The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1884-08-23


Il terrific noise of the grinding pack in
/. creased so that it was deafening, anC
O our hurried remarks had to be shouted
K in each others ears. Drawing near tC
e the edge of the ice we found it under.
: going terrific pressure. The whole
4 immense pack was moving steadily and
9 perceptibly out of James Ross bay, and
1 at this point it was forced with tremen-
, dous weight against the lofty ice-foot,
7 which similar causes had erected or
| strengthened for years. The ice-foot
: was forty or fifty feet in height, pre-
senting a rugged front of immense
, blocks of ice cemented together, and
its thousands of tons of weight could
only have been forced up in such q
manner by the mighty pressure of a
frozen sea in motion. AS we looked
the edges of the foe would break,
where weak, against the ice wall, and
the pieces forced upward would be kept
in motion like jugglers' ball for while
and then tumbled down into the narrow
water space further on where the foe
did not touch the land, or landed on
some ledge that gave them lodgment.
To cross amid this commotion appeared
very dangerous; but would we ever
have another opportunity.
REACHING THE ICE-FOOT.
Our consultation was carried on in
shouts and pantomine. We drew near
point where it appeared compare
lively easy to scale the ice-foot on. the
other side, and where the falling de-
bris of ice could be perhaps avoided.
To test the feasibility of the passage
one of us dropped down to the lower
level of broken ice that was held to-
gether by the pressure, and, passing al
most completely over, returned quickly.
Standing below, assisted the dogs
down as they were forced over-much
against their wildly the doctor and
Jens. Then the doctor, exhibiting
great strength, lowered the sledge with
its light load to the same level. Jens
appeared to have lost his head. The I
dogs stood trembling and would noa
move. l took Redeye, the leading dog, =
and the first to cross bad places, under
my arm and tried to drag the others
along. The doctor was pushing the
full weight of the sledge and JenS was
keep their traces from being caught
upon the ice, and l dropped Redeye to
lear the lines. The intelligent brute
had now gained confidence and began
picking her own way. L next seized
Howler, a dog near at hand, and in this
way-the doctor propelling the sledge
from behind and Jens clearing the lines
and dragging the dogs-we succeeded
in reaching the other side to a ledge
that gave me secure footing, with the
dogs all around me, but the sledge with
the doctor was still on dangerous
ground, and no time was to be lost. L
had an open knife in my teeth with
which to cut the dogs clear should they
become inextricably entangled, and it
now came in use in clearing the lash
ng of the sledge. Jens unloosed the
logs, and, pulling them past me, they
lied one by one up the slippery steps
which the rocks and projections of ice
n the wall afforded. From the top the
Lnimals looked down on Us with scared
aces, some of them whining piteously.
With great difficulty followed them,
nut when part of the way up 1 dis
0dged a large piece of ice which,
triking me in the stomach, carried me
to the lower level, but for
nnately not falling on me.
SAFE ASHORE.
Another attempt was more success
IL. l carried the sealskin thong, and,
eaching the top, pulled up, one by one,
ne different articles that comprised
ur load and which the Doctor and
ems made fast to the other end. They
ext, after all the load was safe, fast
ned the line to the sledge and joined
e on top of the ice-foot, when the
edge was pulled up after them. 1t
as 10 a. m. While crossing we were
} absorbed as not TO notice the motion
the ice, bnt L think it must have
opped swinging for moment, held
7 the pressure of the pack, as we were
rangely free from the falling blocks
hich were in motion when we started
ross. Be that as it may, our passage 4
as very propitious, for as soon as we \
uld look about from our new and
fe vantage ground we found the pack
Ill moving out with a great noise from
e terrible grinding and friction. 1t
peared to touch only at one point and
short distance in the bay. At Cape
9nry's outward point we could see the
en- water boiling and eddying with
.ANN "ASh oWcOPo 1iouuu ouio
ointment point with great rapidity.
Notwithstanding our safety, it was not
'asant to see our only shelter, and
tn it all our provisions, equipments
d hopes Of reaching the "highest,"
,eding from our view on the frozen
can.
DISAPPOINTMENT.
t was great disappointment. We
l succeeded in advancing our pro-
ions and outfit to a point which
'mised us at least the satisfaction of
aiming higher latitude than ever
ore reached. Of course, this would
re been but barren victory, for we
ew that the terrible character of the
before us would solve the question
presence of land to the north, and
knew that our experience would
y add to the opinion of our predeces-
SHAT the frozen ocean cannot be
Versed by sledges, and, of course,
all. Our hardest work was ever,
coolest temperature past, and to be
oped so near the end of Our Journey
not pleasant. When, however, we