Asa phoenix vol 26 no 1 nov 1939

Page 18

THE PHOENIX

18 that nicrht until after we left Hammerfest about 5 A . 1\L~ for we wanted to ee the town, mail ~ur letters, and take picture . The scores of fi shmg boats reflected in the water made a lovely picture. Imagine taking picture at 3 A. l\1. Tromso and Hammerfest are starting points for many rctic expeditions. tatue of Amundsen i at Tromso for it was from there that he embarked on hi rctic expeditions. I went through hi boat, now in a museum at 0 lo. We arrived at Torth Cape the next morning after leaving Ham merfest. O ur itinerary said we would land "weather permitting," and how glad we were that the sun was shining and the wind not blowing. The boats the day before and the day following did not land for the wind and rain prevented. A small boat came out to take those ashore who wished to go. Lapps greeted us as we landed and offered us their wares-dolls, trinkets made of reindeer bone, and carved cane , the latter for climbing the one thousand feet to the summit of the Cape. This fete I refused to do for I didn't know how well I could climb. I did walk up half way, picked wild flowers for my collection, and planted a small U. S. silk flag with appropriate ceremonies as per instruction in a Bon Voyage letter. Only a curio store combined with a postoffice made up the town. The Lapps dwelt in crude huts and were there for the summer months only. How they exi t during the long clark nights of winter is more than I can understand. While the sun shines they stay up and out of doors a much as possible. The po tmistress stamped my orth Cape Diploma which th e captain of our boat autographed for me even if I didn't reach the top . The Chief of the Coast Guards wa a pas enger on our boat en route to Vadso to attend a meeting of the guards. He had been in the nited tates and spo ke excellent Engli h. He told me that thi run from Bergin to Kirkene wa a mo t clangerou one on account of the fog , rain and wind. !though the waters are warmed by the Gulf tream and open the year round th e foa make fi hing extremely haza r lous. W hen the fog blew in ou r boat fairly crawled along for there were o many fi hing boat and i la nd all about u . aptain Ch ri top her on ha been on this run for twenty year . Hi wife accompanied him on thi trip and he aiel he brought u all good luck and plea ant weather. I d take her a loncr very trip if I were he. Tw or three time we were called to ee th e bird on the rocky i Ja nel . Torpecloe were thrown out and the ""hi tie blown to frighten the bird . A they flew. thou and and thou and of

them, they made a wonderful sight. Here in th~se rocks the eider duck build his ne t from whtch the eider down is obtained. Every bed I lept in in Scanclanavia had an eider down comfort in a white cotton case which erved a our heet and cover combined. One afternoon and evening as we ailed through the rctic Ocean we saw many schools of whale. I doubted the information when told they were whale for I didn't see thet? sp?ut, but was told that they were not the spoutmg kmd. nother thrilling experience wa the day that the air mail exchanged mail with our boat. On account of the fog down the coast the plane did not get to Tromso in time for u to exchange mail, so it caught up with us, and two of our men went out in a row boat and as the plane skimmed down on the water rowed out and the men exchanged the mail bag . One of the passengers received a letter in this mail and we all were o happy for her. Just watching the performance was very exciting. It seemed a lmost a miracle. But then that very week Hughes was making his memorable flight around the globe, the news coming to us by radio. Our boat went as far north as Kirkenes then returned to Bergin, but my party disembarked and continued our journey by motor bu down through Lapland and on down by train to Helsinki, Finland, then over to Sweden, Denmark, thence to England, Scotland, and Ireland, but I thought that thi s short trip was different and that you would like to hear about it. For a two month ' vacation I recommend this trip and I know you wi ll enjoy every mom ent as I did.

ELFRETH'S ALLEY Between Arch and Race Streets, and Front and 路 Second Streets, Philadelphia, Pa. SALLY OcoE , Philadelphia A lumna: Chapter

How many of us know quaint Elfreth' lley with its atmosphere of two hundred years ago? s far as can be learned the first El freth, Jeremiah by name, a black mith came to Philadelphia and bought a re idence about 1690. t the time of the return of William Penn to Philadelphia, a clamor arose over Jeremiah Elf reth's la nd near the Blue nchor Inn, the people claiming that it had been promi ed to be re en 路ed for a public clock. Jeremiah' on Henry wa crowded out but acquired property in the vicinity of Cherry treet near Front treet; where he married arah, elde t daughter of a wealthy merchant, John Gilbert. T hu property on Gi lbert' ll ey a it wa then known. came in to the po 路 e ion of an Elf reth and crradually the , lley took hi name. He


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