The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1909-12-02

were spanDed with jump. Soon they
disappeared In the rush of driving
snow The crack of the whips anC
the rebound OF cheering voices were
fhe last which we beard OF the faithful
savage supporters. They had followed
not for pay. but for real desire to
be helpful. from the dark days IF the
ending of night 10 The bright nights
Of the coming double days. and their
parting enforced a pang of loneliness.
Another Sleep Before the Start.
With a snow charged blast in our
faces 1t was quite impossible for US
10 start. so we Withdrew TO the snow
| Igloo. entered our bags and slept a few
! hours longer At noon the horizon
] cleared. The wind veered TO the south
west and came with an endurable
( force. The dogs had been doubly fed
| the night before. They were not to
be fed again for two days The 1000
pounds Of freight were packed on our
sleds. and quickly we slipped around
deep grooves In the great poliocrystlc
foes
The snow had been swept from the
Ice by the force of the preceding
storms. and the speed attained by the
dogs through even rough ice was such
that It was difficult TO keep far enough
ahead to get n good course.
The crevasses and pressure lines gave
little trouble at first. but the hard ir-
regularity of the barred ice offered
dangerous surface for the life of our
sleds. passing through blue gorges
among miniature mountains of sea
ice. On course slightly west of
north we soon sank the bold headland
which raises the northern point of
Heiberg island.
Camp Is Pitched.
After a run of twenty-six miles we
pitched camp on foe berg of unusual
height There were many big hum
mocks about TO the lee of which were
great banks of hardened snow. Away
from land IL is always more difficult
to find snow suitable for cutting build
ing hlocks. but here was an abundance
conveniently placed. In the course OF
an hour a comfortable palace OF crys-
tai was erected. and into 1t we crept
out OF the piercing wind. The first
days march over the circumpolar sea
was closed with good record.
The dogs curled up and went to sleep
without call. as if they knew there
would be no food until the morrow.
My wild companions covered their
faces with their convenient long hair
and sank quietly into a comfortable
but for me sleep was quite
Letters must be written. |
The whole problem of our campaign
must be again carefully studied and |
final plans must be made not only TO
reach our ultimate destination. but for |
the returning parties and for the secu-
rity of the things at Annootok.
impossible to ForeteIl Return.
1t was difficult at this time TO even
guess at the probable line of our re-
turn TO land Much depended upon
conditions encountered in the north
ward route. Though we had left
,aches of supplies. with the object OF
along hansen sound into
Cannon ford and over Arthur Land.
entertained grave doubts OF our abil-
ty to return this way. If the ice
irifted strongly TO the east we might
rot be given the choice of working out
,ur own return. In that event we
would be carried perhaps helplessly TO
Greenland and must seek return
'ither along the east coast or the west
'oast
This drift did not offer dangerous
for the musk oxen would
,eep us alive TO the west. and TO the
asst IL seemed possible to reach Shan
ION island. where the Baldwin-Ziegler
xpedition had abandoned large
ache OF supplies. 1t appeared not i'm
robable also that a large land extern
ion might offer a safe return much
arther west.
Francke's Instructions.
Because of this uncertainty Francke
ras instructed to wait until June 5.
90S. and If we did not return he was
old TO place Koolootingwah in charge
nd go home either by the whalers or
Y the Danish ships TO the south.
No relief which he could offer would ,
clip us. and to wait for an indefinite
me alone would have inflicted need
'ss hardship. This and many other
were prepared for Koo-
and lnugito to take back.
In the morning the frost in crystals
ad been swept from the air, but there
amained a humid chill which pierced
, the bones. The temperature was
linus SO F. A light air came from
ne west. and the sun burned in
-eezing blue.
After few hours march the ice !
ha n God In character The extensive