Omaha daily bee., 1894-02-25

appear in the woods cannot be told, and anx-
iously the hungry and frozen men waited.
foodless and shelterless under that stormy
and icy sky. How the hours dragged along
till, on the third day, a welcome shout,
sweeter than ever human voice had been be-
fore. burst upon them. The half-breeds had
been successful in reaching Fort Churchill
in two days. The people of the fort realized
that If they would find the explorers awe
they must hasten, and on the third day came
with four dog teams and sledges. IL was u
sudden transition from blank despair to over
whelming joy. The canoes and the sick were
loaded on the sledges, but the rest or the
party we're forced to walk on snow shoes 10
the fort. distant about thirty miles. The
snow was three feet deep and so soft that
the dogs had hard work to get the sledges
through.
A short distance before reaching the fort
]. b. Tyrrell's strength gave way. ana ne
had to be carried in. The legs and arms OF
every one of the party swelled to nearly
twice the usually size. but the kind attention
given them brought them out all right.
They reached Fort Churchill on Hudson's
BAY in latitude ST. north and longitude
80. 20 west on the 10th of October, lS93.
THE HOME RUN.
Fort Churchill is a trading post of the
Hudson's Bay company, of much more I'M
p%ortance in fromer years than now. Ihey
found the population fifty-one, mostly hal1-
breeds, only four whites being present. or
these Captain Halves was in charge and Rev.
Joseph dollhouse had exerted himself 10
send needed aid to the explorers. Here they
remained for nineteen days, not wholly tor
the purpose of recuperation, though that
was needed, but the stay was enforced, be-
cause they could not cross the Churchill.
which was running full of ice. On November
6 the river was frozen over from bank to
bank, and they started for York Factory
overland with one dog team.
ITpdar tho tapaar cara pf Mr. IOfthOuSe.
his wife and daughter, who compose his fam
lily, the explorers, who had been terribly run
down, began to improve. and j. b. Tyrrell
gained forty pounds from the time he
reached Fort Churchill to his arrival here.
This snow shoe journey was interrupted at
the Nelson river seven days after leaving
Churchill. Here the delays, which seemed
interminable, continued for ten days, during
which they were out of food, living on rab-
bits, foxes and birds. To add to their dis
comfort the thermometer indicated 20 to Az
degrees below zero. 1t was now November,
and in this wooded region they were in
danger of starving.
Almost desperate, they launched a boat
in the river, running ice, and succeeded after
an all days struggle in crossing to the other
side. A journey of one day took them to
York Factory. This once important post or
the Hudson's Bay company Is today a de-
serted village. 1t contains several large
buildings, and about twenty good-sized
houses. Once the headquarters Of the COM
pany, all were occupied. In 1885 1t was re-
duced, and now consists of only six families,
numbering twenty-five or thirty persons,
only two of whom were whites, DR.. Milne,
who showed great kindness, being one Of
them.
They left York Factory after two days for
Oxford House. leaving on the 2Sth of Novem-
Der. From Churchill to York Factory. about
200 miles, was made on snow shoes, over two
feet of snow. The country is very open.
with fi,nhar along tho Strpamg From York
Factory they took two dog teams to oxford
House. a distance of $50 miles, the explorers
going on snow shoes. Oxford House is on
the boat route on Hayes river. 1t took ten
days to reach that place, the distance being
made on snow shoes, and nearly all the way
through dense woods. AT Oxford House
they were delayed a week waiting for dog
teams, and during that time were very cor
daily entertained by the Hudson's Bay COM
pany's agent, Mr.. Isbister.
T. During the snow-shoe journey. although
the thermometer sometimes ran to 40 below
zero, the men did not suffer from cold. They
would build up a roaring fire at night, wrap
themselves in their robes, and though the
fire would die out at midnight would sleep
soundly till morning.
On the 18th of December, having obtained
four teams of dogs, they started ON their
journey to Norway House, $50 miles. They
were anticipating a sledge ride to Norway
House, which is located on the northern end
of Lake Winnipeg, but had 10 wait TOT the
return of dog teams which were all out; on
the return of these, they found the dogs so
used up that It would be mere cruelty TO re-
quire them to haul the explorers. Dog teams
can carry only provisions enough for them
selves and drivers for ten days, and the
company were forced to continue on snow
shoes, which was not easy, as the snow vas
soft and yielding,
One Of the ~Iroquois they had to haul on a
sled from Churchill to York Factory. The
arrival at Norway House completed the $50
miles of snow shoe travel. At Norway
House they were fortunate enough to secure
four fresh dog teams, two to carry the ex-
plorers and two to haul the supplies. 1t
was a merry party that was thus hOmeward
bound. starting down the east side of Lake
Winnipeg on the 23d OF December, and they
ate their Christmas dinner sitting on a
stone on the shores of Winnipeg. They
stopped at several points and obtained sup
plies, and as the days were short, made but
about seven hours. Rolled In rabbit skin
robes. seated In their carrioles, with Indian
drivers, they flew over the snow, making
sometimes fifty miles a day, until they
reached Selkirk, $50 miles, In nine days and
a half. A I that point they sent their Sas-
katchewan men overland, with one dog team
I'D the Saskatchewan river. The two re-
naming Indians accompanied the Tyrrells
ON foot, but were both used up. They paid
the passage OF the Indians by fish teams
to Winnipeg, while they took the train for
that place. Arriving at Selkirk January /,
1894, they reached Winnipeg, the present
Headquarters of the HudsOn's Bay company,
the next day, and reached Toronto Janu-
AIRY s.