The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-18
RESTING N FTTERS
Of ICE N THE ARCTIC.



me to the first Hudson Bay poet They
were both young fellows and good hunters
They bore the terrible names OF O'clock
ard Ob1uak No provisions could be spar
ed from Point Barrow. so we decided TO
try ard shoot our way through 10 Her
gchsi Island. a distance OF go miles II We
found game and the Indians succeeded IN
killing IL we would get through II we
did no,-wen, there would be two Indians
ard another white man less They did give
me some bread and small supply OF can
ned goods, but not. nearly enough 20 last
Terrible Trip to H~r.chei.
ION November ! we started out rom
Poln. Barrow along the coast line 1t was
showing and kept It up for nearly all the
time we spent along the coast. This made
the trip much longer. for We were unable
TO cut across the deep bays and coves that
dent the coast In many places to a depth
OF afteeE or twenty miles. We could not
see across and had no way Of keeping the
direction Had we venturcd out on the Ice
we would probably have lost our way and
wandered out OF the pack A. r was. we
we could have crossed these reaches and
saved several hundred miles Terrible gales
swept down on us from the northeast and
made travel aous,iy hard. 1t was extreme
w cold all the time. the Thermometer sell
don getting above 3 below The Indians
had great luck In killing deer. During the
first fifteen days We got eeven. but with
three men and five hungry dogs TO feed,
rore could have been used easily. We took
out the bones and kept all the meat. car
rying II on our sheds until we used 1t. For
the last three days of the trip to Herschel
We were practically without food. We
pushed on blindiy through the cold and
snow. working the hungry dogs to the
last limit. On Nov. e we arrived OF the
island and when the storm let up made our
way Out TO the post where the Pacific
Steam Whaling Company keeps supplies
for three years The worst part OF our
trip was over. but 1t had been terrible
strain. ! was almost Worn Out and the
Indians were little better. We were we'll
taken cars of at Herschel and remained
there until December Is We would have
started before. but hIizzardss and snow
storms made the start impracticabie.
On the Mighty Mackenzie.
From Herschei decided to go M the
Peel river to Fort Mcpherson. the nearest
Hudson Bay company's post. Travelling
on the river was. OF course. easier than
along the coast line. The tirsber kept of
tho terrible wind 10 a certain extent and
Iessenea the cold The snow on top OF the
hard surface OF the frozen river made
excellent travel and we covered the dis
lance Of 4J0 miles between posts In six
teen days. We had more grub for this
para OF the trip than on the first relay.
At Herschel was given everything want
- lf-AA sra r.xrf.
compelled TO depend somewhat on game.
At Fort Mcpherson I sent back the two
Indians with one OF the dog teams and
started on alone had letters 10 the Hud-
son Bay Company agents and only took
enough provisions TO last me from post TO
post.
Pushed On by Hudson Ray Men.
From Fort Mcpherson I went across
country on the Hudson Bay trail to Old
Fort Good Hope on the mighty Macken-
xie The distance was 600 miles. and
covered ii In fourteen days. Provisions got
rather short before Coed Hone WAS reach
ed but + did not suffer much. The soil
tude OF the long journey through the TIM
Der and up the 4aow-ccyered Mackenzie
was Terrible Al night | would cut down
few trees start sAre. and go 10 sleep.
Thank heaven. / could sleep. There were
many wild animals Of different soris but
/ had no experiences with them. 4 travel
er IN dead OF winter through their stamp
ing grounds was too unexpected happen
ing for them to make any trouble. ~
Fort Good Hope l was received in royal
stvte hy the ecmpany's agent. who pro-
videt. me with provisions sufficient 20 Inst
to the next station. which was Fort Nor
man ~ miles up the river. | had bad
weather on This efo-nlile stretch and II took
nine DAYS TO make IL.
AT Fort Norman another supply OF pro-
visions was secured. The next station WAS
For, Ridley. $50 miles. still further up the
Mackenzie river | covered the distance In
eight days Frcm there to Fort Simpson
was similar distance. hat with better
weather made II in seven days The last
post on the Mackenzie was Fort provl-
dence i.5 miles above Fort Simpson.
made the distance in six dsys ana a half,
After a gooa rest | said goodhy 10 MY
hast Iundson Bay man In TN. Mackenzie
river district and crossed to the Athab aSha
river.
~ the Frozen Athabaska. ii
The Hudson BAY Company's post az the
mouth Of Hay river was the first ore
struck Ola the Athaeaska. II was but
+ eighty miles from Fort Providence and i
made the dist nee in "wo days. Then j
pushed on to Fort Resolution. making
/ about esghty-flse miles in two days, The
/ dogs were standing the TRIP exceilently
| and were getting fair supply Of grue-
1t took nearly tles days 10 reach tort
Smith, which was la miles nearer home.
! Then come = long jump Of no miles 10
! Fort MeMufFay. at the mouth OF the
Clearwater river. / maze the distance ia
six days which VAS remarkably good
time. This VAS the last stopping place
on the Atha haska. although / continued
: down the river for several hundred miles.
. In nine days cover.I the tsa miles he
/ tween Fort McMaFray and the company 5
past. on Lac la Biche.
! From that polrt 10 EdHaaatoa Was the
eassest part Of the W hoe trip. There were
posts and missions every few miles. ard
( ] made tbs distance. lss miles ia SIX day :.
! iefs nsy dog team shere ard came on 10
Seattle rapidly possible ] brought
+ o1t considerable mail from ttse Pacific
I Whaling tSssapany's officers ard repori =
froue three 81 Ehes commanders ! haze ths
/ ottsc3ai regp2rt Of the situation. bat scat il
Seissa ffusU Ednaatau.
/ - canfsot say too m0ek for the uniform
! AsSRsnsss NHh which | was FreatssS by the
/ f''s'3>a7a Rav Comaaay'S usen, Tire lives
& tAey live during the winter up IA their
( is7s'5S t~5s}ue posts are 80 very FnoFsaso-
= thar arr{x-sf -sksh - a