The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1894-07-19
rOOLOOAH.

~ the men would sink to the waist in
deep holes, the dogs floundered in slush
and deep water, and the sledges disap-
peared between the hummocks of snow
and ice. Fortunately Toolooah brought
down game sufficient for all the explorers
and natives as we'll as the dogs, although
the other hunters had no luck at the chase.
On the northwestern shore of the island
the white men of the party spread out to
make thorough search of the coast ad-
joining the waters where the Erebus and
Terror had been seen by the natives. This
was the first exploration ever made when
the ground was bare. First two graves
were discovered with some scattered bones,
enthusiastically those of white men, Near by
later search unearthed the camp Of Cap
tain Crozier, successor to Franklin on his
death In 1S47.' The we'll known parapher-
MALTA OF an exploring camp was found in
abundance - stores, clothing, blankets
and implements and utensils of copper,
brass and iron. But the most Important
IND was an open grave, containing parts
OF skeleton and a prize medal from the
Royal Naval college, awarded to John Irv-
ing Irving was the third officer of the
Terror. The remains were gathered to-
gether and ultimately sent to England for
burial, the only ashes of the lost explorers
ever returned to their native soil.
Continuing the search along the western
coast of King William Land, numberless
graves were found with relics to identify
them, and their places were marked with
monuments of stone. The return journey
across the island had to be prosecuted over
bare ground. The men bore all the lug
gage upon their backs, for the dogs could
scarcely draw the empty sledges. Before
starting for Hudson bay cold weather
and the long winter night had come on,
and the homeward march was the worst
In fact, a constant struggle for life The
explorers could not leave King William
Land until the ice bridge over Simpson
straits had formed strong enough to hold
them. That was in November. The month
OF December passed in the journey along
Back river and in taking supplies of
salmon for subsistence. The overland
march between Back river and Hudson
bay commenced Jan. 1, $780, The worst
storms and cold of the whole trip were en-
countered during the two months follow
ing The thermometer averaged So de-
grees below zero and reached 70 at times.
One storm Of 10 days duration hindered
the march, and during February the party
travelled but 13 days in ALL During this
time men and animals lived upon frozen
famine hung over them. Reindeer in
plenty could be seen on distant hills, but
the hunters who ventured out were driven
back by wolves, the new terror Of the dar-
ing explorers. These ravenous beasts
sometimes attacked the camp, and one
night killed and devoured four of the
sledge dogs. Toolooah alone was match
fOr them. On one occasion while hunting
for reindeer pack Of 30 wolves attacked
him at once. Mounting rock, he fought
them Off with his dubbed gun until he
saw chance to reverse it and make dead
shot. While the beasts quarreled over the
carcass of the first one slain he shot down
| more OF them and made the best of his
opportunity to escape.
On reaching Hudson bay in March,
1880, after an absence of II months
Schwatka found to his dismay that the
stores of food promised him from home
had not arrived. The natives could sup
ply only small quantity of seal and wal
rus meat, and the explorers were reduced
to the chewing of walrus skins for nour-
1shment. At the end of the summer they
were taken up by whaler and brought to
the home port
A strange circumstance connected with
this expedition is the fact that while the
travellers were crossing the hills between
Back river and Hudson bay during Jan
uary and February, 1880, with the tenn
perature 100 degrees below the freezing
point, yet not suffering SO as to delay the
march, natives and hardy whalers winter
| ing hundreds of miles south of them, and
well sheltered and we'll fed, were perishing
from cold. GEORGE i. KILMER