Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-03
CHILDREN N TIE ARCTICs.
How Two Little Girls Spent Their
Winter There.
fc,- Te..rrfeeo Cq111

TWO little girls have arrived in this
mort from the Arctic, after passing two
most rigorous winters above the iOth
parallel. and they are as hale and
hearty as any two children who have
been spending the same time IN comfort
able homes I'm san Francisco.
one Of them is at the 81. Nicholas Hotel
,,.i+b her aunt. Mrs. Green. and Captain
Green. Of the steam-whallng-Da Alex
ander. and in the course oil an evening"
she can entertain visitors with interest
ing stories of tho cherries. dreary wastes
OF snow and ice
tic; 1 did not like il az all' she eA-
claimed. with something seslnS
sigh of relief, in answer 10 request Ioi
her impressiOns Of the frozen North.
And i would not play with the Maz.n-
kas" she added, after pause; 'tney
ave renulsiye. There was nothing but
snow and ice. and It was so cold You
could not stay out for an hour Stiu,
had lots of fun 1 learned 20 read anu
write and crochet and sew, and the Of
6cers taught me TO dance; and i learned
The Afazukas's language
What appeared funniest of an I'm that
queer region was the persistent tendency
OF ice-cream TO become as hard ass IRON d
not eaten quickly. 1t was 40 trouble 70
make ice-cream. but keeping lt SOFT was
another matter, especially when cnains
dishes were not plentiful By watching
the Indians hunt and FISH she grew eA-
merit I'm catching salmon trout through
holes cut IN the ice. and could mold her
seat ON sled nyi over hummoc@y snow
with any little barbarian.
The two children met at Herschcl Is
land. where whaling ship make their wine
ter quarters. one was from h9noiuiu'
Miss Lucie Mcclure; the other from Ala
media Miss Dorothy Porter. daughter or
Captain Porter, Of the whaling steamer
Jessie Freeman. Lucle and Dorothy were
for an the world Ike two little Esqui-
maux when they were introduced 60 each
other and told to be playmates. an in-
structlon which was wholly unn cessary
considering the fact that within the whole
Arctic circle there was possibly not am
other white girl.
I.ucie was then about years DID, and
her companion year or two younger
They were soon fast friends and together
managed TO make the hours pass pleasant
ly IN their winter Prisons. The sailors
carved dolls for them and played EsQui-
mau dogs by hauling them ON sledges over
the snow. or helping them fish; and then
.
10 stay aboard ship the tots We're amused
IN various ways. Every little kindness
from the hardy seamen is still remember
cd. so that the children look back 10 Hers
chel Island !n mlIwinter with many
pleasurable recOllectOns.
There We're fifteen vessels in winter
quarters at the island and as six or seven
captains were accompanied by their
wives. the season was not So dreary as
d D.. I... .as.
Of the ships were musicians, accomplish
cd performers ON the violin, guitar. and
mandolin. and some Hawaiians and AfeXi-
cans, who sang sweetly. Besides, thete
was more or less talent IN the way of
comedy.
The ladies' entertained quite literally
and one ship had q steward, q Japanese
who had filled a. similar position on
man-of-war. The ladies' made good use OF
him when they found that he took espe-
cial pride I'm preparing surprises for every
dinner And SO with music, song, comedy,
receptions, card parties. private theatr.-
Gals. and banquets, varied on fine days
with sled rides. the long northern night
and the twilight days were bearaDle
But / was tired OF H." protested little
Lucie, "and ! often wished TO be home
again. There was 10 one TO play with bur
DOINlNys anu We IAA 10 stay on IN.iL
ship nearly all the time. IL was SO cold
we could not stay out over an hour. and
when the sou'westers blew the air was
full Of snow and the mercury dropped 90
40 below zero. Then we were like prison
ers for a week at a time. That WAS not
nice"
mot so nice as the sunshine OF Homo
lulu?"
Indeed. no; and often longed to be
there"
The bright little girl was reminiscent by
this time. and began 10 relate her expe-
riences during two winters in the frozen
regions.
II had TO wear heavy woollens and my
ordinary clothes. and outside them an
eeerskin coat 20 my feet II was lined
with flannel. / had a hood lined with
flannel and trimmed with wolverine. also
Esquimau boots and deerskln mlttens,
over woollen stockings and gloves. They
kept me warm. still could not stay out
long or | would be frozen. When the ship
put in at Unalaska for coal and provisions
lady gave me books, and auntie then
taught me 20 read and write / did not
know my alphabet on going into the Are
tic, but on coming out l read all the