Life, 1897-11-18 · page 7 of 26
Life — November 18, 1897 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine Polar Expedition Article This page documents an Arctic expedition aboard *The Same Old Game*, commanded by Professor Hornblower. The article announces an unusual objective: not to advance further north than previous explorers, but to retrieve the North Pole itself—"throw it; cut it into sections and bring it home." The text is satirical commentary on the era's competitive polar exploration, mocking the obsessive race for Arctic achievement. By literalizing the Pole as a physical object to be captured and parceled out, Life ridicules the vanity and futility of such expeditions. The page includes portraits of crew members (Butler, Pastry Cook, etc.) and describes scientific equipment and provisions, maintaining the satirical pretense of a serious expedition while the absurd premise undercuts polar exploration's grandiosity.
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Ho, for the Pole! ~ HE'S OFF! At eight o'clock on Monday morn- ing The Same Old Game weighed anchor and started for the Arctic seas. The object of this expedition is not— like many others—to go a mile or two further north than previous explorers, but to push directly for the Pole; grapple with it; throw it; cut it into sections and bring it home Proressorn HORNBLOWER Commander of The Same Old Game. And we are confident of success. A list of the officers and crew is alone a guarantee of victory. Here itis: THE OFFICERS AND CREW OF The Same Old Game, Professor Hornblower. . \Commander. Paul Friture. . . . . . Chef de Cuisine. Jous Branpywine, Butler. Lire's Potar Exrepition,—The Start. Pastry Cook. Butler. Ass't Cook. Engineer. Navigator. Second Officer. Tooter Loud . . | Geologist and Hamilton Sly) William Hawser |. Copperas Keel Frederic Sleeper... . Jules Gateau Jobn Brandywine Asparagus Jones. . Bjohnsen Crank . Klopdyke Synker Gustavus Damm . + Sailors. Bell Boy. Moreover, there are scientific improve- ments to accompany Professor Horn- blower which place us far in the van of all similar efforts. In the first place, the ship is made of rubber and covered with goose grease, and when jammed by the ice she will simply be projected into the air and shot further along toward the Pole—rejoicing on her way. Secondly, every cabin, however small, has an enormous open fireplace, thus averting danger from any freezing atmosphere. Thirdly, the entire hold is filled with patent medicines, thus enabling the crew to return in even better health than they enjoy at present. Professor Hornblower takes a com- plete scientific outfit, including decanters and a large refrigerator. Lire has pre- sented every member of the expedition with a palm-leaf fan, a full-length mir- ror and a plated corkscrew. As it is always interesting to learn how seemingly unimportant trifles may lead to momentous results, we give the following account of an historic inter- view. On the thirtieth day of this last October Professor Hornblower entered the office of Lire. ‘Good morning, Professor.” “*Good morning, Lirr.”” “What can I do for you, Professor? You look hungry and hard up. Your complexion is colorless, and your trou- sers baggy at the knees, Your elbows are shiny, and I see traces of soup upon your vest. You need new clothes.” “‘T know it, but I lack the money for a meal, let alone new clothes. Could you lend me five dollars?” **No, but I can put you in the way of earning a hundred thousand. Know you aught of Arctic life 2” Jutes Gareau, Pastry Cook. comicbooks.com