The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-11-28

Southwestern Alaska which
empties into the Knik Arm, shallow
indentation from the head OF Cook S
Inlet. When the ice in this river
breaks up in the spring IL collects IN
the arm, which is really n wide estu-
ary. where for days, and sometimes a
week, the foe formed surges back and
forth with the tide, until finally IL all
works its way out TO sea.
As the tide of the arm comes in with
q small bore the floating ice Is swept
back up stream with great force, and
the waters Of the estuary being thickly
studded with bars, the tide driven foe
often jams on them and piles up TO a
great height. II was In one OF these
Jams that John Hardman, n young
naturalist, who had come TO Alaska In
the interests OF a geological society in
one OF our Eastern cities, had an ex-
tremely perilous experience in the
spring Of 1901, while voyaging up the
arm on his way inland.
Hardman was bound for the head
waters OF the river for the purpose Of
capturing alive some of the mountain
sheep so plentiful there. Owing to
the fact that the lambs must he taken,
If at all, when very young, he was in
hurry TO reach the mountains
So when the ice broke up he did not
wait for IL 10 go out TO sea, bat started
about the first Of May from the head
OF Cooks Inlet with his party Of four
one white man named Caulltins and
three Knik Indians-in large river
boat or scow. He intended 10 tight his
way through the vast foe that filed
the arm.
AS at mis- time il was possible TO
travel only when the tide was setting
in, the method of proceeding was TO
wait until the bore passed and then
launch the boat among the ice fields
behind, rowing when the water was
open enough and drifting with the cur
rent when the cakes closed In around
To prevent the boat from being crushed
when the ice iammcd on the numerous
bars required untiring vigilance and
prompt action, but Caulkins handled
the scow so skilfully that for four
hours the first run with the tide had all
gone well.
Then suddenly n wide area of the foe
began 10 pile up on bar directly in
front Of the voyagers Fortunately for
their lives they were near shore. by
quick work they succeeded in getting
the boat to land before the ice could
close up and catch them. To drag the
clumsy scow with its cargo of 500
pounds of provisions out on the ice
they did it.
Here in safety they watched the foe
make itself into miniature mountains
of blocks on the chain of bars across
the arm. Until at last the tide spent It's
force and began TO recede. carrying
back all the ice not jammed fast on
the shadows. Left on the largest bar
about half -,ilile out was n huge ir-
regular heap of big cakes, most of
them fully three feet thick, which GOV
cred about two acres aud was nearly
forty feet high. On the smaller bars
beyond. with open channels between,
were several other mounds not so
large, and in the broad channel be.
tween the shore and the big mound
was an uneven field of tightly packed
ice. AS they could not get any further
at present camp was made TO wait for
the tide of the next morning in the
hope that 10y then the jam would be
broken
But in the morning IL was found that
the tide which had come I'm during the
night instead of breaking the barrier
had only added more ice TO II and
somewhat changed its shape 1t was
not safe to attempt to run the narrow
channels now; the only thing 10 do was
TO wait until the lnsettng current
should clear passage for them. Per
haps the next tide would do this.
At about o o'clock IIardman. taking
his camera, left camp alone TO Get
closer view of the jam and some pic
lures Of the mounds. Going along the
shore about a mile he came TO the
portion Of the foe stuck in the wide
NhhhhNis ~ hihht sure
bridge clear across TO the main bar.
and over this he made his way TO the
base of the great white pile of Jagged
blocks
After taking two or three photo.
graphs at favorable points he was
seized with desire to get n view from
the summit. Climbing up 10y way of
the front slope, which was long and
quite easy ascent. he was n third of
the distance to the top when he
reached giant cake, broken In two I'm
She centre. The lower half lay at an
angle of forty.tve degrees. the upper
half at not more than thirty. Between
the two was a crack three feet wide
and beneath It an opening several feet
deep.
Resting for a moment on the upper
edge of the under cake. Hardman
stepped upon the one above. not MOTTO
ing how insecure was its position. In.
stantly his foot slipped and he fell into
the crack between. He clutched at the
slippery edge as he went down. hung
suspended 10y his arms for second.
then. his hands looslng their hold he
dropped just in time TO escape being
crushed. For the lightly poised block
had been started downward by his
weight and crashed against the lower
one as ne struck in heap below. lie
was caught like squirrel in n box
trap In narrow. irregular space among
the blocks. about three feet wide. fiv,
feet long and six feet high.