The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1894-11-08

Boervig started without a gun and APP
preached within q short distance of bruin
before discovering that, instead Of harm
less cub, 1t was q full grown male bear. It
was too late to turn back and run for it,
80 the wild Norwegian, as we often call
our fair haired daredevil of sailor, ran at
the bear, shouting with all his might and
waving his arms.
Contrary to tradition, the animal re-
fused to become frightened and run away.
Instead he started toward Boervig with
manifest intention of having that cour-
ageous man for supper. Boervig held his
ground as long as he dared, playing his
game of bluff much longer than the
strength of his hand warranted. But, the
bear showing no signs of weakening, the
sailor took long slide down the side of a
ridge, landing up to the neck in pocket
of snow. The life of the hunter depended
wholly upon the bears decision as to
whether or not he would follow suit. For
tunately he did not press his advantage,
! but paused at the edge of the hill, peered
over it at the helpless Norwegian founder
| ing in the snow some distance below,
moved his head, bear fashion, from side to
side, and snapped with his ugly mouth.
By this time Captain Bottelfsen had di-
vined Boervig's danger, and came run
ming as hard as he could, firing his rife as
he came in hopes of attracting bruins at
tention. Mr.. Dodge came up few mo-
| mentS later, just in the nick of time, for
now Captain Bottelfsen found himself
unable to throw the empty shell out of his
| gun, and the bear had screwed his courage
to the point of sliding down the snow for
a hand to hand scrap with Boervig. The
| first shot from Mr.. Dodges winchester
| brought the big white fellow to his knees,
and as he was showing himself through
the snow with his hind legs maddenei
with rage, second shot finished him
within ten feet of the bold sailor. In a
second Boervig was upon the body of his
PROSTATE foe, dancing a hornpipe of vic
tory.
| Return of the Party.
With two magnificent skins on their
sledge the party started on the return trip
| at o'clock this morning. Yesterday S
warm sun had softened the snow, and
they had a hard pull, their labor being
greatly increased by thirst. They tried
snow eating, only to have their threats
burn with hotter fires. Boervig was so
thirsty that he scooped the blood of the
bear up in his two hands and drank his
|
in making supper and could melt no more
snow. The process of obtaining water
from snow placed in rubber bottles and
worn inside their shirts seemed provok-
ingly slow, but it helped little, and in
this way they managed to cover the 12 or
13 miles that lay between them and the
ship.
The report which they brought of the
| condition of the jcn was pnt very pTcOl1r-
aging To the east and south of the Seven
islands, in the bay between them and
Northeast Land, the surface was flat and
smooth, as we had expected they would
find it. But farther out was wide belt
| of drift ice that had been screwed into con-
! fusion. Beyond it lay the great polar
pack, but So far beyond that it was not to
be seen, even from an elevation of 1000
feet.
Decide to Leave the Ship.
TUESDAY, May 22-Ofiicer of the day,
Mr.. Dodge.
After consultation between the officers
Of the expedition and Captain Bottelfsen a
| decision is reached that it is not worth
while to spend more time looking for an
opening to the north with the ship. Be-
tween us and the main pack lies that well
nigh impossible belt of drift ice and there
is not much chance of its clearing out or
! opening up for weeks to come While we
have been very fortunate in reaching the
Seven Islands thus early without accident
or much trouble, it is not to be denied
that we have met extraordinary unfavora-
BILE conditions to the north of this point.
But we are not content to sit down and
wait for change for the better. We pre-
fer instead to push ous and work our way
along the smooth ice 10 the east, our plan
being to cross from the extreme north ly-
ing islands of Northeast Land to ellis
Land and to the other islands which are
believed to exist in that direction. While
we must travel considerable distance to
the eastward before we can go north, prob
ably we shall gain in the end We shall
certainly do so if we are able to make the
land and use it as a base of future opera
lions. We do not disguise the fact that we
should much prefer to adhere strictly to
our original plan of going straight to the
north from this point over the pack, but it
being so difficult or next to impossible
to cross the belt of drift ice without wait
ing an indefinite period we believe our
best chance lies to the east and north.
This change, of course, necessitates lit
Captain Bottelfsen. The Jarl is now or
dered to remain a week here, looking after
our rear, as it were and then to proceed
to Tromso as rapidly as the state of the
ice will permit. There taking on a large
quantity of coal, she will without delay
return to the Seven islands. If we should
be defeated in our effort to reach land to
the northeast in our small boats, we might
still have another chance, and that would
be to fall back upon the Seven islands
about July l, here again taking the steam
or and pushing north with an ample supply
Of coal aboard. We should still have
about 20 days for our journey, and the
ship in that season might push her way as
far as the eighty third parallel of north
latitude. While we have every reason to
believe we shall succeed along our north
easterly route, making both high latitude
and exploring new land, we still have an
other chance-a second string to our bow
This morning the orders are given to
prepare to leave the ship within "a hours
There is much to be done, notwithstand-
ing our weeks and months of preparation