The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1880-10-22

OF this extraordinary circumstance.
We hastened therefore with our Inuit
friends to their igloos, which were on the
ice about three miles from Depot Island,
and found the note to be from Captain
| Fisher, giving some excuse for not leaving
some things that he expected to. Tbs in
evitabie conclusion was then forced upon
rs that Barry had absolutely gone away
with the food from US without q word oI
explanation, though ho had landed at De-
pot Island and taken of the casks that held
our bread when we came ashore. It is us
ually considered that those who encounter
the perils OF Arctic travel have enough 70
contend with from the very nature Of the
undertaking, and not only their own coun.
trymen, but oil civilized nations FASTENED
to help them when opportunity afforded.
Even the savages With whom they come in
contact have pity for them. After shaking
hands with old friends at the camp we went
into Arom's igloo and ate some frozen wal
rus meat and blubber that tasted delicious
to rs. the blubber espeoially.it having been
| 80 long since we had eaten fat food and 80
much requiring it. They had but q short
supply Of meat on hand when we arrived
and the advent Of 90 hungry travellers and
10 starving dogs soon reduced their stores
so that "a storm at once setting in, m making
it useless to hunt walrus) there was a fam
inc in the camp before the end Of q week.
They can only hunt walrus successfully at
Depot Island with southerly wind to hold
che ice pack to the foe. It was the eighth
day after our arrival before the storm aba
ted sufficiently to let the hunter out with
any prospect Of success. The wind was
still from the north, and 1t was provoking
that they could see plenty Of walrus and
seal on the pack but far beyond their reach.
Affairs were getting desperate now. In
the last five days we had but one meal a
day, composed at first OF about a pound
OF walrus or seal meat, but lately Of kow--
that is, the thick hide Of the walrus, with a
thin cover of short hair on 1t, such as Ia
seen on the old fashioned
sEALsKIN TRUNKS.
As the hunters got nothing we were with.
out even our kow the next day, with the
prospect of remaining without food until
Eeglee Leock and Nanook got back from
Marble Island, where they went for relief
from the natives there three days. 1t was
mournful camp after the hunters got In,
Friday night, the 18th Of the month, empty
handed. They all felt the danger that
again threatened them, as It had done
twice during the winter, when they had to
kill and eat some OF their s-arving dogs.
People spoke to each other in whispers and
everything was quiet, save for the never
ceasing and pitiful cries of the hungry
children, begging for food, which the pa
rents could not give them. Most of the
time I stayed in bed, trying to keep warm
and avoid the exercise that would make
me all the more hungry. 1t was impossible
to keep warm this night and my aching
limbs drove sleep from my eyes. The wind
was from the east Saturday and little bet.
ter for hunting. so the men went off bright
and early. At noon there was Joyful
sound in camp. The women and children
ran into our igloo, shouting "walrus kill
ed" and fairly jumped up and down with
their joy. Thank God, the danger was
over, for the present, at least. and / might
be able to start for Marble island in day
or two. It was not until the 17th. how
ever, that got away at last reached the
ship "George and Mary" at midnight of
Saturday, the 2lst, and found everyone in
bed except Captain Baker, who received
me very kindly. During the year that we
were absent from the verge Of civilization.
as the winter harbor OF the sailor may be
considered, we bad travelled 291s geograph-
ical miles, of 3251 statute miles, most OF
which was entirely over unexplored terri
tory, constituting the longest sledge jour
ney eyer made, both as to time aud dis
tance, and the only extended sledge jour.
ney ever accomplished in the Arctic regions
except such as has been made through
countries we'll known and over routes al
most as thoroughly established as post
roads. Our slodge journey stands con-
spicuous as the only one ever made through
the entire course OF an ".'* &#
ARCTIC WINTER
And one regarded by the natives ~ exoep-
tionally cold, "a the amount Ct suffering
encountered by those remaining at Depot
Island attested, and further confirmed, a.
we afterward learned, by the experience OF
those who wintered at Wager river, where
many deaths occurred, attributable to the
unusually severity Of the season. The party
successfully withstod the lowest tempera-
turs ever experienced by white men in the
field, recording one observation of OH
Fahrenheit, sixteen days, whose average
was c100 below the freezing point, and 81
which registered below 90 Fshr.nheit. du-
ring most of which the party travelled. Ia To
fact the expedition never took cold into
consideration or halted single day on that
account During the entire Journey its re-
lance for food, both for man and beast
may be- said to have been solely 1upon the
resources Of the country. - the expedition
started with less than ono months rations.
and IL 10 the first In which tho white men
Of N expedition voluntarily lived upon the
ssme fare - tho Esquimaux assistants,
thus showing that white msn can safely
adapt themselves to tho climate and life Of
the Esquimaux, and prosecute their jour-
neys in any season or under such circua-
stances ~ will the natives Of tho country
themselves. Tho expedition wss tho first
TO make the summer search over the'route
Or the lost crews Of the Erdbus and Ter
ror, and while 10 doing buried tha remains
of every member OF that Inflated party
Above ground, no that no loAger the bleach
Cd bones o. thoss unfortunate explorers
whiten the coast Of King Willism's Land
and the Adelaide peninsula - m eternal
rsbuke 10 civilization but al havs.u for
the tims bsing n least, received deosrt
and rsepectfnl intsrment. Tho mostl im-i
porsant direct result Of the labors Of ths
expedition vill undoubtedly be consider-
Cd the establishing the less OF the Frank
lin records q tho bost place IN Stafvation