The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-15

We saw now that it was impossible
to move farther south or farther north.
We were beset, and we had nothing
with which to winter. No food, no
fuel and no ammunition. A few
weeks were spent here in preparing
for this next battle.
Our sled had been taken apart, one
of them, and placed in the boat. 1t
was made of hickory. This hickory
now served a very useful purpose IN
making, primitive implements. We
made bows and arrows; we made
lances and harpoons. and we pre-
pared in every way to fight the battle
Of life with primitive methods, for we
couldn't do otherwise.
Thus we started with our little boat
to go westward to find a home on this
deserted world of ice.
Up to this time we had seen no large
game in this district. But in passing
Cape Sparbo, we had picked that as
possible wintering place-as we
neared Cape Sparbo and .camped upon
a point of land, we heard the welcome
sound of wa1rus- A number of large
animals were summing themselves on
a field of ice. We were not long in
preparing our little boat for action.
Battle With Bears.
Now this canvas boat was only Il
feet long; it was not any larger than
the animal which we aimed to take
We had not a, complete Eskimo equip
ment for walrus hunting, but we did
no way of making a float or drag. For
this purpose we selected small field
of ice, cut a hole into it and fastened
there our harpoon line. Then We adj
vanced to deliver the harpoon. But at
the same time a bear jumped from be-
hind, and grabbing a young walrus
made it squa1l. The animals disap-
peared, an6 We were left to our hun
ger.
The next day we started out again.
t5
OF animals. three, and we advanced
slowly and delivered our harpoon. We
played that animal for Is hours, and
at the end of that time were rather
tired, and the walrus was also. We
made a camp, took it ashore and cut it
up, and now we were rich. We had
about 1000 pounds of meat and blubber;
more food than we had seen for many
months; and we prepared to enjoy it
as only hungry men could.
We built camp fire of moss and
blubber, filed our cooking pals with
meat and boiled one pail after an
other. We ate and ate until We could
dispose of no more. and then we slept
and then we started to do the same
thing again.
In this way. after several hours of
gluttonous engagement, we lay down
for good long sleep. When we awoke
fire, and they were discussing a piece
of meat. Now we had left at our camp
fire piece of meat Weighing about a
hundred pounds for our next meal The
bears were interested in this also, and
when We sought to drive them off they
did not seem inclined to move. With
a bow and arrow. however, and by the
effective use of stones we man3 ged to
convince them that we were not agree
able companions. They moved away
but they took our meat with them.
This meat which we had brought
ashore. some of 1t we had securely
cached in heap and covered it with
large stones in manner which we be-
lleved perfectly secure. But when we
arose from hummuck and examined this
cache we found two other bears also
discussing the meat.
And after we had driven them away
we found that practically the entire
cache had been robbed by a number of
bears during our sleep. Therefore, this.
our very first success-our very first
fight to gain ustenance-brought an
ether fight against the bears, and one
which we were never quite able to
meet.
Keep Alive on Musk Ok.
We moved eastward to Cape Sparbo
ard built an underground tent, as you
see in the first picture Gndicating).
This was made of stones, bones and
turf 1t was about as large a place
as the snow house. and this was after
ward covered with snow and ice and
frozen down as a fort
against the bears.
Near here we also found caves where
we managed to hide our meat. But we
never quite made our caches secure
against the bears.
IT was rather late now for marine
hunting. We had managed to secure
a few small walrus and a few seals,
but our life for the winter depended
mostly upon other game.
With our bow and arrows we secured
hare and ptarmigan. With a crude
stone trap we managed to get fox.
but it was musk OK that saved the
situation, and VIC found many of them
here.
Upon the plains to the east of our
house were feeding the greatest Of