The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-05
FROM D ICY WASTES.
Il RRNARRABLE ADVENTURE ON
TINE GREENLAND COASE
Having FnIien Int = Crevnsse ne Sees the Itrs
Lino Cat By rrts Companions. but Makes 1uis
Way to Freedom Beneath the Ice Cap.

race OF a great glacier, nearly nve miles In width.
rises, like an irregular wall OF polished marble,
TO a height Of eighty feet above the level of the
sea. Its snowy surface. scanned with innumera-
BILE crevasses, stretches to the eastward until 1t
is lost to view against the white background of
the eternal ice cap OF tho interior.
To the northward of the Eskimo village of
Idloomi two mountain peaks, surrounded on all
sides by the glacier, rear their crests high above
the frozen mass.
Gazing ~drowsily In the direction OF the glacier,
q quarter OF a mile away, l was reclining on tho
beach before a struggling row OF sealskin tents,
and basking in the warm rays Of the July sun.
A group OF native women were boiling seal meat
in stone pots placed over a FIRE Of peat and wal
rus blubber. l heard the monotonous hum OF q
bee lowering above the yellow Arctic peoples,
which we're in bloom beside the tcnts, and tho
changing cries Of the lons tailed ducks swimming
in tho pools OF open water between the icefoe
and the beach.
An Eskimo was lying stretched out on tho
rock beside me.
"Angwo." said I, speaking to him In Eskimo.
have any OF your people ever crossed the gla-
cier to the mountain a.
Never, Kabluua," he replied. Tho rein
deer In the summer cross the glacier TO tho
valley between the peaks. but they alone know
Surely, Angwo. where the deer can go. an
Eskimo may. follow T. / remarked.
rising. he Joined the women and helped him.
sell to a liberal portion of the stow.
venison had been exhausted. We had hunted
on the plateau behind the village. but failed to
IND a single reindeer. resolved to attempt to
reach the isolated mountain valley in the hope
OF discovering a herd OF deer.
Except Angwo, every man in tho village had
departed on ii seal hunt earlier in the day. /
should have preferred n certain one OF tho abb
sent natives for "a companion, but ! determined.
II l could induce Angwo TO go with me, to set
out immediately for tho mountain, or nunutdk.
as the Eskimos called 1t;
iHecorainxly approached the little group u.s.
's! %xnsw ssS1I s aas A!f' shall try to find the rein.
deer in the mountain valley. Will you cross
The women looked at me incrodulously. Ang-
wo shook his head.
"Wunga ndmee-not IT, he replied.
II will give a new knife II you will" I said.
/ could see that he was sorely tempted. II
VIII 60 he answered presently. and we at once
began 10 make the necessary preparation. Ang
wo procured his lance and a long rawnide line,
while ! provided rifle and cartridges.
Leaving tho village we proceeded a short dis
lance through a deep ravine. rambl over
the loose stones with which the bed OF the
Of u narrow river flowing beside the glacier. A
few yards to the east ART OF where we stood a
s sI,fl'e worm slpe tnroa sIsh iSs S Sa1a from Srns nnd ia q a low
glacier. and united with tho lateral river.
Having forded the small stream. which was
extremely colo, we began the ascent Of the
glaciers precipit Gus side. Knife in hand, Angwo
I'D the way up the almost perpendicular slope.
Shopping steps IN the ice as he went. while | fol-
lowed close behind him. We mounted steadily
until at last we stood upon the brink Of tho ac-
cllvity. There we halted.
l then took the tough walrus hide line which
the Eskimo had obtained before setting out
from the village. and fastened one end OF it to
tho other end around his waist and tied it there
securely. Then, with Angwo a few PAGES in ad-
vance. we began our hazardous march across
the numerous crevasses which lay before us.
The undulating surface OF the glacier resem-
and snow, which was melting rapidly. Pools OF
water had formed in many places. and TO pass
make a long, detour. Occasionally we slipped
while descending the siie OF u steep ice ridge
and went siding down the slope until our
career was checked by the deep snow with
which the holiows between the icy waves were
Little streams, fed by the melting snow, were
coursing down the sides OF the ridges and plung-
Ing into the black assures in the ice. Sudden,
sound. occurred from time me- 10 p time. A fsSSst ths
noise or rushing water could be heard the con-
otherwise imperceptible motion of the Glacier
we crossed several deep crevasses on bridges
formed oy the snow which had drifted across
me gaps. Before trusting himself upon the
bridges, Angwo would thrust the shaft OF his
lance through the hard crus, ana drive it deeply
result OF his test, he would venture cautiously
across and wait for Ine to follow.
W C mad traverscd about three hundred Yards
from the point where we hah scaled the glaciers
side, and were crossing a level snow sheet when
s Seaa insf, Answo II, uttered ,be a or; Of terror The
crevasse concealed beneath the snow.
The assure was so marrow that. by holding his
abied to prevent himself rom dropping COM
pletely out OF sight. With only his head and
he hung suspended. while he shouted Justify for
Tor me to cNtricatc him.
Erasp,d my rifle firmly by the barrel.
crust, and passed the butt OF the weapon to the
Eskimo, He ~clutched the stock OF the gun with
one hand and Ennn lRranI. In G,rn 49,
beside me. where he remained, breathing heav-
lily. for several MINUTES. before we again re-
treacherous snow sheet rs we travelled slowly
Toward the mountain. The crcvasses seemed to
perceived that Angwo's recent misadventure
mad revived his dread of crossing the glacier.
We had not gone very far before we discovered
that an immense crevassc, with which our
course had hitherto been parallel, was inter.
sected by a smaller chasm which yawned across
our path: A few yards below the salient angle
formed by the meeting OF two sides OF tho
cfevasses, a snow'bridRe. not more than six feet
the huge tissure Just in front OF us. To The west
ward. beyond the bridge: stretched the dark line
chaotic mass of fissurc.riven ice.
..Angwo halted close beside tho bridge.
"Eearpe nun0a-I am afraid r. he exclaimed.
pointing downward into the crevasse. / saw
that he was trembling nervously.
What do you fear Z ! asked. lis not the
KokoyG." N"
hoNOVu u ~ HltleFOlcut DelnR who Is SUD
posed by the EskimOs TO have an abode In tho
mysterious. subgl cial regions. Never before.
however. had l heard one that no
really feared this evil spirit.
way" | said. "'
Angwo passed the lance TO me, and l stepped
upon the bridge, which was not more than len
leet in length. Its upper surface WAS covered
with a hard crust. l had reached the centre OF
me bridge. when suddenly. with a dull crash,
the entire mass gave way beneath me.
dropped the lance and clutched at tho shelving
Drink OF the icy. wall in front OF me, but failed To
grab IT, Dropping swiftly, downward until the
end OF ne line was reached, | hung suspended
twenty feet below. The fragments OF tho bridge.
depths OF the crevasse. ''
Warned by the crash OF the yielding drift,
Angwo had ,braced himself to withstand the
strain brought to betr npon the line. His foot
slipped, however. and he Tell upon The ice. There
no was. lying motlonless. not daring 10 rise for
the Crevasse. ""
called to him TO hold tho line until I could
ehop a Ioothold in the Icy wall beside mo. Then
igrasped the rawhide above my head with ono
hand. and took my knife In the other, but had
scarcely struck the first blow when Angwo cried
out that no was being drawn to ward the chasm.
! glanced upward and saw his arm projecting
over the edge OF the crevasse. An instant later
caught the CLEAN of steel as AnEwo quickly