Life, 1897-12-16 · page 7 of 20
Life — December 16, 1897 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine Page 537: "Life's Polar Expedition" This page documents an expedition aboard the ship *Same Old Game* heading toward the North Pole. The narrative centers on a stowaway, Miss Sadie Greene (shown in the portrait), who was discovered aboard. Commander Hornblobee places her under Miss Belle Bunker's supervision rather than confining her separately. The page includes dated ship's log entries from December 8-9, documenting weather conditions, ice observations, and the discovery of a private detective hidden in the upper between-decks—apparently sent to investigate the stowaway. The two illustrations show the ship at sea and a tribute scene in Halifax Harbor. This appears to be satirical fiction using polar exploration as a framing device for comedic incidents involving stowaways and detective work.
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Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Life’s Polar Expedition. TT Sime Old Game is getting warmer every minute, having left the vicinity of Boston and headed northward toward the Pole, Paul Friture, the chef de cuisine, was left in charge until the Same Old Game reached Halifax Harbor, where she was joined by Miss Sapte. Greene. The interesting stowaway who suddenly appeared among us in latitude 4: Commander Hornblower, who had proceeded to that point a la sledge. The Commander at first placed her in charge of Miss Belle Lire’s Potan Expeprtioy. grasping firmly by the arm a young woman stowaway. One glance at her face was enough. “We must keep you with us at all costs," I said, sternly, “I am aware that it is the custom to land all stow. aways at the first port, but you will double the circulation of Commander Hornblower’s book, and you must stay. Take guest chamber number four, in the after-cabin, and report to me every hour of the day." I then went to the barroom, took out ‘Nearing Halifax. my sextant, shot the sun, and found we were in latitude 4:11:44, longitude 10:18:88. I then made the following note in the log- book: © Dec. 9, 1897, 2 P. M.: Sighted a bird.” Dec. 10.—In sight of Halifax Harbor. Commander Hornblower must have ar- rived before us, as there is a great com- motion. We are evidently expected. The daily arrival of carrier-pigeons from Paul Friture ceased at this point, and we began to hear from Bunker, his typewriter, but afterwards concluded that Miss Bunker would better accompany him, so he went back after her. The fol- lowing carrier-pigeon spe- cials are from Paul Friture: Dec. &—We stood out to sea this morning with the wind on our quarter ESE. the lee braces well aft, staysails set, the log reeling off eighteen knots an hour, icebergs astern, and a standing lunch in the after-cabin, Iam in charge at last. The greatest scientific ex- pedition of the age is now in the proper hands. I must stop now, as the private detective has called me below. Dec. 9.—Yesterday afternoon I was interrupted to go below and found the private detective in the upper between-decks. Tribute to the Same Old Game from British Men-of-War in Halifax Harbor. comicbooks.com