Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Winter is approaching

On September 21, the sun passes through the autumnal equinox, that is to say, the day and night are the same length all over the world. From this time on, the night will be longer and the day will be shorter.This alternation of night and light was well received and welcomed by the inhabitants of the fortress.They sleep better at night.It is true that the eyes are relieved of fatigue in the dark, especially when the sun has been so high for several months that the eyes are very tired. At the autumnal equinox, the tides are generally known to be swift and violent, because when the sun and moon coincide, their dual influences complement each other, increasing the intensity of the phenomenon.So this is the time to take a closer look at the changing tides along Bathurst Point.Jasper Hobson had placed benchmarks and a tide gauge a few days earlier to give an accurate estimate of the movement of the water level between ebb and flow, however, this time, regardless of what observers had previously reported , he noted, that the influence of the sun and moon is barely felt in this part of the Arctic Ocean.There are hardly any tides here - contrary to what the navigators have reported.

"There's something wrong here!" thought the lieutenant. Indeed, he didn't know how to think, and he had other things to worry about, so he didn't want to spend any more time looking for an explanation for this strange phenomenon. On September 29, the weather turned visibly worse.The temperature dropped to 41 degrees Fahrenheit (5 degrees Celsius).The sky was covered with fog, which soon turned into heavy rain.Bad weather is coming. Madame Jolliff planted the seeds before the snow covered the ground.It is hoped that the hardy seeds of sorrel and horseradish will survive the severe cold of the climate and germinate in the spring under the protection of the snow layer.Several acres of land sheltered behind the cliffs of the headland had been pre-ploughed and all sown in the last days of September.

Jasper Hobson hurried his companions into their winter coats before the bitter cold set in.Therefore, everyone put on suitable clothes at once, woolen trousers close to the body, buckskin coats, sealskin trousers, fur hats on their heads, and waterproof boots on their feet.The room could also be said to have been spruced up.Animal hides were nailed to the wooden walls to prevent a layer of ice from forming on the walls when the temperature dropped.At this time, Master Lei installed a condenser to absorb water vapor in the air, which needs to be emptied twice a week.As for the burner, adjust it to the temperature outside to keep the temperature inside at 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius).In addition, the house will be covered with a thick layer of snow, which will prevent the loss of internal heat.In this way, it is hoped that the two formidable enemies of the Arctic winterer can be overcome: cold and humidity.

On October 2, the mercury on the thermometers dropped again, and the first snow fell on all parts of Bathurst Point.The wind was soft, without the whirlwinds that are so common in the Arctic and which the English call "wind rolls."A broad white blanket, spread out evenly, soon blended the headland, the walls of the fort, and the long strip of beach into whiteness.Only the grayish, dark, dirty color of the still-unfrozen lake and sea water contrasted with it.On the northern horizon, however, newly formed icebergs can already be seen emerging from the mist.There are no great packs of ice yet, but nature is accumulating material, which the cold will soon freeze, forming an impassable barrier.

In addition, the "thin ice" quickly froze the surface of sea water and lake water.The lagoon froze first.Huge chunks of grayish-white ice appear here and there, indicating that they are about to freeze together, and the calm weather favors the freezing of the river.Indeed, the nighttime thermometer stayed at 15 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 9 degrees Celsius), and the next day, the lake was frozen to the brim with ice that would please the most discerning skater on the planet.Then, on the horizon, the sky took on a peculiar color that whalers called a "sparkle," caused by reflections from the ice.The sea also quickly froze a large area, and the scattered ice floes accumulated, gradually forming an ice sheet, which was connected with the coast.But this ocean ice sheet is not as flat as a mirror like a lake.The undulation of the waves changes its singularity.Here and there, long, loosely interconnected masses of ice rise in ripples, some of which are large floes, and in many places there are visible bulges due to compression, which whalers call "ice ice." mound".

