The Captain of the Polestar | Page 3

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THE CAPTAIN OF THE POLESTAR AND OTHER TALES.
SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE
TO MY FRIEND MAJOR-GENERAL A. W. DRAYSON AS A
SLIGHT TOKEN OF MY ADMIRATION FOR HIS GREAT AND
AS YET UNRECOGNISED SERVICES TO ASTRONOMY This little
Volume IS DEDICATED
PREFACE For the use of some of the following Tales I am indebted to
the courtesy of the Proprietors of "Cornhill," "Temple Bar,"
"Belgravia," "London Society," "Cassell's," and "The Boy's Own
Paper." A. CONAN DOYLE, M.D.
CONTENTS.
THE CAPTAIN OF THE POLE-STAR J. HABAKUK JEPHSON'S
STATEMENT THE GREAT KEINPLATZ EXPERIMENT THE
MAN FROM ARCHANGEL THAT LITTLE SQUARE BOX JOHN
HUXFORD'S HIATUS A LITERARY MOSAIC JOHN
BARRINGTON COWLES THE PARSON OF JACKMAN'S GULCH
THE RING OF THOTH

THE CAPTAIN OF THE "POLE-STAR." [Being an extract from the
singular journal of JOHN M`ALISTER RAY, student of medicine.]
September 11th.--Lat. 81 degrees 40' N.; long. 2 degrees E. Still
lying-to amid enormous ice fields. The one which stretches away to the
north of us, and to which our ice-anchor is attached, cannot be smaller
than an English county. To the right and left unbroken sheets extend to
the horizon. This morning the mate reported that there were signs of
pack ice to the southward. Should this form of sufficient thickness to
bar our return, we shall be in a position of danger, as the food, I hear, is
already running somewhat short. It is late in the season, and the nights
are beginning to reappear.
This morning I saw a star twinkling just over the fore-yard, the first
since the beginning of May. There is considerable discontent among
the crew, many of whom are anxious to get back home to be in time for
the herring season, when labour always commands a high price upon
the Scotch coast. As yet their displeasure is only signified by sullen
countenances and black looks, but I heard from the second mate this
afternoon that they contemplated sending a deputation to the Captain to
explain their grievance. I much doubt how he will receive it, as he is a
man of fierce temper, and very sensitive about anything approaching to
an infringement of his rights. I shall venture after dinner to say a few
words to him upon the subject. I have always found that he will tolerate
from me what he would resent from any other member of the crew.
Amsterdam Island, at the north-west corner of Spitzbergen, is visible
upon our starboard quarter--a rugged line of volcanic rocks, intersected
by white seams, which represent glaciers. It is curious to think that at
the present moment there is probably no human being nearer to us than
the Danish settlements in the south of Greenland--a good nine hundred
miles as the crow flies. A captain takes a great responsibility upon
himself when he risks his vessel under such circumstances. No whaler
has ever remained in these latitudes till so advanced a period of the
year.
9 P.M,--I have spoken to Captain Craigie, and though the result has
been hardly satisfactory, I am bound to say that he listened to what I

had to say very quietly and even deferentially. When I had finished he
put on that air of iron determination which I have frequently observed
upon his face, and paced rapidly backwards and forwards across the
narrow cabin for some minutes. At first I feared that I had seriously
offended him, but he dispelled the idea by sitting down again, and
putting his hand upon my arm with a gesture which almost amounted to
a caress. There was a depth of tenderness too in his wild dark eyes
which surprised me considerably. "Look here, Doctor," he said, "I'm
sorry I ever took you--I am indeed--and I would give fifty pounds this
minute to see you standing safe upon the Dundee quay. It's hit or miss
with me this time. There are fish to the north of us. How dare you
shake your head, sir, when I tell you I saw them blowing from the
masthead?"--this in a sudden burst of fury, though I was not conscious
of having shown any signs of doubt. "Two-and-twenty fish in as many
minutes as I am a living man, and not one under ten foot.[1] Now,
Doctor, do you think I can leave the country when there is only one
infernal strip of ice between me and