The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-12-03
EXPLORERS IN A PLIGHT.
Unexpected Adventures in
Little-known Regions.
Dilemmas, Some Of them Ridiculous and
Others Dangerous.

arctic regions shows the advantage of
keepirg ones wits about him in an
emergency.
Lieut.. Cheyne was an English officer
IN one of the Franklin search expedi-
tions. Early one spring he was sent
with a couple of sledgemen to examine
the condition of some provision depots
that had been laid down the previous
fall. They took nothing with them
but a tent and sleeping bags. rations
Of pemmican and hard tack, and a
small supply of tallow to be used as
fuel in thawing their pemmican and
boiling their tea. One morning, after
they had Travelled about $50 miles
from the ship, Lieut.. Cheyne was
awakened by something pulling at the
corner of the tent. He lifted the tent
flap just in time to frighten a big
white bear, and the animal was in full
retreat over the ice before Cheyne had
extricated himself from his sleeping
bag. The party had more serious work
on hand than bear hunting, and they
would have let the animal go if it had
not been suddenly discovered that his
bearship had torn open the tallow bag
and eaten every ounce of fuel. Here
was predicament. The men were
five days journey from the ship, the
weather was terribly cold, and they
could not eat the solidly frozen pemmi-
can. 1t was necessary to get that tai
low back. and so Cheyne, shouting to
his comrades to follow, set out after
the bear The chase was an exciting
and anxious one, but the animal was
at last overhauled and killed. No time
was lost in opening the creatures
stomach, and the men returned to
camp in triumph with all the tallow
Of which the unfortunate brute had
"obbed them.
During last winter the James broth
ers succeeded in exploring a part of
Somauli, in East Africa, where sever
al explorers had been killed. The re-
gon has remained almost wholly un-
known on account Of the hostility of
the natives. The bravery of the
Messrs, Jamess escort rapidly oozed
out as they advanced into the hostile
country. They refused once or twice
to go any further, and finally the
brothers hit upon this expedient for
infusing them with little courage.
A great noise in their own camp gen.
orally has an inspiring effect on the
natives of Africa The Jameses had
their sentinels fire their guns at fire.
quent intervals during the night.
They report that this practice greatly
pleased and inspired their people, who
always felt more secure when firing.
The young explorer, Thompson, two
years ago, was considerably nonpluss-
ed by lot of smart and suspicious
natives whom he encountered near
Mount Kenia in East Africa He had
e few tricks which he very impressive
ly performed when the inhabitants
we're unfriendly and it was necessary
to exhibit his great power as wizard
| to induce them to sell him food. He
had two artificial teeth on plate, and
the feat that usually overcame all op-
position when everything else failed
was to extract these teeth. These
Mount Kenia natives were very much
| pleased with this feat, but they said
that if he could take out two teeth he
could remove the others also, and they
insisted upon seeing the entire show.
Finally they not only refused to sell
him food, but threatened to attack
him unless he took his teeth out, and
he thought best to make a forced
march one night to escape his too ex-
acting acquaintances.
Mr.. Thompson's white comrade,
Martin, had more serious experience
with some suspicious natives, and per-
haps it served him right. He was
telling crowd of Wakwaii girls that
ne could do even more wonderful
things than the leader had shown
them. Holding out his hand he said
he could cut his fingers off and put
them on again. One of the girls sud
denly sprang forward, seized one ot
the extended fingers and cut it to the
bone with a native knife. She had
taken Martin at his word, and was de
'ermined to see the feat performed.
DIR. Hayes stole march on th'
Esquimaux who refused to take hin
and his comrades back to DR.. Kane il
Smith sound after the failure oi
Hayes's attempt to return to Upernavil
in small boats. Hayes and his men full,
expected to die of starvation unless tn,
Esquimaux, with their dog sledges
assisted them to return north. Tht
EsquimauX declined to make the lonl
Quincy in the growing darkness of III,
winter. One day two natives drov,
up to Dr. Hayes's hut with sledg
load of walrus meat. They were oil
their way home after long journey
and they accepted the doctors invita-
tion to tarry a while. Everybody at
heartily of the walrus meat, and thel
the natives, overcome with fatigue
laid down for nap. Hayes aud hi