beacon of Light and Freedom to all peopleof the world!

  The Professor pointed out certain conformations of the mountain'ssummit, and said: "This island is of volcanic formation, and thismountain an extinct volcano. Yonder flagstaff stands upon the center ofa crater that has been filled with many centuries of ice and snow. Atsome future time I hope to return prepared to penetrate this coat ofmail and determine, if possible, whether Summit Island has ever been thehabitat of any form of life, animal or vegetable."

  Professor Gray had made such observations by the aid of instruments asshould be of interest to science. This he did while the others weresinking the ice shaft, and during the time of the photographing of thestar.

  They were straining their eyes from the observatory to catch the lastglimpse of "Old Glory," when a sudden storm gathered about the island,and it was shut out from view. They involuntarily cast their eyes up toits former place, and they realized that Silver Cloud had beendismantled of her chief beauty and glory.

  "This will never do," exclaimed Dr. Jones. "Silver Cloud is like a birdof paradise with its tail feathers all plucked. We must replace thatpole and flag as soon as we return to Washington."

  "It seems like a cruelty to leave them in such a fearful place," saidMrs. Jones. "Think of the awful storms that will gather and howl aroundthem for ages."

  "They will outlast them all, praise God!" replied the Doctor. "As a'Government of the people, for the people, and by the people shall notperish from the earth,' so shall our flag and staff defy all the Arcticstorms that ever blew."

  Then they descended to the cabin.

  "I think it is about time to see which way we are heading," said theProfessor. "We are pointing straight for Alaska, as nearly as I canjudge," he said a few moments later.

  All retired but Dr. Jones. He said that he really preferred to sit andrest awhile before going to bed. So he sat for several hours, lookingoccasionally at the barometer, thermometer, etc. Toward morning hecalled Denison to "take the helm," as he jocosely termed it.