THE WHITE WORLD 



what emotions stirred me as we stood upon the threshold 

 of the land which had witnessed so much suffering; the land 

 of Doctor Kane, Hayes, Captain Hall, Greely and others. 

 To pick up relics of bygone days, to mentally review, as I 

 worked, the narratives of those, daring explorers, to feel 

 the same cold breath of the ice-bound world that had locked 

 them in; many a time have the tears dimmed my eyes and 

 frozen upon my cheeks at the recollection of the men who 

 had starved in that Polar land, as I painted the barren 

 rocks, the scene of their suffering, in that great region of 

 awful solitude. 



Visiting Port Fanke, where Doctor Hayes wintered in 

 company with Lieutenant Peary, the grave of Professor 

 Tonntag impressed me deeply. It had been disturbed, pos- 

 sibly by bears, for a skull and a few bones were all that 

 remained. That great mind, astronomer of the expedition, 

 had passed away in the midst of his beautiful work in the 

 Far North and was buried there alone; yet not alone — a 

 few other graves are scattered over the Arctic Circle: 

 at Cape Sabine, where nineteen men ended their suffering 

 and toil. Nor do I forget Lifeboat Cove, where the Polaris 

 was wrecked and nineteen of her crew went adrift on a 

 field of ice, to live one hundred and ninety-six days, until 

 rescued by the U. S. S. Tigress off Labrador. 



Surrounded by these scenes I worked incessantly, for 

 time and the ice did not permit a long stop in our journey- 

 ings. Nor is the difficulty of reaching these places appre- 

 ciated by those who have never tried it, neither the trials 

 of one who undertakes in the Arctic regions the work I had 

 in hand. These regions are replete in color, form and never- 

 ending variety; animal and bird life and the Eskimos were 

 another source of food for the painter's brush. I returned, 

 as it were, with a new set of brains and the fascination still 

 holds me to revisit that northern land, did health permit. 

 For perfect health is one of the first requisites for a journey 

 to the Arctic, whether it be for work or pleasure. Pleasure, 

 indeed, there is if one chooses the proper season. I would 

 advise my brethren in art, and sisters also, to visit the 

 Danish Eskimo settlements of Greenland during the sum- 

 mer months ; they will find beauties there of which we never 

 dream in our more temperate zone. 



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