In the space of a few days, Bathurst Point and its environ- ments changed dramatically.How new it was to Lady Polina Barnet, who had been looking at the view with fascination!In order to appreciate all this, what kind of hardships and tiredness can't be endured by a female traveler!Winter is here, and the arctic cold has blanketed the Arctic, and it doesn't get any more spectacular than here!Lady Polina Barnett had never had the same vision before, had never seen a landscape like this, the place was completely different.Before her eyes, it could be said that a new world was born, a tragic and desolate world.The nuances were lost, and the snow had left the landscape in rough outlines, a little hazy in the mist.One scene is closely linked to another scene.The vast ocean of the past has disappeared.The rich and colorful earth is gone, only a dazzling blanket of snow.The forest with many species of trees disappeared, only a strange shadow with white rime hanging.The radiant sun was gone, and there was only a whitish disc, slowly arcing in short arcs through the mist, also only for a few hours.In the end, the edge of the once so clear sea disappeared, but an endless belt of icebergs, changing shape at will, forming an impassable huge iceberg group. obstacles!

How much talk, how much admiration, has been generated by these changes in the Arctic!Thomas Blake was perhaps the only one unmoved by the splendor of the scene!But what could one expect from an astronomer so dedicated to his career, who until now hadn't fully integrated into the squad?This loner scholar lives only for the observation of celestial phenomena, he roams only on the blue highway of the firmament, leaping from star to star!But now, the gate to the sky was blocked, the constellations disappeared, and an impenetrable veil of fog stood between the sky and him.He was mad!But Jasper Hobson reassured him, assuring him that there would soon be beautiful cold nights for astronomical viewing, with auroras, halos, moon shadows, and other natural phenomena of the arctic region to arouse his awe.

However, the temperature is bearable.There was no wind, but mainly the wind made the cold more bitter.So people went hunting for a few more days.New furs filled the storerooms at South Station, and new foodstuffs filled the pantry.Partridges and ptarmigans fly to temperate regions in flocks, thus providing fresh and nutritious meat.The arctic hares had bred rapidly and had changed into their winter coats, and the footprints of a hundred or so hares crossing the snow were instantly recognizable, and the stock in the fort was increased.There are also many beautiful North American "whistling swans" flying across the sky.The hunters brought down several pairs, very beautiful birds four or five feet long, with white plumage but a copper-brown head and upper part of the neck.They are flying to warmer regions to find aquatic plants and edible insects, and they are flying extremely fast, because air and water are their living world.Other swans, called "horn swans," which sound like trumpets, also migrate in large numbers.They also have white feathers like the "whistling swan", and they are about the same length, but their claws and beaks are black.Neither Marbor nor Sabine were lucky enough to kill a few "horn swans", but they said a meaningful "goodbye" to these birds.Indeed, the birds will return in early spring next year, when it is easier to catch.The skin, feathers and down of swans are especially valued by hunters and Indians. In some good years, various trading stations transport tens of thousands of swans to the Old World market, and each can sell half a swan.

Going out to hunt usually only lasts a few hours, and the bad weather often interrupts it, and wolves are often encountered during hunting.There was no need to go far, for these hungry wolves were bold, and they had approached the trading post.They have a good sense of smell, and kitchen aromas attract them.At night, the terrifying howling of wolves can be heard.These predators are not dangerous alone, but in packs they can be very dangerous.Therefore, hunters ventured beyond the walls of the fortress only when armed. In addition, bears are also very aggressive.Not a single day goes by without seeing these animals appear.At night, they came to the foot of the wall.Several were shot and fled, blood staining the snow.But as of October 10, none had left its warm and precious bear hide in the hands of hunters.Plus, Jasper Hobson didn't allow his men to attack these fearsome beasts.To deal with them, it is best to take the defensive. Perhaps, these predators are hungry, and the time to attack Fort Hope is coming.At that time, people rose again to defend themselves, and at the same time to replenish themselves.

