The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-06

It still blew that light, life sapping
draft which sealed the eyes and
bleached the nose. We had hoped
that this would soften with the mid
day sun, but instead it came with a
sharper edge. Our course was slightly
west of north; the wind was slightly
north of west. It struck US at a pain
full angle and brought tears.
The Eyelids Freeze Together.
The moistened lashes quickly froze
together in winking, and we were
forced to halt frequently to unseal the
eyes with the warmth of the uncover
ed hand. In the meantime we found
the nose tipped with a white skin, and
it also required nursing. The entire
face was surrounded with ice.
This experience brought warm Ian
guage, but there was no redress. If
we aimed to succeed the face must be
barred to the cut of the elements.
At about o'clock, as the sun cross
ed the west, we had reached a line of
high pressure ridges. Beyond the ice
was cut into smaller foes and thrown
active pack and troubled seas could
not be far away, according to our sur
misses. The water sky widened, but
became less sharply defined.
We managed to pick a way among
hummockS and pressure lines which
seemed impossible from a distance, and
in a few hours we saw from an I'M
usual uplift of ice blocks broad, dark
Gus cut several miles wide, which
seemed at the time to bar all further
progress. We had a folding canvas
boat on the sleds but in a temperature
of 48 degrees below zero no craft
could be lowered into water without
fatal results. All of the ice about was
firmly cemented together, and over it
way was forged to the shore of the
great lead.
Camp Beside the Lead.
nd on al Aal
and over its huge ice cliffs the crack
seemed like a long river winding be-
tween palisades of blue crystal A thin
sheet of yellow ice had already spread
fusion Of fantastic frost crystals were
arranged in punches resembling flow
erS. Through this young ice dark
vapors rose like steam through a screen
of porous fabrics and fell in feathers of
dust along the sparkling shores. Etuk-
hishook went east and I went west to
examine the lead for a safe crossing.
Cracking Ice Rumbles Like Earth
quake.
There were several narrow places,
while here and there foes had been
adrift in the lead and were now fixed by
the young ice Ahwelah remained to
make our snow house comfortable.
In exploring the shore line a partially
bridged place was found about mile
from camp, but the young Ice was too
elastic for safe track. The tempera-
! ture. however, fell rapidly with the set
ting sun, and the wind was just strong
enough to sweep off the heated vapors.
A better atmospheric condition could
| not be afforded to quickly thicken the
young ice.
The groaning ice and the eagerness
to reach the opposite shores kept us
awake for long time. With the ear
resting on the frozen sea the vibrations
and noises of the moving pack were not
unlike those of an earthquake.
11xFa
after we were on the thin ice to test it's
strength. Though the ice was hardly
safe, it did not seem wise to wait long
er, for the western skies were darken-
ing with a wind that might destroy
the new ice and compel a halt for a
long time.
1.-THE State Journal will print the
seventh insta1lment tomorrow. In
this installment, which will probably
cover a full page, including the pic
lures, DR.. Cook describes how his Es-
kimo companions rescued him from
peril and save his life.1