Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1895-01-10
NATIONS AND MAIDS.
HOUSEKEEPINGI IN THE ICE OF
THE ARCTIC REGION.
Some of Mrs. Peary's Interesting Ex-
periences-A New and Pretty Way to
Entertain-The Kettle-Iu Cases of
Croup-Toothsome Dishes.
Near the North Pole.


ooh, no." was Mrs. Peary's answer
to the first question. 1T is not
always winter in Greenland. We
have summer there of nearly four
months, during which the tempera-
ture is sometimes as high as sixty de-
grees, and the vegetation is very lux
uriant. The grass grows, often foot
high over the old 'igloos,' or huts,
and is plentifully sprinkled with
bright yellow peoples, potentillas,
bluebells, and rhododendrons, but
there are no trees worthy the name.
During the mild season the skies and
waters are beautifully blue, and the
air is wonderfully soft and clear.
There were a number of days last
summer when l went out in tweed
gown and no wrap, and even the
slight exertion of gathering flowers
made me uncomfortably warm.
Il dressed there outwardly exactly
as do here. OF course, had to wear
very heavy underclothing, and in the
winter deerskin stockings, with the
fur turned in, reaching above the
knee, and sealskin boots. The latter
were rather clumsy, but very warm
and comfortable. When went sledg-
ing wore long fur coat, which en-
veloped me from head to foot
Eyes, last winter was unusually
severe. The storms were numerous
and terrific, but it is a consola ton to
know that there is not likely to be
recurrence of such weather for year
or two. We suffered little with the
cold after the tidal wave, which
washed away most of our oil barrels
and crushed others, compelling us to
put up with short rations of fuel
Fortunately, aside from the personal
discomfort, no injur ious effect to any
of the party followed.
1.-The only sickness we experienced
was the peculiar disease that broke
out among the dogs, which prevented
my husband from prosecuting his
work as rapidly as he wished.
mo, indeed, we didn't live in ice
huts, as the natives do but in a good
sized double house, which my hus-
band designed and took with us all
ready to set up 1t had double doors
and windows, and was lined through
with felt, but otherwise was like an
ordinary frame cottage, and l took
much pride in it. The interior did
not differ materially from those of
the houses you see every day. l had
Brussels carpet on my parlor floor,
several comfortable rocking chairs,
portieres, few pictures and the like.
"Well, yes hous ekeeping in Green
land differs necessarily from house
keeping here. For one thing, every
drop of water we used had to be
melted from ice, and cans of toma-
toes, corn, meat an d the rest had to
be brought from the storehouse the
day before, and put on high shelf
to thaw ready for use. But that was
really not as much trouble as to wash
and pare vegetables before cooking,
as we are obliged to do here. We are
spared, too, the constant worry of
trying to think up something new
every day. Circumstances did not
permit very much variety in our diet
The hunters kept us supplied with
deer meat, which is very palatable,
and we had plenty of canned vegeta-
bles, but oh, how 1 did long for
taste of home cooking once in a while!
Throughout the whole journey back,
could hardly eat mouthful of ship
fare, in antici patton of all the good
things awaiting me.
Our house there was heated
tbrounbout with oil The first time I
was in Greenland we used coal, ex-
cept in my room, where it was found
that the oil provided such an even
temperature that Lieutenant Peary
decided to heat the whole house
with it.