Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1891-08-07

ly entertain any hope OF that'"
"Most assuredly do, Gordon, II W,
could succeed in building a boat that
was only tolerable Sea-worthy should not
hesitate to start out on voyage Of dis
coyery."
well, well, don't let us be in any hur
~ about that" replied Gordon, "let us az
least wait until we have organized om
little colony"
"Ah, my brave Gordon, you forget that
we have friends in our native land-friends
who"
Certainly, certainly, Brian; but we are
fairly comfortable herel Things are go
ing on very we'll; and we really want for
nothing"
But we shall soon be IN want OF many
| things, Gordon" replied Brian, thinking
it well to discuss the subject more fully.
For example, our supply of fuel is near.
ly exhausted"
"Oh, all the forests on the island are
not exhausted yet; but 1t is quite time that
we should be replenishing our store OF
this indispensable article"
Every well, we will begin to-day" re-
piled Brian. Let us see what the Their
mometer says"
The centigrade thermometer that was In
the kitchen indicated a temperature OF
| only five degrees above zero, though the
| range was at full blast; and when II vas
hung out-of-doors, it soon fell to sevente> u
| degrees below. In short, the cold was in
tense, and promised to become even more
severe if the weather remained clear and
dry for several weeks; and already, in
! spite of the two well-filled stoves in the
hall, and the roaring range in the kitchen,
the temperature of the French Cave was
far from comfortable.
| About nine o'clock it was decided that
| they should all go to the Trap Woods in
! quest of fuel When the air is calm the
! lowest temperatures may be borne with
| lmpunity. That which occasions most
suffering is the cold wind that stings your
hands and face, but on that day very for
| tunately there was little or no wind, and
the sky was perfectly clear. Instead OF
! the soft snow of the day before in which
| one sunk nearly to his waist, the firmly
frozen crust now furnished n, footing OF
metallic hardness upon which one could
walk as easily as upon the frozen surface
| of the Family Lake and the Zealand River
| With a pair of the snow-shoes used by ma
tives of polar regions, or even with q
| sledge drawn by dogs or reindeer, the lake
could now be traversed from end to end
In a few hours.
Formerly the transportation of sutli.
cient quantity of wood to the French Cave
had been long and laborious task, as il
had been carried in the arms or on the
back, but happy thought had occurred
to Moko, thought which the lads forth.
with proceeded to carry into execution.
Their large and substantially made table,
which measured at least twelve feet by
| four when turned upside down, would
make capital sledge, by which a very
considerable quantity of wood could be
easily and swiftly transported to the cave.
The suggestion was promptly adopted,
! four of the larger boys harnessed them.
selves to this rather primitive vehicle, and
! the entire party started for the forest.
The half mile between the cave and the
wood was soon traversed, and the young
! wood-cutters set to work laboring with
such diligence that by noon they had TAX
en- home two heavy loads. After the mid
day meal, the work was resumed and con-
tinued without intermission until the day.
| light began to wane. The entire week
! that followed was devoted to the same
work, and an ample supply of fuel for sew.
eral weeks was thus secured.
According to the calendar, the 9th day
of July was st. Swithin' sday.
80 if it rains to-day we shall have no
good weather for forty days" remarked
Brian.
Upon my word, that would not be
surprising in climate like thisp' growled
Service. ooh, if it were only summerp
And as 1t proved the inhabitants Of thi,
| region had little cause to trouble them
selves about the influence of St. Swithin-
the winter saint of the people of northern
latitudes-for the prophesed rain did not
make its appearance, the wind veered
around TO the south east, and the cold be
came so intense that the younger children
were not allowed to set foot GU -of-doors.
! Indeed, in the middle of August the
mercury in the thermometer fell rs low