Los Angeles herald., 1905-03-19

the clergyman lived in darkness ana
frost, with not a soul who could speak
Ineligible English to comfort him or
speed the wintry hours. In the inter-
walls between blizzards wolves howled
round the door, and there seemed no
possible esape for the missionary until
winter broke, some eight or nine
months hence.
Fortunately squad of mounted
police making a forced march east
ward came that way and found the
missionary growing insane. The half
breed, who thrived we'll amid the dark
ness and storms of the Arctic climate,
was well armed, but he could not stand
the terrors of living with a wild mis-
sionary who was daily growing more
insane. The police said they would
see what they could do, and when the
storm lessened a little they sailed
forth, reached Fort Chippewyan in a
few days and reported the case to the
police in charge of the station.
1t was considered forlorn expedi-
ton, the attempt to carry a crazy man
hundreds of miles south to civilization.
But something had to be done, and
Corporal Field was selected as the one
man available in all that region able
to endure the fatigues of such a trip.
He was detailed to proceed to Peace
station, take possession of the man and
carry him through the wilderness
down the Athabaska river to the Ed
monton railroad station, on the unfin-
ished Klondike line.
Although the weather was beyond de-
scription, real Arctic winter had hardly
begun. The darkest and most danger
Gus part of the season was yet to come
when Corporal Field set out with a
picked team Of the best trained dogs
that money could buy The strongest
and lightest running sled in the ser
vice of the fur company was loaded
with provisions, cooking utensils, furs
and clothing for the journey. small
tent and a few blankets were added
all a good load for the sled. 1t was
considered extremely hazardous to un-
dertake the trip, and many doubted if
the feat could be accomplished, al
though Corporal Field was famous
through the northwest for his courage,
physical endurance and sound judg-
ment in emergencies.
1t was November IA when the corpo-
raj and his dogs started on their lonely
Journey to find the unfortunate mis-
sionary. The trail was deep under
snow and no track visible. A few trees
along Peace river, with compass and
stars on clear nights, were the only
guides. There were no settlers and the
little fur stations, of cabin or two,
were from fifty to a hundred miles
apart.
On the sixth day after leaving the
fort the corporal and his dogs reached
the hut, which figures on the maps as
Peace landing. The missionary was
no longer a babbling lunatic, but
madman, and Corporal Field was to
take him, single handed, on a thousand
mile journey. The route doubled back
on the trail down Peace river, over
which he had just come, to within two
days of Fort Chippewyan; thence the
corporal was to leave the river and
strike diagonally southeast across the
country to the Athabaska river, along
which his course lay directly south to
far away Edmonton.
The mad missionary was in an obliv-
ious condition. He would say nothing,
and he seemed dead to the world,
though he would eat little when food
was offered him. Corporal Field
wrapped him in furs. put him in big
Eskimo fur bag. and fastening the
bundle to the sled, gave word to the
dogs and the wild journey began.
The snow was deep and crusted.
When clear the sky was as blue and
transparent as the Mediterranean To-
ward evening on such days auroras
painted the sky In a thousand colors
and the whole world seemed fringed
with fairyland and spectral fires. At
o'clock daily the corporal halted and
went into camp near sheltering trees
and a convenient stream. The small
tent was used as sort of shelter and
the sled was turned on side to keep off
wind and storm. Cold meat. beans and
tea usually made the meal,