The Anaconda standard., 1895-12-25
CHRISTMAS IN A BLIZZARD.


1883. and I didn't have turkey and
'fixins' for dinner at that. I put In a
good share of the day in the shack of
a mining camp, wrapped UP In blank
cts and bearskins, and thanking the
good Lord that / wasn't a frozen
corpse on the bleak shore of a blizzard
swept lake.
'I was a tenderfoot at the time. and
about the rawest who ever packed
supplies over a portage on the big
lakes up north. I'd gone to Winnipeg
during the land boom and got in the
subcellar of some Turing mining deals
in the then unknown territory of Kee-
watin. One of our group of mines was
on the mainland. about is miles in an
air line from Rat Portage. on the Lake
of the Woods. Some of the boys want
ed me to go out to the camp to see how
the land lay. so that could talk scn-
sibly to some Montreal capitalists who
were expected to invest in our scheme.
I'D been up to the Northwest long
enough not to mind the cold even when
the mercury dropped to 25 or 80 below
zero, but, as told you, was a tender
foot as to experience and outfit had
a vague idea that we'd have to drive
out to the mine, so / put on a heavy
u
overshoes. At that time the Canadian
Pacific road ran one train .iaily from
Winnipeg to Rat Portage, a distance
of about 165 miles. In the summer Rat
Portage is one of the most delightful
summer spots on earth. In the winter
of 1888 Ii seemed to me the home OF
Boreas and too cold for any use.
put up for the night at the only h6 tel.
a frame shell, barren of lath or plas-
ter. but chock full of Northwestern
hospitality and contraband 'vhiskey
that would kill anyone but an Indian
or a lumberman just in from the log
ging season. 1 didn't get fresh when
some of the crowd guyed me about my
ulster, my overshoes and my Christy
derby hat. When one giant from the
Rainy Lake region tossed his snow
shoes into a corner and said, Young
fellow, IL 1 was you l wouldn't 20 cut
on that ice tomorrow for all the gold
this side of the Rockies I smiled az d
asked, Why not? This is good.
healthy weather, isn't it?'
MERCURY BEGINS TO DROP.
THE big fellow stretched himself,
drew closer to the stove and replied:
It's gettin' colder every minute. I'll
bet that spirit thermometer down at
the Hudson Bay store will mark 40
under before mornin' n IL I'm q good
guesser there's storm just about due.
Better stay here over Christmas or
wait till the ice breaks UP before you
go cross the lake above Hay island,
where the wind has sweep Of easy 80
miles.
THE next day, Christmas eve, we
started for the camp. The superin-
tendent, Jack Brown, a quiet. little
fellow, wore. observed. a wooden cap.
a heavy leather jacket, and mocca-
sins. He apologized for a delay In our
~ and aaid tho driver of fha shI1ql<-
ies,' or dog sledges, had got boiling
drunk, and that If didn't mind we'd
hoof 1t to the mine. He appointed an
hour for our departure, and gave me
knock-down to the rest of the party
/ There was old Captain Heenan. the
I oldest mining explorer In that region
in those days; Joe Dealy, a rollicking
Irish adventurer, who owned a mine
on Hay island, and a young civil en-
gineer, who said he knew every foot
of the Lake of the Woods, and who
told me that 1t contained 10000 islands,
and that 1 ought to shake that derby
hat. Oh, yes, there was a grizzled old
chap called Dan. He toted a big bag,
and the others told me Dan was the
new cook going out to the camp. Down
at the foot of the hill we met Brown
and a team. The horses pulled a sled
loaded with boxes barrels, bags and a
side of beef Never mind whether 1t
was cold or not. That big chap from
Rainy lake had IT dead right AS we
passed by the Hudson Bay agency 1
looked at the spirit thermometer. 1t
was then about noon. and If that in
strument didn't lie Rat Portage
showed up AZ degrees below zero.
Yes, and when we pushed out on
the ice, Jack Brown gave to each of
us, including cook and driver, good
stiff drink. He said. Boys. that's all
until we strike the camp. for we can't
take chances. It's pretty stiff going.
About dusk we reached an old aband-
oned stamp mill on an island.
"The snow was falling fast. and
Brown decided to put the horses under
shelter here for the night. He did un-
cork that bottle once more, for my
benefit, he said. The driver bedded
the horses and pushed on for the camp,
saying he would tell the boys to get
supper for us. After smoke and a
rest, Brown said: Wed better get a
move on. / don't like that storm
WE'RE IN A BLIZZARD.
Then he and the young engineer
went outside. They came back pretty
soon and reported that the tracks
were all covered UP. but that they'd
taken bearings. / didn't realize my
danger and well 1t was. Brown said
Follow me- and he turned me over &c
old Heenan and good-natured Joe
Dealy. They cared for me as only big
hearted miners can for tenderfoot
Dealy whispered to me once about ar
hour after we left the old mill 'Stici
close to me, and for Gods sake. don
drop i'm your tracks. We're in a bliz
zard.'
Gentlemen, that nights experienc
aged me 10 years II not more. AS w
trudged, plodded and stumbled owe
the ice, vainly seeking for some guid
ing point of land. L would nave sol
INV mining interests for a dime to an
tenderfoot fond of freezing. The up
shot was we were lost. Even Brow
lost his air of unconcern. After run
ming us up against a high wall OF roc
: he beat up and down Its sides. cam
back and told us TO take another tac
and follow him. We did so blindly an
in my case hopefully. Hour after hou
in that awful storm we staggered oi
and IL must have been TO certain deaf