San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-10-24

The trials and suferings of the party
were not confined to those endured from
the dismal climate. The native deniZens,
the savage Eskimo and the polar bear,
not only annoyed them, but filled them
with terror at times. The bears proved to
be persistent robbers of the supply depots
upon which the lives of the explorers de-
pended, but were also dangerous neigh.
bors. On one of the sledge journeys north
the party was aroused at night by huge
bear that had entered the tent and was
nosng around among the sleepers. A cute
Irishman, one Tom Hickey, made a sortie
to the rear by cutting hole in the tent,
secured a rife from chest outside and by
the glare of torch the ravenous beast was
brought down with a bullet.
The Eskimos were incorrigible thieves
and assumed the right to help themselves
to anything in the camp. This the explor-
ers tolerated in order to avoid hostilities.
They also overawed the savages by Osten-
tatiOus displays of proves and endurance,
assuming, as Capt Cook did in the savage
islands, to be gods and not mere men.
Another danger was the rotten holes in
new ice which in rapid sledging could not
be detected until the sledge broke through.
| In this way Kane nearly lost his life
while out hunting for meat with only an
Eskimo boy for companion. The nimble
| footed dogs and the sledge glided out upon
a stretch Of new ice, and before he was
aware Of the danger Kane found himself
houndering in circle of broken ice, with
dogs, sledge and all. He cut the dogs free,
all but one, and got the boy upon the ice
safely, but at every attempt to save him
self he broke through. 1t was freezing
cold, s dogs. below zero, and there was no
help at hand. A clever idea came to him,
and like drowning man he clutched at il
and was saved. One dog, still attached to
the sledge and struggling to get away with
it, had caught one runner on the edge Of
the ice and held it there. Kane threw him
self on his back in the water and floated
and then with gentle push of his foot
against the sledge managed to work hi:
body up on to the ice inch by inch, first hi:
head, then his shoulders and finally hi:
body, part of his weight being on the water
and part on the stronger ice.
In the summer of 1854 Kane made a vain
attempt to go by boat to Beechy island
400 miles distant, to get aid from an Eng
lish expedition at that point. This failed
and then half of the party decided tC
abandon the brig and their companion.
and retreat. This attempt failed, and the
whole crew returned and were reinstateC
by Kane, and all hands together spent an
other dismal winter in the ice blocked
brig. On May Z, 1855, the camp was aban
doned and the retreat began. After q
Journey of eighty-four days by boat and
on land, they reached the Danish settle
ments Of southern Greenland, with the
loss Of only one man. They were all in a
famishing state, and had lived for days or
bread dust, tallow, and scant supplies OF
bird meat taken en- route. Their sledges
had been used as fuel, and they couldn't
even boil water for tea,
Kane had not found Franklin, but hi.
daring trim turned the search into western
waters, where it was eventually successful
GEORGE L. KILMER.