Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-01-01
kUT0iNG IN FAR NORTH.
Travellers Advice on the New York tc
Paris Contest.


II have been reading the proposed
automobile race from New York to
Paris overland under the auspices of
the New York Times and Paris Matin
with more than an ordinary amount of
interest for | have been in that arctic
country quite good deal and know
something of the thardships that will
have to be encountered" said Samuel
d. Williams of Portland Ore. to a rep
resentative of the New York Times at
the Waldorf Astoria the other day.
'.Such trip appears to me to be per-
fectly feasible, although it will entail
many hardships and necessarily much
suffering unless great care is taken by
those sent on the expedition. Much
has been said about the construction of
the machines, the gasoline and lubri-
eating oils that will not freeze and
such other things of n mechanical ma
ture, and the comfort of the drivers
themselves appears to have been en-
tirely overlooked. This is a question
that should be taken up before the
machines are started on their long
journey, and in order that the drivers
may have the benefit of the experience
of others who have spent many months
in the arctic regions a few suggestions
might prove beneficial
In the first place, 1t has been found
that in order to get the best out of the
situation and be as comfortable as pos
sible under the conditions it Is best to
conform as far as possible with the
customs of those who have already
solved the problem Of living in the are
| tic regions. In this connection it seems
| that the value of reindeer skin CLOTH
| ing has not always been known or as
fully appreciated as it should be in
arctic explorations.
1.-THE Eskimo of arctic Alaska and
northeast Siberia use hardly anything
else, and nothing is. so warm and light
as their dress. There are slight local
differences in the makeup of their
dress, but in general the mems winter
clothing consists of n single pair of
close fitting trousers, with the hair
next to the skin for cold and the re-
verse for ordinary weather; pair OF
deerskin socks. with the hair next to
i the feet pair of boots with the hair
out. with heavy sealskin soleS for hard
wear or deerskin soles for light wear;
two artigges, or shirts, one with the
hair next to the body and the other
with the hair out and both with close
fitting hoods fringed with wolfskin to
break the wind from the face and
nose and pair of mittens.
/ "These are all made of the summer
skins of the reindeer, and the whole
outfit will not weigh more than ten
i or twelve pounds. Over the skin shirt
is worn snow shirt made of drilling
and sometimes pair of drill trousers
Is worn over the skin trousers TO KEEP
the snow from driving into the hair.
"A belt is worn around the waist out
side the shirt to keep the cold air out
or. rather, to keep the warm air in
4 This is loosened when the person gets
too warm. With this outfit well sewed
and everything tight one can defy al
most any degree of cold.
''The weight of ones clothing is very
telling in the days and weeks of tray
cling through the snow and over .th'
rough ice. and the lightness of thu
deerskin is one of it's most importan
features. The skins are beautiful,
tanned and are soft and pliable. TIT
heavy winter skins are seldom uset
for clothes, but make excellent sleep
ing gear. either as mats or blankets o
made up as sleeping bags. Here ais
their lightness and warmth are thel
chief recommendations"
Another thing concerning the comfor
aud safety Of the drivers was. relsrre,