The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-11-27


blubber? Probably you never did, and so
viii tell you what 1t is like. Ii is to
have your hands so smeared that for hours
afterward everything you touch is tainted
with your digital oiliness 1t is TO smell
your own fingers for day or two. 1t Is TO
have your clothing, and your face, and
your hair sGvory with train oil. IL Is Co
have the laces slip through your fingers
like cells and your favOrite knots break
away and look up into your face and give
you the laugh. Still it is good oil for wet
work
At Nelson island we had an exceedingly
picturesque camp among the rocks, and
from the mountain top could see Walden
island and the fisg flying on 1t, eight miles
% the westward. BY the flag we knew
that some OF the crew were still there.
Two or three miles TO the north lay the
dreadful pack, indescribably rough, who'll
ly impassable There IL had been, obvious
ly enough. all the summer. Not bit Of
open water was in sight, not even TO the
west and south, where at this season OF
tho year the sea IS nearly always ice free.
A more unfayOrablo season could not be
imagined.
Our last days journey was race for
life. Between our camp and our goal the
ice. though flied with innumerable water
holes, was In fair condition, but the wind
was In the north, and the terrible pack
outside was slowly breaking up the smooth
fec and threatening to engulf whoever
should chance To be travelling its surface.
The swish, hiss and crackle of the ice as 1t
ran together, as piece Tapped upon piece
under the influence OF the majestic pres
sure, gave us warning that we had no time
20 lose. We knew too we'll what those
serpentlike sounds portonded But cross
we must, and we decided to do so at once
ana as rapidly AS possible. Under the
conditions OF tho road we expected TO use
two days for the passage, but when we
had once started it became evident that IL
we wished to cross within n week and
without terrible struggle for life in the
brUHkfry r1rfs-- FFe- 4al4St-keep on. Fortu-
nately the water pools were longer than
those we had formerly traversed, and we
were therefore able TO make better speed.
For tho FIRST time since we have had to
drag Mr.. Alme we took both boats at a
single trip, six mon on one boat and five
to the other Spurred on by the danger,
every man put forth all his strength. Now
and then three or four of us were down In
the sea mp TO our necks at the same time,
having rushed Wpon rotten ice in our
] haste. It is not u pleasant sensation, this
Of feeling your feet go down toward China
beneath you, and right glad man is un-
der such circumstances TO have boat to
cling TO. Often our water pools were very
deep, especially NC their edges, and we had
to stand In water up TO our arinpits and
lift the boats out upon the dry ice.
signal of Distress.
When half way over, we put a mast up
in the Parry and unfurlcd our American
flag in hopes tho men on Walden island
would SEQ IL and come ont Go help us.
Finally we heard dull report and saw
puff OF smoke on Walden mountain. We
knew then we had been seen. This salute
was followed by another and another, and
with our glass we could discern the men
running excitedly to and fro on tho noun
tain top. You who have never wandered
I'm these icy wastes, where no faces but
those of your own party are to be seen and
no evidence that there Is any one but your
selves I'm hewide world, cannot appreciate
the satisfaction with which every one of
us heard these welcoming shots and saw
the figures indistinctly far away. In our
imaginations Walden island seemed like
home again, and at first we did not pause
70 think that 200 miles of rugged coast
separated us from our winter headquarters
and nearly /, 900 miles from civilization.
A Hearty Welcome.
IL was late in the evening when we APP
preached the shores of Walden island
through wide water hole. Two men and
a dog came running down TO meet us, and
as we paddr1d tfru- bo1ts +hHe#gh- -SludGe
they ran along the edge of the fast Ice and
shouted out their welcome and the news
Of thoir arctic st. Helena. Captain Bot
telfson and four mon had started nearly n
month ago for Danes island and Norway
I'm the little Kane. Every one was well at
the island There had been no open wa
ter and OF course no hunting vessels with
I'm sight FROM the mountain top, and the
poor old Ragnvald Jnrl had remained
anoat, literally held up 10y the ice which de-
stroyed her, for period of ten days after
the catastrophe
One after another OF the seven inhabit-
ants Of the island came running down 20
meet us. We were astonished at their ap-
pearanco and they at ours, SO white, clean
and newly shaven, so neatly attircd, were
they in comparison with our tanned,
dirty and budraggled selves. AS the Off
GERS OF the expedition clambered over the
rocks and approached the house built Of
timbors from the ill fatod ship--tho Hotel
White Bear, tho mon had named it--a sa-
late was fired from the mountain III our
honor.
A trivial but comical example OF the
irony Of fate was afforded by the welcome
which The dog gave us. He was the sole
survivor Of his tribe and n dcsorter from
tine cause at that. Him and 81 OF his fell
lows had we bought I'm Belgium for sum
which in his country would have been
deemed u small fortune. We had paid
third clacs faro for them on railways and
fnr 81, had 10,
take care OF them; had bought two tons OF
the best dog food FOR their subsistence; had
built them a private deck in tho hold Of
the Jorl and there fed and watCrcd and
nufsed thom With tender hands; had pro
vidcd them with medicines and chains and
nice harness and everything n reasonable
-dog cnnl1 nak for: had riskcd our lives ana
limbs parting thom when they fought and
had dressed their wounds when the com
bat was over. IN return for all this the last
dog met ne az the shore with growls and