Page:The open Polar Sea- a narrative of a voyage of discovery towards the North pole, in the schooner "United States" (IA openpolarseanarr1867haye).pdf/293

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

CHAPTER XXI.

SUNRISE.


February 18th.

Heaven be praised! I have once more seen the sun.

Knowing that the sun would appear to-day, everybody was filled with expectation, and hastened off after breakfast to some favorite spot where it was thought that he might be seen. Some went in the right direction, and were gratified; others went in the wrong direction, and were disappointed. Knorr and others of the officers climbed the hills above Etah. Charley limbered up his rheumatic old legs, and tried to get a view from the north side of the harbor, forgetting that the mountains intervened. Harris and Heywood climbed to the top of the hill behind the harbor, and the former shook his Odd Fellow's flag in the sun's very face. The cook was troubled that he did not have a look at "de blessed sun;" but he could not gratify his wish without going upon the land, and this he could no more be induced to do than the mountain could be persuaded to come to Mahomet. He will probably have to wait until the sun steals over the hills into the harbor, which will be at least twelve days.

My own share in the day's excitement has been equal to the rest of them. Accompanied by Dodge