For several days, the weather has been dry and cold.The snow is frozen hard, which is good for walking.Therefore, people went around the seashore and the south side of the fort.Lieutenant Hobson wondered if the St. Louis Fur Company clerks could find any signs of their passage in the vicinity since they had left, but searches were fruitless.It is possible that these Americans went south again and went back there for the winter. The weather didn't last long, and during the first week of November, the wind turned suddenly to the south, and despite the warmer temperatures, a feathery snow fell that quickly spread several feet deep on the ground.The perimeter of the house has to be swept daily and a trail is cut to the side gate, deer pen and dog house, hiking is minimal and snowshoes are required to go outside.

Indeed, when the snow layer is frozen hard, it can resist the weight of the human body and make people feel solid when stepping on it, so walking will not be hindered.But when the snow is still soft, one step sinks to the knees.It was in this situation that the Indians put on snowshoes. Lieutenant Hobson and his companions had become accustomed to wearing snowshoes, and on the brittle snow they slid as fast as skaters on ice.Lady Polina Barnett was so accustomed to the shoes that she was soon able to compete with her companions.Whether it's on a frozen lake or along the coast, this kind of hiking can be done.It is even possible to walk for miles on frozen seas, as the ice is several feet thick.But this kind of travel is very hard, because the ice field is uneven; Its top reaches five hundred feet.These icebergs are beautifully stacked and extremely majestic.Here it was like the white ruins of a city, with collapsed buildings, columns, and parapets; Snowy Switzerland!The shrill calls of lingering birds such as petrels, puffins, and fulmars enliven the silence.The great white bear appears among the ice mounds, blending in with the blinding white.Indeed, the lady traveler was impressed and thrilled!Faithful Madge accompanies her and shares it all with her!How far away were the two of them at this time from the tropics of India or Australia! Made a few hikes like this on the frozen ocean, the thick ice shell held up what looked like artillery convoys and even the weight of large buildings.But soon, such travel became difficult and had to be stopped.Indeed, the temperature dropped noticeably, and a little work, a little effort, left one breathless and almost immobile.The eyes are also attacked by the intense white light of the snow, which cannot be endured for long, and it has blinded many Eskimos.In the end, distances, depths, and thicknesses are no longer the same due to strange phenomena caused by the refraction of bright light.The five or six feet between the two large ice blocks looked like only a foot or two.Hence the constant wrestling, often painful, due to optical illusions. On October 14, the thermometer read minus 3 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 16 degrees Celsius).The unbearable cold, the wild north wind, and the biting cold.No matter who stays outdoors, there is a danger of being frostbitten, that is to say, if you freeze suddenly, you must rub the frostbitten part with snow to restore blood circulation in time.Several people in the fort were frostbitten, among them Gary, Belcher, and Hope, but they were all out of danger by rubbing them with snow in time. Under these conditions, understandably, no physical activity of any kind is possible.In addition, the days are extremely short at this time, and the sun stays above the horizon for only a few hours.A long evening followed.The real winter life, that is to say, the life of staying at home is about to begin.The last of the arctic birds have also fled the dim seaside.Only a few pairs of spotted partridge falcons remained, and the Indians named them "winter visitors," because they would stay in the frozen regions until the beginning of the polar night, and they were about to leave. Lieutenant Hobson, therefore, was anxious to get the job done, that is, to set up the winter traps and traps around Bathurst Point. These animal traps are all made of thick wood, with three pieces of wood at the bottom four corners as fulcrums. The balance is very poor, and they will fall if touched.This is roughly the same as the cover used to catch birds in the field.At the ends of the cross-pieces were baited some game meat, and any animal of medium stature, such as a fox or a marten, would be discounted if he put his paw on it.This is the kind of cover that famous hunters lay for miles around in winter.Cobb had so poetically described the adventures of the hunters.There were thirty or so such traps set up around Fort Hope, and it wasn't long before we had to check them out. On November 12, the squad added a new member.Mrs. Mac Knapp had given birth to a strong, fat boy, the master carpenter was very proud of.Paulina Barnett was godmother to the baby, who was named Michelle Hope.The baptism ceremony is very solemn. This is a grand day for the South Railway Station. Everyone congratulates the little life born north of the 70th parallel! A few days later, on November 20, the sun hid below the horizon, only to come out again for two months.The Arctic Night has begun!

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