Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1909-11-26
s1.5o PER ANNux.

Iley 0aO partly themselves,
but by trace n harness they were
frozen to hardened masses, 50 much
SO hat few could rise and stretch,
which Is a severe torment to dogs aft
er 4 storm. We freed their traces.
beat the cemented SHOWS from their
furs with sticks, and their curling tails
and pointed noses told Of common graf.
itude.
A We skirmished about for q little
stretch ourselves the sun rose over the
northern blue, flashing the newly driv-
en- SHOWS In warm tones The temper
allure during the storm rose to % be-
low, but now the thermometer sank
rapidly below 40. The west was still
smoky, and the weather did o seem
quite settled. 1t was too early to start.
30 we disrobed again, slipped into the
bags and sought a quiet slumber.
A few hours later we were rudely
awakened by loud explosive noises.
Looking about, nothing unusual was
detected about the igloo. and q peep
through the y port gave no cause
for the disturbance. 1t was concluded
that the ice was cracking from the
sudden change of temperature in quite
the usual harmless manner, and we
turned over to prolong the bag CON-
forts.
Then there came a series Of thun-
dering noises, with which the ice quiz
cred. Ahwelah arose and said that
the house was breaking. I turned to
rise and sank into a newly formed
| %crevasse. which up to that moment was
bridged by snow. A man in a bag II .
low and tumblinE blocks of snow from
above pressing n deeper and deeper
the case was far from humorous at .
temperature of 4S below.
Still. the boys laughed heartily. Their
hands, however. were quickly occu-
pied. Ahwelah grabbed my bag and
rolled me over on snow Of doubtful
security. They then slipped into furs
with electric quickness and tossed the
things out on safe ice.
In the extreme cold the water fross
In sheets about the bag, and when the
ice was beaten of the reindeer skin
was, to my pleasure. found quite dry.
A few moments more Of sleep and W
might all have found a resting place
In the chilling deep. That experience
kept us ever watchful for the dangers
of the spreading ice In all Gains after
storms.
The ice about was much disturbed,
and numerous black lines Of water
opened on every side, from which
oozed Jets Of frosty steam. The great
| 1{Noronon ho<rnnnr th4 t~~a~n~~An~~ 80
the sea and that of the air made Q
contrast of 76 degrees. and the open
spots Of ice water appeared to be boil
ing.
Anxious to move along away from
the troubled angle of ice, the usual
breakfast was simpli6ed. Melting soma
snow, we poured down the icy LIQUID
as an eye opener and then began at
the half pound bowlder Of pemmican,
but with cold fingers. blue lips and no
possible shelter, the stun was unusual
ly hard.
To warm up the sleds were prepared,
and under the lash the dogs jumped
into harness with a bound. The penn
mican, somewhat reduced with the AZ.
was ground under the molars as We
went along. The teeth were thus
kept from chattering, and the stomach
was fired with durable fuel.
AS we advanced the ice improved to
some extent. and with a little search
a safe crossing vas found over all Of
the new crevices. though a strong west
erly wind carried a piercing cold.
Good progress was made. but we were
not allowed to forget at any time that
we were invading the forbidden do
mains Of polar environment.
The Bitter Gold.
In starting before the end Of the
winter night and camping on the topen
ice fields in the long northward march
we had first accustomed our eyes to q
frigid darkness and then to a perpetu-
al glitter with shivers. This proved to
be the coolest season of the year. We
should have been hardened to all kinds
Of arctic torment, but man only gains
that advantage when the pulse ceases
to beat.
Far from land, far from other life,
there was nothing to rouse a warm
ing spirit. Along the land there had
been Gains and gales and an inspiring
contrast, even in the dark days and
nights. but here the frigid world was
felt at its worst. The wind, which
came p%ersistently from the west-now
strong, now feeble, but always sharp
inflicted a pain to which we never be-
came accustomed.
The kind Of torture most felt In this
wind and humid air Of an arctic pack
was a picturesque mask Of ice about
the face. Every bit of exhaled mois-
ture condensed and froze either to the
facial hair or to the line Of fox tails
about the hood. It made a comical
c%aricature of Us.
The frequent turns In this course
brought both sides to the wind and
arranged a line of icicles from every
hair Offering q convenient nucleus.
These lines Of crystal offered a pleas
ing dash of light and color as We
looked at each other, but they did not
afford much amusement to the indi.
vidual exhibiting them. Such hairs -
had not been pulled from the lips and
/ the chin we're first weighted. and then
the wind carried the breath to the long
hair with which we protected our
heads and left a mass Of dangling
frost.