Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-09-16

i"Atree $500 = '-f@ = - ~ II 1ls
race.
Crushing down every worry about
my final success, now. IN spite Of my
years, felt in trim At for the demands
Of the coming days and eager to be
on the trail.
As for my party, equipment, and
supplies. was In shape beyond my
most sanguine dreams Of the earliest
years. MY party might be regarded
as ideal. While experienced, they we're
as loyal and responsive to my win as
the fingers on my right hand.
Men all Tried and True.
Four OF them possessed the techni,
que Of dogs, sledges, Ice and cold as
their heritage-two, Hanson and
sotam--nad been my companions to
the farthest north three years Derore.
Two others--Egingwah and Sigloo--
had been In CIark's narrow escape that
time and were willing to go anywhere
with my immediate party now and
risk themselves again In my sup
porting party, while the fifth. a young
man, never before on any expedition,
but, II possible, even more willing and
eager than the others for the princely
gift of boat, rife, shotgun, ammuni.
ton, knives, ETC., which l had promised
each OF them who reached the pole
with me, and which would enable him
to wrest from stubborn father the
girl whose image he bore In his hot
young heart.
All had blind confidence as long as !
was with them and gave no thought Of
the morrow, sure that whatever hap
pened should somehow get them back
to land, but dealt with the party
equally and recognized that all Its I'M
petus centered in me. Whatever pace
| set 1t would make good, but II It
played out would stop for q short
time
Dogs Pick Of the Best.
wouldn't object to the condition,
as felt equal to 1t. My dogs were the
very best, the pick Of the 1888 where.
with we had left Columbia. Most Of
them were powerful males, hard as
nails and in good flesh, but with not
superfluous ounce. My sedges. row
that repairs we're completed, were In
good condition, my supplies were am
pie for 40, days, and, with the reserve
represented by the dogs themselves.
could be made to last so more.
Pacing back and forth in the lee OF
the ridge near which our igloos were
built, my men towed their loads.
| changed my program for the next
marches and decided should strain
every nerve to make five marches Of
Is miles each, crowding these marches
in such a way as to bring us to the
end of the fifth enough before noon
to permit immediate latitude obserYa'
lions. Weather and leads permitting,
I believed we could do this,
Two Plans for Emergency.
II my proposed distances were cul
down by any chance had two means
in reserve for making up the deficit
The first was to make the last march a
forced one, stopping to make tea and
rest the dogs, but not to sleep until
we could trail the stronger, and, sec
ond, at the end Of the fifth march tc
make a forced march with a light
sledge and q double team of dogs and
one or two Of the party, leaving the
rest In camp.
Underlying all this was the ever
present neighborhood of open. leads
and impossible water and the knowl
edge that q "a hour gale would knock
all my plans into cooked hat and
even put us in imminent peril.
1 took a few hours of sound sleep,
and a little after midnight of April 1
l hit the trail, leaving the others tc
break up camp and follow.
Good Morning for Start.
AS | climbed the pressure ridge
back of our igloos | set up another
hole in my belt, the third since had
started. Every man and dog Of US
was as lean and fiat bellied as board
and as hard.
It was a fine morning. The wind Of
the last two days had subsidized and the
going was the best and most equable
of any yet. The large old foes, hard
and clear, were surrounded by pres
sure ridges, some Of which were al
most stupendous, but which you easily
negotiated, either through some ere
vice or up some huge brink.
Twenty-Five Miles March.
We went at a good pace for about
ten hours. making rs miles, well be
yond the SSth parallel While we were
building igloos long lead formed ia
the east and southeast Of us, a few
miles distant. 1t was shown oy water
and clouds. We took a few hours
sleep and then were on the trail again
With the sun circhng, as 1t is now
practically horizontal, we are un
hampered by darkness and can travel
as long as we please and sleep as lit
tie as we wish. The weather Is fine
and the going like of the previous day
except at the beginning, when pick
axes were required. These and .
brief stop at another lead cut down
our distance.
The next ten hours took us 20 miles
or half way to the seth parallel. The
ice is grinding audibly in every di
rection, but with no visible motion
Evidently 1t was settling back into Its
equilibrium and probably sagging due
northwards with its release from the
wind pressure.
Going Improves on Way,
Again there was few hours sleep
and we hit the trail before midnight