AN ARTIST IN

IN THE ANTARCTIC

BY FRANK WILBERT STOKES

WITH PICTURES BY THE WRITER, THE FIRST ARTIST TO BRING

PAINTINGS FROM THE ANTARCTIC

FAR

AR down at the nether side of the This coup d'æil demonstrated a radical

globe the little black, bark-rigged difference in the character of the far-South Antarctic 2 rolled over lovely seas of cobalt land compared with the far North. We blues and greens, bound for that dread were upon the threshold of the last great Niflheim where

region of geographical mystery. At 5 P.M.

we had approached near enough for “Death-dealing vapors rise

initial color-sketch. Landing-parties the From a black mist-world full of sighs.”

following day found a considerable area It was January 11, 1902. The tempera- of rock free from snow, and obtained seals ture of the water gave unmistakable signs. and birds, some green snow, -caused by At twelve minutes past 1 P.M. we sighted a minute plant of the same order as that what seemed to be an iceberg. Gradually of red snow,—lichen in abundance, and through the silver mist of nimbus a moun. a new beetle. tainous, snow-clad island appeared in deli- Rapidly gathering clouds obscured the cate pink tones. It proved to be King sun with heavy forms and deep, cold blueGeorge Island of the South Shetlands. grays, and interspersings of pale, chilly

, Again curtained in mystery until 4 : 30 P.M., yellow. A damp, penetrating wind from the golden sunlight pushed the mist aside, the northeast, with a counter ocean curdisclosing the island surrounded by a flotilla rent, produced a choppy sea, and the spray of majestic icebergs. It was completely flew over us, while the barometer fell sudsnow-clad down to the edge of the dark denly. Passing through Nelson Strait, we cobalt-blue sea, where it terminated in an rode out a gale in the cold gray-green ice-wall two hundred feet high. This snow- waters of Bramfield Strait. All night the mantle was of a delicate white-yellow gale continued, and a heavy sea was still chrome, with faint cobalt-blue cloud-sil- running on the morning of January 12. houettes creeping over its rounded surface. About 8 A.M. I went on deck. There, A few bare rocks added a deep touch of partly veiled by a drifting silvery mist, reddish-brown purple. The bergs were were Trinity Islands and the lofty mounglistening in marvelous pink purity under tains of Terre Louis Philippe, or Palmer the sun's rays, with rich, deep shadows of Land. The captain, ensconced in the turquoise-cobalt blue. Penguins sported “crow's-nest,” scanned the horizon for an swiftly in the waters round the ship. opening into Weddell Sea, as we hoped

1 For Mr. Stokes's pictures in color of “The nos Aires, Argentina, where it arrived DecemAurora Borealis,” see this magazine for last Feb- ber 16. At this port a young ensign of the Argenruary.

tine navy joined the expedition, together with the 2 The Swedish South Polar Expedition, under writer. On December 21 the steam-sealer Antarcthe leadership of Dr. Otto Nordenskjöld, a tic, with the full complement of the expedition on nephew of the famous Arctic explorer Baron Nor- board, left for the south, stopping at the Falk. denskjöld, was equipped by private means. This land Islands for a day, and then at the Staten expedition sailed from Gottenburg, Sweden, Oc- Islands, off the southernmost extremity of South tober 8, 1901, touched at Falmouth, England, America, in order to correct the magnetic instrufor coal, leaving that port October 16, for Bue- ments at the meteorological station of Argentina.

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to place the winter station on the eastern rolled a large Ross seal, which stopped a coast of King Oscar II Land. Cloud-mists moment, and raising its small head, gave obscured the land, and a raw wind and a us a half-fearful, grave, questioning look cold gray-green sea, with hurtling masses from its stupid, bloodshot eyes; then it of gray overhead, ensued.

awkwardly humped and wriggled over the After a succession of squalls we sought rocks a few yards past our feet, where it the welcome shelter under the land, and, as lay down and slept. The seals were entirely if by the touch of a giant, Boreas fled, leav- unaware of the presence of deadly enemies. ing a calm, deep-blue sea, in the waters of The sensation that such a scene produces which whales were spouting, and dazzling upon the mind is indeed very strange; the ice-palaces floated in delicate tones of pathos of it is disquieting. lilac-pink, chrome-green half-tones, and We returned to the Antarctic at 1 P.M., turquoise-cobalt shadows. Beyond, in im- with specimens of lichen, stones, and a speposing grandeur and beauty, was a strange cies of moss covered with mussels. mountainous land-a land of the gods- January 13. There was only a temporary wrapped completely in an ice-mantle æons setting of the sun, and the ship passed old. There were long vistas of gleaming, under the silent gaze of sentinel after senwinding, tortuous glacier valleys, in blind- tinel of rock giants, hoary with age, calm ing coruscations of silvery pink and green and immovable amid a region of raging reflections, and jagged peaks, softened by storms and bitter cold. The rocks of these cyclopean snow fingers, over which the stupendous heights, which pierced whirling magic of translucent light and shade rushed cloud-masses of dark smoky blue, were with lightning speed, obscuring and reveal- varied shades of gray-blues and deep mading in bewildering succession.

dered purple-gray, the glaciers' brilliance A breathless silence pervaded the scene. of pale, pure gold eclipsing the light of the I was busy with camera, pencil, and brush, clouds. Below, the sea was calm, with only fearful that these grandiose themes would a ripple over its surface of deep-toned gray escafe, and succeeded in finishing five madder of an ocherish tinge. Then distant, sketches. Charts were consulted and posi- strange murmurings were borne through tions measured as we bowled along, enjoy- the air, and the black bodies and flukes of ing the transition from storm to calm and cetaceans moved into view, then dived comparative warmth. Some of us took down into the silence of the deep. boat and landed on a rocky islet as the It was with some effort that I found enwestering sun disappeared behind gray- ergy enough to paint a large sketch of a turquoise cloud-strata and shot a path of bold unknown headland, as our little vessel gleaming salmon gold across the sea. turned northward. There was much dis

Myriads of penguins waddled about in cussion as to where we were. The captain their solemnly comical fashion, and were believed we were in a large fiord east of not in the least disturbed by our presence Danco Land, but later it was discovered until we walked among them, when they that we had been in Belgica Strait, opposite tried to bite our boots and struck at us with Schlautter Channel and Antwerp Island, their little wings. Two penguins would the northeast promontory of which I had waddle close to each other, and then, sketched. stretching their necks, with bills pointing The night came as a very bright twilight. upward, would sway to and fro, making After landing upon Danco Land, we suca strange rasping sound, as if condoling ceeded in passing eastward through a strait with each other over our invasion of their between Capes Donbuzet and Kimnes, of territory. Cormorants sat round demurely, Terre Louis Philippe on the north, and with beautiful snow-petrels, watching us in Danco Land on the south. The sky was a leisurely, fearless manner. When one of blue and the sea was blue, and the sun the men shot a few for specimens, the noise shimmered gold all around. The land was made them fly a few yards, only to return mountainous on each hand, and from 1500 and crane their necks with fearless curiosity to 2000 feet in height, covered by a snowover their comrades, and toward the tall, mantle of brilliant pale yellow and pinkish strange human animals who had such a lilac. The sea was flecked with a few large

tabular bergs of pale lilac. Ahead, to starPresently, with the wash of a wave, in board, giant cliffs of reddish-purple basalt

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