Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-02-03
GATES and Sketehes.
AN ARCTIC RACE FOR LIFE.
CONTINUED from Yesterday. }
By FREDERICK ScHwATKA.


CONTINUED from Yesterday
Many of the native parties were amply
proyisioned 50 as to be absent day or two
should it be needed, more for the reason
that the latter half of the short day would
not have to be used in returning home II
unsuccessful in the first half than any hope
of being able to rescue him alive on the
second day. Time wore anxiously on,
and although few of the parties sent out
had returned it was only to report that they
were sure that the missing man had not
taken the direction assigned to them IN
the search: and as there was but little use
questioning their ideas on these points, so
faithful are they 10 their undertakings OF
this character, and so little do white men
know in the same field comparatively. that
their opinions were mournfully accepted
The imprisoned Glacier was frozen IN near
the eastern side of tie broad bay, mile
or two probably from shore, while 1t was
something like twelve or fifteen to the
western shores of Repulse Bay, which
were. however, from their. bold, billy out
line, plainly visible at that distance. 1t
seemed very hard to think that man
should be irretIievably lost in such
basn-like bav with bold shores. unless he
had wandered off across the land, and this
idea had been instrumental in directing
most of the search parties toward the near
est land, and from there inland. 1t was
some of these land parties that were COM
inc in reporting the failure of their mis-
sion. Anxiously enough the March alter
noon was wearing away, and Just before
nghfall the mate sent man alott to dis
play the lantern from the maintop for the
second night, and to satisfy his own Curl
ositv rather than hoping to see any one,
he borrowed the masters fine telescope,
and from his high perch he scanned the
drearv waste of white, hummocky ice
framed in by the snow-covered hills of the
great bay. Like most of the native
sledgemen, the greater part of his atten-
ton was directed to the nearest land, and
this he scrutinized in the minutest detail
and when through in that direction swept
the glass to the westward in rapid way,
as if it was about as much use to look on
the deck below him for the object of his
search. Far away to the westward mere
fleck of black on the distant hills arrested
his attention at once, but he put little store
by it at first glance, as he fixed his at
tention upon it; but when he saw the OBJ
ject move slowly down the slope to
the shore line, he gave it sufficient
notice at once to report it to those on the
deck below. keen-eyed Esquimau as
cended the shrouds. and as soon as he got
the first peep through the telescope he
shouted odloon-ah! Ga white man, and
in half minute the maintop was full and
a dozen faces at time crowding around
the limited space to get look through
the coveted telescope. All OF the natives
agreed without murmur of dissent that
it was a white man, and as no white men
were in that direction so far away except
the missing one. it was evidently he by a
reductio ad absurdum course OF reasoning
as convincing as il they had made out his
face.
1t was just starting to grow dark, the
sun having disappeared but minute or
two in the south western horizon, and the
merest fading of day was showing itself.
Inside of an hour it would be too dark to
have any hope of again finding the man by
the eye alone, while it was simply impos-
sihle tor the lost sailor to gain the ship in
even treble that time across the twelve or
fifteen miles of hummocky ice that stretched
itself. between the rescuers and the one to
be rescued. In fact, it was very doubtful
if he saw the ship, its hugh black sides be-
ing incased in snow as a protection from
the winters cold. while the masts alone
would be left to indicate its position, which
were probably invisible to the naked eve
at that long distance. There was hustle
and confusion in and around the ship as
the decision of the maintop was shouted to
the throng belOw-an excitement and ac-
tivity seldom witnessed in those dreary
climes where so little ever comes to break
an almost ceaseless winter monotonv of
never varying scenes. The man must be
rescued in half an hour, or every minute
after that would decrease the chances rap
idlv while there could be but little hopes
indeed of his standing another night.
There were plenty Of dogs around, hum
dred or more in the large village, while
almost as good for their object. one of the
Esquimau hunters had just completed
icing the runners of his stout sledge pre-
paratory to another hunt for the missing
man
This putting coating of ice on the run
ners OF sledge is more necessary to those
nomads of the North to get the sledge in
the best condition for travelling than
greasing or oiling wagon wheel is with
us. and as it generally requires a
half hour to perform the operation, it is
easy to see the advantage gained in this
case. In every direction were a score of
Esquimau men. women and children sour
rying around and catching the dogs, har-
Messing them and bringing them to the
sledge to be hitched thereto. The greatest
number OF dogs that can be hitched to even
the largest sledges with the longest traces
they ever give to the leading dog-about
% 1eet-and have every dog do fair pull
ing, is about 20 of these animals, they
make solid mass in tan-shaped way,
spread out before the driver. When a
number of sledges are out together. and
steep ascent is encountered, or bad wav
as the soft snow of narrow pass, two or
even three teams are fastened to one
sledge to pull it over or through, by long
connecting lines of the very strongest
walrus hide, each team being vet by itself
As have compared single team to an
| outspread fan, so these two or three teams
may be compared to two or three fans in
a row, the handles being the strong traces