Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-10-19

now soon be limited to few open
spaces near prominent headlands-
The scene Of the real hunt changed
from the sea to the land. We had as
yet no caribou meat. The little. auks
gathered in nets during the summer
and elder duck bagged later disap-
3peared fast when used as steady diet.
a We must procure hare, ptarmigan and
reindeer, for we had not yet learned
to eat with relish the fishy, liver-like
substance which Is characteristic OF
all marine mammals.
Guns and ammunition were distrib-
uted, and when the winds were easy
enough to. allow one to venture out
every man sought the neighhoring
hills. Francke also took his exercise
with gun on his shoulder. -.
q The combined results gave q. long
line Of ptarmigan, two reindeer and
sixteen hares. AS snow covered the
upper slopes the game was forced
down near: the sea, where we could
still hope to hunt In the feeble light of
the early part Of the night. - ~.
et$fG z4% NO Anxiety For winter = ss,,rs
I'd With a larder fairly stocked and
good prospects asr other tasty meats
we were spared the usual anxiety OF
winter without winter supplies, and
Francke was just the man to use this
game to good effect, for he had a
way Of preparing our primitive pro-
visions that made our dinners seem
equal to Holland House spread.
In the middle of October foxsk1ns
were prime, and then new steel traps
were distributed and set near the
many caches. BY this time the Eski-
mos had ali. aband their sealsktn
tents ana were snugly settled in their
winter igloos. The ground was coy
cred with snow, and the sea was near
ly frozen over everywhere. .;..
Everybody was busy preparing Tor
the coming cold and night. The tenn
perature was about 20 degrees below
zero. Severe storms were becoming
less frequent, and the air, though
colder. was less humid and less disa-
5greeable. An ice fort was formed. and
the winter sledging was begun by
short excursions to bait the fox traps
and gather the foxes n ST
57 All these pursuits, with the work 4of
building and repairing sleds, making !
dog harness and shaping new winter g,
clothing, kept mp q lively interest
while the great crust which was to,
hold down the unruly deep for SO
many months thick ened and 8. closed.
e q
ast Glimpse of ths Dying Day.
During the last days OF brief sun
shine. the weather cleared, and az
noon on Oct. "a every body sought the
freedom of the open for q last glimpse
of the diving day. There was 9 charm !
&c color and glitter. but no one seem
ed quite happy as the sun sank under LEI;
the southern fee, for It was not 20 rise
again for 118 days.
The Eskimos took this as h signal to 4
enter trance OF sadness, 10 which
the Bereavement Of each family and
the aiscomforts Of the year are enact
ed Ia dramatic chants or dances.
But to as the sunset Of 1907 was In.
spiration For the final work in direct
ing the shaping Of the outfit with
which to begin the conquest OF the
pole at sunrise Of 1908. Most expedl-
lions have had the advantage OF the
liberal hand OF government or OF an
ample private fund. We were denied
both faYors. II s..
But we we're not incumbered With Il
4 cargo Of insists devised By home