Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-12-26
HUMMOCK AND FLOE.
NOTES OF A LONG SLED JOURNEY IN
ALASKA
Home Life Of The Na6yes-A Glimpse Inside an
Arctic Hut-hntaSte Ios-Rorns and
Moonlight Efsct-fhs FOOD
Supply.
w n san F-uncisco Caroniols.

II ~. W. W StA EftlhNtcSD Nfue"aSN-+
Those who peruse the accounts Of var
ious travellers in the Arctic regions are apt
to imagine that sled trips and journeys are
simple and enjoyable undertakings. They
fancy smooth, unbro Ken ice road over
which the sled glides and the Toysgers
have nothing to do but sit wrapped in furs
aud skins, while the dogs so forward at
rapid pace. But while such conditions
NAV exist on lakes and rivers, trayelin the
Arctic regions of Northwest Alaska pre-
presents anything bat o tempting road.
Masses of ice piled up by action Of the
waves and wind during the month OF Octo-
her. when furious blasts from the north
and west are nj their climax, and deep
Teyasses full OF snow, which lie between
huge blocks Of ice, are some OF
| the difficulties encountered. My
sled iOurneys, extending from
Norton sound, Go north, to Point Barrow,
7lo north were undertaken for trading pur-
poses and TO obtain knowledge OF the
country and its natives The sleds USED
are strongly built of oak stanchlOns, with
cross pieces, runners Of ash, shOd with
steel and bolted through. LaShe6 together
with seal-hide ropes, the elasticity oil
which proves them to be unsurpassed, the
sled Yields in curves and fluctuations over
INEQUALITIES of surface. Six dogs as gem
er,l rule suffice to draw load of from 600
10 700 pounds with these sleds. The can
ines are harneSSed in tandem fashion by
means of a long rope trace, to which each
| dog is tied. The harness consists OF q
stout seal hide or canvas, on the collar OF
which is sewn two bands, through which
the fore legs are inserted, the ends coming
over the back, and stout line 70 fasten
them to the trace. rs this method each
dog pulls his share of the load.
With high wind sweeping over the
country the cold is so Sensibly intensified
that travel is almost impossible. The
slightest exercise produces cOpiOus perspl-
ration, which in q momentary halt turns
10 a thin ice mask on the face. In fact,
with such a wind the exposed side of the
person becomes thoroughly chilled. Sit
ting upon the sled can therefore be in
dulged in only for q brief time, and run
ming has TO be reSOrted TO regain
warmth. The clothing adopted for winter
Use by the residents in the Arctic regions
when out upon a sled trip Is necessarily
| of the warmeSt description: Undershirt OF
squirrel or light tawnskin, Oyershirt of au
tumn or spring deerpelts, having hood
trimmed on the edge with the long hairs
| of tine wolf, which serve rs protection
against the keen blasts. The stock
ings are made of deerskin, the
hair turned inwardS, while deer
skin boots with Soles of seal hide,
| all sewn with deer sinues, and reaching to
the knees, with trousers and mittenS OF the
same material, are also worn. Thus clad
the cold may besOmewhat detied, although
have lOund by experience that any
closely woven material lined with piece
of blanket is also etiicaciOuS in keeping a
lizht wind from the body. The nose, ears
and cheeks are the parts ex posed and liable
TO frostbite, but by wearing the trimmed
hood much discomfort can be avoided
And now To describe trip Leaving
from the station-aS early As daylight
makes il pOSsible-with sleds loaded, their
contents well lashed, dogs bowling, bark
ing, straining, pulling to get of, the de-
parture is taken. From the station to head
OF hOlEtbNN NotAllNA III ANA Al lslLlLuNAC OO.
the curvature Ofthe coast line cOmpels
detOur OF nearly 800 miles, the road being
along the sea coast and lagOOns. The shore
| ice, exposed to the early winter gales, is
hummOcky and broken up in detached
slabs, piled at various angles by each sue
eessiye wave. With such road the sleds
are often stuck, gaps and chasms Iilled with
snow intervening between the huge blocks
| of ice. Sometimes the Sleds come To full
stop against what appears to be a solid OBJ
structiOn. On these occasions il is laugh
| able to observe the attitudes OF the dogs.
They sit down upon their launches and
eomplacently look around and wait until
| their human companions eXtricate the
sled from Its position. Sometimes under
these conditions of 4 bad road the axe has
to be resorted to to clear a pathway.
| remember upon certain journey
reaching a very high hummOck and climb
Ing to It's summit to gaze over the ice
bound sea. II was 4 beautiful day in the
month of April. From a clear blue sky,
| with buta few tleecy clouds, the sun was
shining brightly, and although in the
shade of the hummOck the thermometer
marked so below zero, where | stood in
the bright sunlight the heat was percepti-
bile. Far to the north and west stretched
| an expauSe OF Ice, thrown up in various
| Fantastic shapcs-rOckS and picturesque
| bid ruins, natural bridges and strange ami
mails InShOre were ridges and masses of
hummOck ice, the white landscape dotted
with black patches OF rock from which the
Snow had been blown, the orange tinted
licheuS showing like FURNISHED gold upon
theSe projections, while solitary hawk
pwl poised in the air over some unfOrtu-
hate grouse OF ground mouse completed
| the scene.
Five hours run brought us to the large
' Aagoon which lies north OF Cape Lisburne,
bud upon its surface there was q slight
trust of snow, 80 that the sletlS went along
'eaily. | had nearly ~ pounds weight
tppon each sled, consisting principally OF
Nslding goods, light drill tent, deerskins
Ind blankets, while my provisions, always
reduced To a minimum, weighed but
leventy pounds. Upon exploring eNpedi-
biOns conducted by navy or army officers
he provisions carried Is the heaviest
weight, but when engaged upon trading
Irips the quantity of food taken is q minor
Consideration. knew that upon the Jour
hey ! should meet natives nj various
.,ointS, so that WAS in no fear OF hunger.
The exigencies of Artic travelling demand
hat a white man should eat the food that
patiyes use, and can assert that such is
he wiSest plan to adopt OfcOurSe at the
utset seal meat, whaleSkin, frozen dear
peat and fish, with blubber, is repugnant
b any civilized person; but if one can i'm
gine while eating a piece of walrus liver
is bit of pate dcfois grdS, then he may
yercome his feelings and his stomach will
= satisfied.
BY nightfall the first village Ouiyak,
twenty-five miles from the station-was
fached. The sleds were put ON the plat
9rm in order to prevent the dogs eating
be hide lashingS, and after embarrassing
pc animals they were given their days
Aeal. But once a day are the dogs well
ed, and that Is in the evening after the
hy's run is finished. Were they allowed
eat in the morning before start they
fOuld not pull or work with sueh ayidity