The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1902-08-15
24es~e@F@..9ySo&e2Ss
~, s. TO BUILD A FIRE 4
! 90 ny lack LONDON
By JACK LoND ON.


into the creek, aud, on top OF the creek
ice. formed shallow pools.
The surface Of these pools, IN turn,
took on a skin OF ice which grew thick
er and thicker, until the water oyerran,
and so formed a second ice-skmmed
pool above the first
Thus at the bottom was the solid
creek ice then probably six TO eight
inches of water, then a thin Ice skim,
then another six inches of water and
another ice skim. And on top Of this
last skin was about an inch Of recent
snow to make the trap complete.
To Tom Vincents eye the unbrollen
snow surface gave no warning Of the
lurking danger. AS the crust was
thicker at the edge he was well toward
the middle before he broke through.
In itself It was a very insignificant
mishap-a man does not drown in
Twelve inches Of water-but in its con-
sequences as serious an accident as
could possibly befall him.
At the instant he broke through he
felt the cold water strike his feet and
ankles, and with half a dozen lunges
he made the bank. He was quite cool
and collected. The thing to do, and the
only thing to do, was to build n fire
For another precept of the north runs
Travel with wet socks down to twenty
below zero; after that build a fire. And
it was three times twenty below and
colder, and he knew It,
He knew. further, that great care
must be exercised that with failure
at the first attempt the chance was
made greater for failure at the second
attempt. In short, he knew that there
must be no failure. The moment be
fore a strong, exulting man, boastfu
of his mastery Of the elements, he was
now fighting for his life against those
same elements-such was the difference,
caused by the injection of a quart Of
water into a northland travellers calcu
lations.
In q clump of pines on the rim of thu
bank the spring high water had LODGED
many twigs and small branches. Thor
oughly dried by the summer sun the!
now waited the match.
1t is impossible to build a fire wit
heavy Alaskan mittens on ones hands
/, so Vincent barred his, gathered a sufi
cient number of twigs, and knocking
the snow from them knelt down to kin
die his fire. From an inside pocket h
drew out his matches and a strip 0
thin birch bark. The matches were 0
the Klondike kind, sulphur matches
/ 100 in a bunch.
) He noticed how quickly his finger
had chilled as he separated one mate
2 from the bunch and scratched it on hi
trousers. The birch bark, like the dry
est of paper, burst into bright flame
2 This he carefully fed with the smalles
twigs and finest debris, cherishing til
E flame with the utmost care. 1t did M
e do to hurry things, as he well know
: and although his fingers were no.
t quite stiff he did not hurry.
v After the first quick, biting sensatio
/ of cold his feet had ached with
; heavy, dull ache and were rapid
growing numb But the fire, althoug
+ a very young one, was now a success
: and he knew that q little snow brisk
i rubbed, would speedily cure his feet
) But at the moment he was adding Il
S first thick twigs to the fire grievol
S thing happened. The pine bougl
above his head were burdened with
II four months snowfall, and so fine
a adjusted were the burdens that Il
IS slight movements in collecting II
:. twigs had been sufficient to dlstul
IS the balance
d The snow from the topmost boul
l. was the first to fall, striking and di
is lodging the snow ON the boughs b
n meath. And all this snow, accumula
g ing as it fell, smote Tom Vincent
head and shoulders and blotted out b
t. fire
le He still kept his presence of min
ID for he knew how great his danger VIZ
le He started at once to rebuild the fl
lg but his fingers were now so cold tn
he could not bend them, and he w
a forced to pick up each twig and spill
rs er between the tips of the fingers
g, either hand.
le When he came to the match he {
e, countered great difficulty in separate
he one from the bunch This he succet
he ed in managing, however, and also,
OF a great effort, in clutching the mat
ry between his thumb and fOrefnger. L
in scratching it he dropped it in t
as snow and could not pick it up again.
lis He stood up desperate. He col
e. not feel even his weight OH his feet
lie. though the ankles were aching pa
it. fully. Putting on his mittens,