Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1891-10-17

The trials and suiferings of the party
We're not confined to those endured from
the dismal climate. The native deniZeus,
the savage Eskimo and the polar bear,
not only annoyed them, but filled them
with terror at times. The bears proved tn
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 WIS aroused mt night by IL huge
bear that had entered the tent and WAS
nosing around among the sleepers. a cute
Irislmun, one Tom Hickey, made a sortie
to the rear by cutting hole in the tent,
secured II rifle from II chest outside and by
the glare Of n torch the ravenous beast was
brought dOwn with II 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 hostiities.
They also overawed thc-savages by osten-
tatious displays of prowess 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
| Eskimo boy for companion. The nimble
footed dogs and the slcdge glided out upon
a stretch of new ice, and before he was
! aware Of the danger Kane found himself
foundering 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 Mt every attempt to save him.
self he broke through. 1t was freezing
cold, 8 degs. below zero. and there was nc
help at hand. A clever idea came to him
| and like u drowning man he clutched at Ii
and was saved. One dog still attached tC
the sledge and struggling TO get away with
| 1t, had caught one runner on the edge oi
the ice and held it there Kane threw him
self on his back in the water and hoated
and then with gentle push OF his foot
against the sledge managed to work bii
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 vaiI
attempt to go by boat to Beechy island
4O0 miles distant, to get aid from an Eng
lish expedition at that point. This failed
and then half of the party decided tt
abandon the brig and their companions
and retreat. This attempt failed, and th,
Whole crew returned anu were relnStatet
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 ,
Journey of eighty.four days by boat ant
on land, they reached the Danish settle
ments OF southern Greenland, with tn
loss OF only one man. They were all In
famishing state, and had lived for days OF
bread dust, tallow, and scant supplies o
bird meat taken EN- route. Their sledge
had been used rs fuel. and they couldn'
even boil water for tea.
Kane had not found Franklin, but hi
daring trip turned the search into wester
, waters. v here 1t was eventually successful
: GEORGR u. kILMER