manned by
experienced Arctic sailors.

"Negotiations were opened with the United States Government, whereby
the _Aurora Borealis_, by proceeding up the northwest passage along
the route followed by the Montgomery expedition, might meet the
_Mercury_, who would enter the Arctic Sea by way of Behring Strait. It
was arranged, as Captain Adams is aware, that each vessel should
proceed direct to latitude 75 N., longitude 140 W., and there await
the other vessel."

"You are right," said Captain Adams, "for my instructions were of the
same nature. The _Mercury_ was fitted out in Brooklyn Navy Yard, and
as soon as her complement of two hundred and fifty officers,
explorers, scientists, press correspondents and seamen was enrolled,
and her stores fully shipped, I was instructed to proceed by way of
the Nicaragua Canal to San Francisco for further orders and stores.
Leaving San Francisco I next touched Victoria, B.C., and finally at
Sitka, Alaska, for final orders. The entire winter had been consumed
in getting ready, and by May 1 I cleared for Behring Strait, steering
straight for the rendezvous in the Arctic Sea where we had arranged to
meet by June 1. I was first on the spot, and had the good fortune of
only having to wait a week before we sighted the _Aurora Borealis_."

"And then," said Sir John, "began the real work of the voyage. All had
been plain sailing so far, but it was clearly impossible for any
vessel to reach the Polar Gulf unless a lead was discovered in the ice
barrier similar to that so fortunately discovered by the _Polar King_.
It was here that the services of Dunbar as pilot came into
requisition. Captain Adams had got him to mark on the chart as near as
possible the location of the chasm in the ice mountain discovered by
the _Polar King_. That once rediscovered, we could succeed in
following the _Polar King_; but should we fail in our quest, all
further progress would be impossible. I often said to Captain Adams
that I considered Lexington White as one of the most fortunate of men.
It was nothing short of the miraculous that you should discover a
newly-rent passage through the barrier of ice that for ages has
guarded the sublime secret of the pole. Only once in all the eternity
of the past did the gate of that thrilling Arctic zone open itself to
humanity, and by a miracle of fortune you were on the spot at the
right moment, ready to enter that open door. That fact alone emblazons
you with glory. But to