Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-03-02
= HE Knik River, as a glance
ut the map will show, is a

southwestern Alaska Wnlcn
empties into the Knik Arm, a shallow
indentation from the head of Cooks
Inlet. When the ice in this river
breaks up in the spring it collects in
the arm, which is really wide estu-
ary, where for days, and sometimes a
week, the foe formed surges back and
forth with the tide, until finally it 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. 1t was in one of these
jams that John Hardman, a young
naturalist, who had come to Alaska in
the interests Of 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 be taken,
if at all, when very young, he was in a
hurry to reach the mountains.
So when the ice broke up he did not
wait for it to go out to sea, but started
about the first of May from the head
of Cooks Inlet with his party of four
one white man named Caulkins and
three Knik Indians-in q large river
boat or scow. He intended to fight his
way through the vast foe that filed
the arm. 80. L.. .,..
- As at this time it 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 jammed 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 a wide area of the foe
began to pile up on q 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 SOC
pounds of provisions out on the ice
heaped bank was no small feat, yet
they did it.
Here in safety they watched the floe
make itself into miniature mountains
of blocks on the chain of bars across
the arm, until at last the tide spent its
force and began to recede, carrying
back all the ice not jammed fast OIL
the shadows. Left on the largest ban
about half mile out was a huge, ir
regular heap of big cakes, most OF
them fully three feet thick, which GOV
cred about two acres and was nearly
forty feet high. On the smaller bars
beyond, with open channels between
were several other mounds not Sc
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 fol
the tide of the next morning in tn,
hope that by then the jam would b.
broken.
But in the morning it was found tha
the tide which had come in during tn,
night instead of breaking the barrie
had only added more ice to it ant
somewhat changed its shape. 1t wa
not safe to attempt to run the marrow
channels now; the only thing to do wa
to wait until the insetting curren
should clear passage for them. PEI
haps the next tide would do this.
AT about o'clock Hardman, takinj
his camera, left camp alone to get
closer view of the jam and some pic
lures OF the mounds. Going along tn
shore about a mile he came to th
portion of the foe stuck in the wild
channel. 1t made a perfectly saf
bridge clear across to the main bal
and over this he made his way TO tn
base of the great white pile of jagge
blocks.
After taking two or three photo
graphs Mt favorable points he wa
seized with n desire to get view fror
the summit. Climbing up by way G
the front slope, which was long an
quite easy ascent. he was third c
the distance TO the top when Il
reached giant cake, broken in two i
the centre. The lower half lay at a
angle of forty-five degrees, the uppt
half at not more than thirty. Betwee
the two was a crack three feet wild
and beneath 1t an opening several fee
deep.
Resting for moment on the uppo
edge of the under cake, Uardma
stepped upon the one above, not notit