Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1856-11-15

, padded with moss and turf. A pile of
barrels on the ice contained their supply Of
water-soaked beef and polk-Flour, beans,
and dried apples, formed quadrangular
block-hou The boats and spare cordage
were placed along an avenue opening abeam
of the brig. There was but small store of
vegetables The picked cabbage, dried
apples and peaches bad lost much Of their
snti-scorbutic virtue by constant use.
The species were all gone. Nothing re-
msined but few small bottles of horso-ra-
dish to season the standing fare Of bread
beef ard pork. A kind ofroot-beer was brew
ed by the Doctor from the branches of the
crawling willow, OF which stock had been
laid in some weeks before. The gun proeur-
ed them an occasional supply Of fresh meats.
Bears flesh was fcvorte dish, but the liver
of that animal proved poisonous. A less
noxious article Of diet WAS the rat. per-
feet warren Of this tribe was on board the
brig. They had become impudent and herce
with their increase Of numbers. Nothing
could be saved from their racity. Furs, Wool
lens, shoes, specimens OF natural history,
were gnawed into and destroyed. They har-
bored among the mems bedding in the fore
castle, and at last become intollerabe nui-
sances. Dr. Kane took his revenge by deci-
mating them for bis private table. His com
panions did share his taste, and he thus had
the frequent advantage of u fresh meat soup.
10 this inviting fare he ascribes his compara-
tive freedom from scurvy.
The want of fuel before thr close Of winter
compelled them to rely upon their lamps for
heat. Pork-fat, boiled to lessen its salt, wa,
the substitute for oil and by the use of me-
tallic reverberator, single wick was sufi-
cient to keep liquid ten ounces OF lard with
surrounding temperature OF 900 below zero.
4 4. l..
diet. A slice Of blubber or chunk of frozen
walrus-beef was taken with infinite relish
The liver of a walrus eaten with little slices
Of fat was dainty morsel The flesh and
blubber Of that animal is stated to be "the
very best fuel n man can swallow" But Of
the sayors visnds the party were now destl-
tote. The sick began to suffer for want OF
meat. They were reduced to three days al
iowauce of frozen flesh, at the rate oil four OF.
n day for each man. In this emergency, DR..
Kane determined on trip over the ice to
settlement OF Esquimaux huts at the distance
Of about "a hundred miles. He was accompa-
MED by Hans Christern, q native Esqnimaux,
and FIVE dogs. During the journey, fright
full storm came on. Before it had fairly com
menced, the party succeeded in reaching an
old hut, which bad been abandoned by the
Esquimaux Taking in the dogs, with the
ed part Of the burden Of the sledge. they clo-
sed UP the entrance with blocks Of show
They were hardly housed before the storm
broke out in all its fury. Completely cut off
from the outer world, they here passed many
miserable hours. They could keep no note
Of Ll,n- The only Indication OF the state Of
the weather was the whirring of the drift
against the roof of the kennel. The time was
divided between sleeping and preparing cof-
fee, which they drank with Il relish. When
warned by their instincts of the lapse Of =
hours they treated themselves to meal, di-
vidng impartial bits out of the hind leg Of q
fox to give zest to their biscuits spread with
frozen tallow. 1t was days before hey were
released from their narrow prison, reckoning
the time By the increased altitude Of the
moon. Upon attempting to resume their
journey, they found it impossible to work
through tee piles of drifted snow. Sledge
dogs and drivers were buried in the attempt.
The two travellers harnessed themselves to
the sledge, and "lifted, livered, twisted and
pulled" but all in vain. They were compel
led to give it up, and returned TO the wretch
ed hut. Taking the back track, they reach
ed the brig the next morning, and for sever
al days were incapable Of the slightest exer-
ton. On the last day Of January Dir. Kane
writes in his Journal:
thing, and we are still without fresh food
The absence Of raw foX-meat for single day
shows itself in our scurvy. uemorrhages are
becoming common. My crew-l have no
crew any loHger-the tonants OF my hunks
cannot bear me to leave them single watch
Vet | cannot make Peterson try the new
path which ! discovered and found practical
BILE. Well, the wretched month is over. 1t
is something TO be living, able TO write. No
one has yet made the dark voyage, and Janu-
ary the 3lst is upon Us"
One week sfterward We find the following
entry. What world Of misery does it re-
reveal
Still no supplies. Three Of us have been
out ell day without getting u shot. Hans
thinks he saw couple OF reindeer ut dis
tance and his eyes rarely deceive him. he
will try for them tomorrow. 1 have Tilted
out for him a tent and sleeping bag on the
second table land and the Thermometer is
now SO little below zero that he viii be able
to keep the field for steady hunt. Our sick
are sinking iorthe want OF fresh food. 1t Is
the only specific. l dislike to use the unphil-
osophical term, but i'll our case Is the
true one lniarge quantities 1t dsSlpates the
disease; in ordinary ratlons 1t prevent Its &C
currence in small doses 1t checks 1t, while
sustaining the patient. We have learned It's
! value too well TO waste IL every part Oh eN-
cry animal has its use. The SKIN makes the
basis of soup and the claws can be boiled
to Jelly. Lungs, larynX, stomach aud en-
trails, all are available. l have not permitted
myself to taste more than all occasion ell
trail of our last halt dozen rabbits. Not at
| am free from symptoms Of the universal
pest. | am conscious Of stiffness Ia the
lendons. aud shortness OF breath, and
WEAKNESS of the bones, that should naturally
attend the eruption which covers my body
But have none Of the more fearful signs--
| can walk with energy after l get warmed
up. / have no bleeding OF the gums, and,
better than ali, than God, am without that
horrible dispoudency which the disease nour-
! shes and feeds on. | sleep sound and dream
plessauly-generally about successes in the
/ hunt. or double ration olraindeer or patarmI-
gan"
On Sunday the twenty-fith Of February
GLIMPSE was obtained OF the returning sun.
| To-day, blessed NC InU s'~-~ - &c
| Light! / have once more looked upon INC
sun. | was standing on deck, thinking over
our prospects, when familiar berg, which
had long been hid in shadow flashed out IN
sun-birth knew this berg right well 1t
/