Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1900-02-16

Il
Sta,rlat ut that womankind was involved
in t.,e danger. the effect had been cleo
1iical. The ordinarily tedious ordeal of
breaking the frozen mornings and re-
plenishing the spacious coal bunkers from
the StorehOuSes ashore were performed
! with incredible alacrity. and. these pre-.
liminaries disposed of, the little craft
headed away upon her storm swept
course at a pace that was quite as haz-
ardnus as it was unprecedented.
When the Pinta arrived at Chilcoot, a
furious storm had just subsidized, says a
correspondent Of the St. Louis Globe
Democrat, but on shore the snow lay
deep. and the Brightness Of the weather
had formed it's surface into a thick. firm
crust. 1t was decided, therefore. to per-
form the journey to Sekirk on sledges,
| which. upon landing at Chilcoot, the par
ty found were to be had in abundance.
1t was also ascertained here that no in
telligence had been received from the far
off station since the first startling re-
, ports. three days previous, which fact
/ occasioned the gravest apprehension. No
! time. therefore. was lost in arranging for
, the necessary transportation facilities.
There were in all nine sledges in this
! arctic caravan, and the order of advance
; had been planned with some respect to
system. Two abreast they had started,
with the odd sledge, bearing the COM
handing officer. the sergeant Of marines
and two privates, in the lead of the COL
+; umn. The native drivers had been in
structed to keep the teams in this forma-
ton and as near together as possible.
But alack for the injunction! OF what
avail were the objections Of single help
less native with coterie Of mpetuous
Jack Tars at his back to urge him on ward
! Alike vain was the commanders wrath
full protest as one of the sledges came
! forging ahead Of his own. Each division
| Of the party was inspired with a single
purpose---to be the first to arrive at Sell
Kirkland, speedily realizing this. the
| commander ceased from his vociferous
| opposition and turned his attention to his
own driver, whom he enjoined to again
| take the lead of his invincible command
if it were his last terrestrial accomplish
nent. AS result. the commanders
t'adge not only regained the coveted posi-
ton, but, being drawn by the pick of the
nine teams, was soon far in advance Of
the flying column. But the mutual con-
test by no means subsidized. and. upon
emerging from the mountain pass into the
open plain. the expedition was strung out
over a space Of a half dozen miles.
The midwinter nights in Alaska are
long enduring, even rs far to the SOUTH
ward as the Chilcoot plains. and the
speed Of the Indian dog teams is like that
of the desert whirlwind. Hence the cross
ing of the 100 mile interval between the
seacoast and Selkirk station had all but
! been accomplished US the late moon set
and with the breaking of dawn the fore
most sedge had drawn within sight OF
the remote village among the desolatc
snowdrifts. And not less .desolate was
the appearance of the little station, for
| not sign Of life emanated from its sew
eral log structures inclosed by the snow
banked stockadc. A grim despair enter
ed the hearts Of the beholders as the
fear that they had arrived too late con.
fronted them. The commander had
meant to assemble his force upon sight
ing the village aud conduct it in body