The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1909-11-11

DANISH TORPEDO BOAT JsBJoRNEN WELL
COMING DIR. COOK At SKAGEN
were not again seen. The weather
changed considerably. The light cut
ting winds from the west increased In
force, and the spasmodic squalls came
at shorter intervals. The clear purple
and blue of the seas were gradually
changed to light gray, and rush OF
frosty needles came over the pack for
several hours each day.
Could Brook No Delay.
The inducement to seek shelter in
cemented walls of snow and wait for
better weather was very great But
such delay forestalled certain starya-
ton. Under fair conditions there was
barely food enough to reach land,
while even short delays might easily
jeopardize our return. We could not,
therefore. do otherwise than to force
ourselves against the wind and drift
with all possible speed, closing the eye
TO unavoidable suffering.
With no alternative, we tried to per-
suade ourselves that conditions might
be worse.
The eighty seventh was crossed. the
eighty-sixth was neared. but there
came a time when both mind ana body
wearied Of the whole problem Of forced
resolution.
The hard work of igloo building was
now thing Of the past-only one had
been built since leaving the pole. and
in it a precious day was iost-while
the atmospheric fury changed the face
of the endless eXpanse Of desolation.
The little silk tent now housed Us suffi-
GENTLY from the icy airs. There were
still 80 degrees Of frost. but with hard
ened skins and insensibIe nerve fila
ments the torture was not so keenly
felt.
The steady diet of pemmican and tea
and biscuits was now entirely salts
factory. We longed for enough to
give a real filing sense, but the ration
was slightly reduced rather than in
creased The change in life from win
ter TO summer which should take
place at about this time of the year,
was in our case marked only by a
change in shelter, from the snow
house to the tent, and our bed was
moved from the soft snow shelf of the
igloo to the hard, wind swept crust.
IN my wakeful watches to get a
peep of the sun at just the right
Il moment was kept awake during
much Of the resting period, and
for pastime my eyes wandered from
snorting dogs TO snoring men. During
one of these idle moments there came
solution Of the utility of the dogs
tail, a topic with which l had been al
play for several days. 1t is quoted
here at the risk Of censure. because II
Is typical phase Of our lives which
cannot be illustrated otherwise Seem,
ing trivialitieS were seized upon as
I food for thought. Why has the dog
tail at all? The bear, the musk OK
the caribou and the hare each in its
own way succeeds very well with but
dwarfed stub. Why does nature in
| the dog expand its best effort in grow
ing the finest fur over seemingl.
useless line Of tail bones: The thing
Is distinctive, and enc could hardly
| conceive Of the creature without this
| accessory, but nature in the arctic does
not often waste energy TO display beau
| ties and temperament. This tail mus
have al important use. otherwise 4
would soon fall under the knife OF
frost and time. Yes. 1t was imported
into the arctic by the wolf prosenitol
Of the dog from warmer lands, where
its swing :erved a useful purpose IL
fiy time. A nose made to breath,
warm air requires some protection il
the far north No animal feels thi:
SLortcoming as much as man. TIL,
dog supplied the need with his tail. 4
the time when | made this discovery /:
cold wind charged with cutting crys
tails brushed the pack Each dog hat
his back arched to the wind and hi
face yelled with an effective curl OF hi
tail He "as comfortably shielded
from icy torment by an appendag'
IL apted to that very purpose