The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-04-14

we were soon bowling along at a good
seven knots.
1 got into my oilskins at the very
first opportunity and was followed by
the others, for the waves would break
and fly over us in spite of Jacobs fine
seamanship. The boat set So low
down in the water, weighted down as
she was with tents, bags, provisions,
and ten men, that we could not pre-
vent some water coming in.
We passed on between the islands.
keeping a sharp lookout for sunken
reefs, which we found to be almost as
thick as the islands themselves. Kin
of Sal lowered up out of the water like
an enormous sugar loaf; in fact, 1t
was this similarity which led the
Danes to adopt the name of Sukker-
topper, the Danish for sugar loaf.
Leaving this on our port quarter we
rounded Sermersut island and were
soon crossing the mouth of our first
ford, view suddenly breaking upon
US as that in ruggedneSs and savage
grandeur went far ahead of anything
l had ever seen or heard of. Nothing
but hard, cold rocks, springing up
from the waters edge to a height OF
1000 or 5000 feet. At these heights
they were capped with snow and far
back up the ford some thirty miles
could be seen the Simmer" of the IN
land ice through the clear atmosphere.
Far out at sea was a single white
spot. 1t was an iceberg and the only
one in sight Not a sign of tree or
brush to be seen anywhere, much less
evidences of life.
I'D hate to be cast on one Of those
islands here with no way of letting
our party know about it," I said to the
doctor. 'Now what would we do II
such a thing did happen?" ''Do?" said
he, you see that kayaker there behind
US? That's just what I've got him here
for, to take the news to the towns If
anything should happen to us. And it's
an uncomfortable thing to say, but the
chances are that we'll be fortunate if
we make this distance along an I'M
known coast without running on one
Of these sunken lodges, which are as
thick as flies on fy-paper. And it all
the worse in this sort of half night,
half day.
The kayaker was doing his utmost to
keep up with US and at the same time
keep an upright position in his fraI
boat. which was only about eighteen
inches wide. The width, however, was
made UP in length, the whole thing be-
ing some eighteen feet long, pointed at
each end and made of the skin of the
seal stretched over a frame. The waves
almost covered the fellow at times but
at every wave he would shoot forward
and with his double paddle steady
himself for the next one.
AS midnight approached there was
only an appreciable change in the in
tensity of the light.
II wonder how far that town Kan
gamint is from here?" said the doctor.
''Cumming, tell Jacob we must make
IT before we stop"
Struck BY Squalls.
But Cumming didn't ask him for
Jacob was jabbering something to
the Esquimaux, who were rapidly low
ering the sails. Then the squall
struck us and with such a force as to
keel the boat over until she began to
fill. Then came another gust and still
another, carrying with them the tops
of the waves. Old Jacob was on the
alert, however, and his good eye saw
the SQUALLS coming and warned the
'huskics" some time before they
reached US.
Finally we got across the ford and
reached the friendly lea of the islands
once more. The EsQuimaux wanted to
go into camp, but the doctor would
have none of it. So on we went, and
at last reached the little settlement of