Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-09-02

views of the coast and the banks of the
Yukon. Pillsbury has only been on this
work a few weeks. but has already had a
number of adventures.
Il suffered more on the White pass
than | did at any other time during all
my stay in Alaska" Student Pillsbury
writes to his brother. DR.. Pillsbury of
San Francisco. Il had to get into the
Atlin country to get some views before
the snow was all gone, and the bicycle
was the only way to make the trip.
''I made the trip over the pass and got
my views all right, but it was when
started back that ] got into trouble.
left the settlement at the foot of the pass
early in the morning. and, from all indi
cations, the weather was going to be fine.
The air was clear and bracing and not
too cold. But you can't tell what is GO
ing to happen in Alaska.
before I was half way up the pass
there was sudden change, and / came
near making up my mind to go back. The
air got cold, and light fog came in from
the sea. Ny better Judgment told me to
go back, but the thought that my journey
would be ended if got over on the other
side urged ME on.
to snow, and the wind blew hurricane.
Then l wished l had gone back, but it
was now out of the question. All could
do was to find a place somewhat shell
tered from the wind and crawl into it.
when | was as comfortable as could
be expected under the circumstances,
which was not very comfortable, | put
my hand in my pocket for my lunch, but
it was not there. l suppose it must have
fallen out on the road when l was buck
ing against the blizzard.
Then my sufferings commenced.
II tucked the blankets as tightly around
me as possible, but could not keep out the
snow. l got as cold as ice and got up
and ran about in the effort to keep warm,
but it was all no use. So 1 crawled back
into the blankets and shivered. All night
l lay there almost numb with cold. The
wind blew harder and harder, and the
darkness was intense. l began to Won
der if | would ever see San Francisco
again, and the sufferings of hunger al
most drove me crazy. But the longest
night always comes to an end even if it
did seem to some of lis like an eternity.
Toward morning the wind went down,
and when the sun rose the air was clear
and cold. With difficulty ] arose and
stood on my feet. / was so stiff | could
scarcely move and in the effort to get on
my wheel took Il severe tumble. But it
did me good by shaking me up and got
me i'll condition to ride. The road was
fine and all down hill, and it didn't take
me long to strike a place where l got
warm and something to eat. Then l was
ready for another tussle with the ele-
mcntS.
My experience on the glacier was
most terrifying and frightened me cOnsid-
rrib!y. but otherwise did no harm.
Il had been working on a point that
/" all appearances was as solid as rock,
and so it was for the time being. l got
my picture done and had my camera
over my shoulder, ready to go down to
the boat that was tied up few hundred
feet below.
Suddenly | felt tremble in the gla-
cicr and instinctively stepped back from
the edge. The tremble became more and
more violent, and l went on run for Il
big rough spot that looked solid. but l
was too late. Just as l was about to
step on it the ice under me gave way. |
clntched at anything | could reach and
soon found myself hanging in the air
with one hand tight on projecting piece
of ice.
Beneath me tons and tons of ice went
laundering into the sea, several hundred
feet below. Then the portion of the gla
cier to which | was hanging shifted its
position and turned so that l could climb
up to safe place. but it was a narrow
escape.
''The next day | was working i'll the
same neghborhood and had occasion to
row through a canal between two ice
bergs. l had rowed through the same
place before and never thought of danger.
On this occasion, when | was about half
way through | was Mortified to see the
two walls of ice slowly coming together.
My Indian helpe, got drcadfully excited,
and it was all that | could do to make
him sit in the boat and pull at the oars.
As we worked along, each second seem
ing like n year, the icy walls got closer
and closer together. Soon the walls were
30 near we could not use our oars and
had to take them out of the rowlocks and
use them as paddles.
ut was not more than 100 feet to
open water, but it looked to us like miles |
Us we struggled madly ut the paddles.
Now it was so feet, and the two walls |