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

.E kss ARCTIC ANNALS. s.aaa
Thrilling Narrative OF Lieut.
| Schwatka's Expedition.
TRAVELLING WITHOUT FooDovEE
FIELDS OF ICE AND snow p
The Hsrald's story of Schwatka's Arctic
expedition presents some points Of thrilling
interest, The writer says: We reached
our permanent camp, on our return from
King Williams Land, on September 10th.
Ii 10 about six miles southeast OF Gladmau
point. We ate quantities of reindeer tai
low with our meat, probably about half oui
daily food. Beefsteak is eaten raw and
frozen, but we generally have warm meal
!. In the evening. Fuel is hard to obtain, and
/ consists entirely of vine-lke moss. Rein
deer tallow Is also used for hight. A
small stone serves for candlestick, on
!. which a lump OF tallow Is placed, close 70
. piece Of fibrous moss which is used for a
wick. On the 9th Of September heavy
snow storm set in, and the next morning
the snow was knee deep on the level ice.
The winter winds soon blew it around, and
packed it down so as to be almost solid. BY
the 14th of October the sledging was sufi-
ciently good for Toolooah to 90 to Cape
Herschei and Terror bay for the sled and
other articles that were left there during
the summer for want of transportation. AS
bis little boy would suffer with cold, Too
looah exchanged wives with Joe, very
usual and convenient custom among the
Esquimaux. The ice was sufficiently strong
for the reindeer to commence crossing to
the mainland abo1t the 1st OF October, and
in few days their numbers had percepti-
bly, diminished, and after the 14th we saw
none at all. Lient. Schwatka has decided
that he and will take Toolooah's sled, with
Joe to ASSIST. and 90 by the way of Smith
and Grant points, and through the big in
let spoker of by the natives as putting in
from Wimot bay, aud meet with other
sleds, which, In charge of Henry, will go by
the way sf Richardson point and Bach's
river, nesting at the bend of the river,
above the dangerous rapids, where we shall
| find the 0oqueesik ksiillk natives, and take
on board supply of fish to last us until
We reach she reindeer country once more.
as the other sleds had the shorter route,
they would start day or two later, and
wait for US ut the appointed rendezvous
until they were getting short of food, in
which casa they would push on into
TIE REINDEER COUNTRY.
We stated on the 1sr, as proposed, but
did not siccced in getting further than
about three miles from camp, owing to the
heavy sleds and the dogs being SO fat they
were lazy We only reached the native
camp, near Sherman inlet, on the 18th.
There was quite q large camp of Esqui-
maux on big lake, the largest camp We
had yet seen. The sled was pulling heavily
and slowly across the lake aud went ahead
toward the igloes. All the men were stand
ing outside awaiting our arrival, and with
them we're some Netchilliks we had met
during the spring. As soon ~ they retog
nized ne they set up great shout of "ma-
nytoone which ID their salutation of.wel-
come. They seemed very glad that We
were ceming among them again, and hur-
ried me into big warm igloo, while most
of the men ran out and helped the sled in.
They built our igloo in short order, and
during the time we were with them did
everything in their power to contribute to
our comfort. We found but few interesting
relics among the mud, only piece of the
boat found in Wilmot bay after the big
ship sank, and part Of the block branded
either t10'' or "or," with part Of the 'r"
| obliterated. II the ships blocks we're
| branded with the name of the vessel TO
which they were attached these would be
important as establishing the identity Of
the shIp chat drifted down as the Terror.
We found among them a piece of wax can
die that they had preserved all these years,
while every scrap OF paper had perished
We met sled with few natives coming
from Kigmuktoo to join the rest of the
tribe, and with them was an aged crone,
named Toolooah, who had seen white men
in Boothia isthmus when a young woman,
and had also been with the party who found
the boat and skeletons in Starvation Cove,
near Richardson point. She confirmed the
testiomy previously obtained in every es-
seutial particular. We marched in a south
eastern direction on the inlet five days, dur
ing which we travelled upon It 45 miles, and
when we left 1t could still see 10 running in
southerly direction for about 10 or 10
miles further. The sun was so low now
that we had either sun rise or sunset dur
| the whole time it was above the horizon,
short days together. Oar heavy sleds, and
dogs not more than half fed, kept us back
| most provokingly Our usual marches, at
this time were from TO 10 miles. Twice
since leaving the Inuit camp. in Wilwot
bay, the dogs had an interval of 5 days be-
tween meals aad were IN no condition for
hard work. That they could do any work
| &C all seemed marvellous. About aves miles
inland from Starvation Cove the natives
| had found during the summer as
THE SKELETON OF A WHITE MAN
| which no one had ever seen before. On
the way down Henfy visited the place and
erected monument over the remains. The
pieces OF clothing found indicated that the
| deceased was q sailor, not an officer. The
finding Of this grave is worthy of notice, Az
showing that the natives were thoroughly
| aroused by our visit and It's object. We
1 had promised them liberal rewards for
everything OF importance found and for
/ valuable information, and we're always par
| ticular 70 keep Our promises The conse-
i queDce was that thsy had greatly aided Us
by searching everywhere within reach Of
their camps Or hunting grounds. The lar
gest number Of fish caught here are some
thing like the very large herring, and the
| flesh much coarsss than salmon or trout.
We bought several bags Of salmon oil from
the natives, which We used IS long a. 1t
i lasted d substitute for reindeer tailow,
which il All gone now. The weather j. m
II x--.~s.- ~rl.1 4 RoC n an fha 4 1Rh We had