The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1884-05-09

New York Letter. q
The Bear, which visited ~ 1 f -
oughly, is . trim little zoo. M
masted steamer, low in the NJ
painted ~ black as crow.
board Of her Lieutenant Colva
pleasant and intelligent young 1
who went on the Proteus expeditiS
made that memorable journey A
over the ice when the Proteus e
down between two ice foes thous
miles away from civilization. The BSi
is fitted out with every possible eouiaIjs.s.
ment for the work, having stores ~
three years, two extra screws, 1000 ne
tro.glycerine cartridges for blasting s
harbor in an iceberg il necessary, 5
steam launch, boats Of every shape md
sledges. The cabins and mess rooms
have been double sheathed with felt and
wood, and double windows have been
put over the port holes. She will leave
for st. Johns just as soon as the Cardiff
coal which is expected from the other
side gets here, and will be off for the fas
North by the beginning of next month.
Her engines are not new, but will Aa-3
able her to make eight or nine knots an
hour with ease. q z 8. 8
Lieut.. Colwell tells me that the nnen
are just as anxious to get OF e. Il tke
trip was to be pleasure excursion fus;
stead of q dangerous expedition in which.
the chances Of getting back and .of not
getting back are about even. Two
years from now," lie said with laugh
"you may be over here talking with 9TH,
er fellows getting ready to look for tliS''
Bear and her crew." The matter WIGi 49,
made a joke, although lle knew bete1r
than 1 how little joke it may becoms.; ];
This spirit of cheerful esgerness togo
upon dangerous business may partaksi
somewhat of bravado, but it scarc6lY
seems 80 when the numbers who daily
apply for berth on the Bear are con-,
sidered, and most of the men have had
experience in arctic seas. Every one
about the little ship seemed to be in tha
best of spirits, and only once did Lieut..
Colwell look very grave for moment
when lie pointed to the Photographic
OF children hasging in some Of the Off
ticer's berths: "Three of us leave.
children behind" he said.
According to the expectation of thsss
Bears officers. the first tidlngs III
Greely will be heard from the Esaui.
maux who inhabit that dreary. strip offS
coast below Cape York. There aro
about 125 Esquimaux who range M.
and down coast line of several hum
dred miles. "They are, said the 1ieu.S
tenant, about the lowest hu.s
man creatures I have ever seem,
living in holes and on any.
thing they find. When left there on
my way back from the Proteus, these
Esquimaux had caught flock Of birds
about the size of small chickens and
were llavinga regular orgie. Their way
OF eating bird was to take it alive and
bite off its head; then the skin vas
pulled off by main force and the Ges;, ].
was eaten raw, just as We would bite in-
to an orange. have seen children jus: !:
able to walk toddling around with a raw
bird i'll their hands and their facee
smeared with warm blood. These PEG
pie hear oil that can be known about
strangers to the North of them. If we
hear nothing there, then We shall find
winter quarters in some protected cove
and start with our sledges and dogs. /.
The dogs never complain Of cold.
When the Proteus went down we let
the dogs go, and away they scampered
direct for the pole, US if bound for home.
We may go a Thousand miles with
sledges; while half of the men sleep in
the sleds the others push or pull. til
queer work when the Arctic night closes
around you for months and the brilliant
Boreal lights fash over that desert Of
awful silence and gloom, not civilized
community within thousand miles or
more, icy water and mile deep under
you and unknown dangers ahead. But
it is exciting, and there is not man
who has been North would go now but
for wife and babies" )