The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-06-27
g. @s@Fe.oSsxe9s
s TO BUILD A FIRE +
BY JACK LOkD ON.

only tHluR IO 40 was I'D Dulu IL hit
For another precept OF the north runs
Travel with wet socks down TO tweni!
below zero; after that build fire. Ant
IL was three times twenty below ant
colder, and he knew II.
He knew. further. that great care
must be exercised; that with failur,
at tie first attempt the chance was
Eiade 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 differenC,
caused by the Injection Of q quart Of
water into "a northland travellers calcu.
latlons.
In q clump Of pines on the rim OF tho
bank the spring high water had lodged
many twigs and small branches. Thor
oughly dried by the summer sun they
now waited the match.
IL Is impossible 20 build fire with
heavy Alaskan mlttens on ones hands,
so Vincent barred his. gathered a suifi-
cient number Of twigs, and knocking
the snow from them knelt down TO kin
die his fire. From an inside pocket he
drew out his matches and a strip Of
thin birch bark. The matches were Of
the Klondike kind, sulphur matches.
100 in bunch.
He lOticed how quickly his fingers
had chilled as he separated one match
from the bunch and scratched II on his
trousers. The birch bark, like the dry.
est Of paper. burst into bright fame
This he carefully fed with the smallest
twigs ana finest debris. cherlshlng the
fame with the utmost care. II did not
do TO hurry things as he well know,
and although his fingers were now
quite stin he did not hurry.
After the first quick. biting sensation
of cold his feet had ached with
heavy. duh ache and were rapidly
growing numb But the fire. although
n very young one, was now n success.
and he knew that little snow, briskly
rubbed. would speedily cure his feet.
But nj the moment he was adding the
first thick twigs TO the fire a grievous
thing happened. The pine boughs
above his head were burdened with
four months snowfall. and so finely
adjusted were the burdens that his
slight movements in collecting the
wigs had been sufficient to disturb
he balance
The snow from the topmost bough
was the first to fan. striking and dis.
odging the snow on the boughs be
heath. And al TINS snow, accumulat
ng as II fell, smote Tom Vincents
lead and shoulders and blotted out his
ire.
lie still kept his presence of mind,
or he knew how great his danger was
He started at once TO rebuild the fire.
Dut his fingers were now so cold that
le could not bend them, and he was
forced TO pick up each twig and spllnt
ar between the tips of the fingers OF
,itheI hand.
When he came 10 the match he en-
great difficulty In separating
me from the bunch. This he succeed
ID In managing. however, and also 10y
| great effort. In clutching the match
between his thumb and forefinger. But
n scratching IL he dropped 1t I'm the
snow and could not pick II up again.
He stood up. desperate. He could
lot feel even his weight on his feet, al
hough the ankles were aching pain
'ully. Putting OH his mittens, he
stepped To one side SO that the snow
would not fall upon the new fire he
vas to build. and beat his hands vlo-
emily against tree trunk.
This enabled him TO separate and
strike a second match and to set fire to
he remaining fragment Of birch bark.
But his body had now begun TO chill,
Ind he was shivering SO that when he
rled TO add the first twigs his hand
shook and the tiny flame was quenched.
The frost had beaten him. His hands
we're worthless. But he had the fore
sight 10 drop the bunch of matches
nto his wide mouthed outside pocket
before he slipped on his mittens in de
,Iult anu N'dlA'h w lhl VII AhN ldAls
one cannot run the frost out of wet
'eet at sixty below and colder, how.
,ver, as ne quickly discovered
He came round n sharp turn Of the
'reek TO where he could look ahead for
/ mile. But there was no help, no sign
" help. only the white trees and the
white hills, the quiet cold and tie bra
zen silence! If only he had comrade
whose feet were not freezing. he
thought, only such comrade 10 start
he fire that could save him.
Then his eyes chanced upon another
ligh-water lodgment Of twigs and
leaves and branches. II he could
strike a match all might yet be well
With stifr fingers which he could not
bend he got out bunch OF matches.
but found 1t impossible to separate
them.
He sat down and awkwardy shufiled
the bunch about on his knees until he
got IL resting on his palm with the sui
phur ends projecting, somewhat in the
manner the blade OF hunting knife
would project when clutched in the fist
But his fingers stood straight out
They could no; clutch. This he over.
came by pressing the wrist of the other
hand against them. and so forcing them
down upon the bunch Time and
again, holding thus by both hands. he
scratched the bunch on his leg and
finally ignited IL. But the fame burned
into the flesh OF his hand. and he In.
voluntarily relaxed his hold The
bunch fell into the snow. and while he