The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1909-09-18

When the last sledge came up l
thought my Eskimos had gone crazy.
They yelled and called and danced
themselves helpless. AS Ootah sat down
on his sledge he rema rked. in Eskimo:
The devil is asleep or having trouble
with his wife. or we never should have
come back so easily"
A few hours later arrived at
Crane city. under the bluffs o. Cape
Columbia. anc after putting four
pounds of pemmican into each Of the
faithful dogs to keep them quiet We
had. at last. our chance to sleep.
Long Sleep Welcome.
Never shall forget that sleep at Cape
Columbia. 1t sleep. sleep then turn
over and sleep again. We slept glorious
ly, with never a thought OF the morrow
or having to walk and too. with no
thought that there, to be .
night more OF binding headache.
Cold water to parched throat Is moth
ing compared with sleep to a numbed.
fatlgued brain and body.
Two days we spent here in sleeping and
drying our clothes Then for the ship.
Our dogs. like ourselves. had not been
hungry when arrived, but simply life
less with fatigue. They were different
animals now. and the better ones among
them swept on with tightly curled tails
and uplifted heads and their hind legs
treading the snow with pstonlike reEu-
larty.
Marvin's Fate Learned.
We reached Heca in one march and
the Roosevelt in another, When wo
got to the Roosevelt | staggered by
the news of the fatal mshap to Marvin.
He had either been less cautious less
fortunate than the rest of us, and his
death emphasized the risk to which we
all had been subjected. for there was not
one of us but had been in the siedge at
some time during the journey.
The big lead, cheated of its prey three
years before. had at last gained its hu-
man victim.
The can be told quickly. Mcmillan
and Borup had started for the Green
land coast to deposit caches for me Be-
fore arrived nying Eskimo courier
| from me overlook them with Instructions
that the caches were no longer needed
and they Were to concentrate their ener-
| gies the ideal observations. etc. at
| Cape Morris X. Jesup and north from
| there.
Roosevelt Starts Back.
| These instructions We're carried out and
! after their return in the latter part of
May Mcmillan made some further tidal
| observations at other points The sup
| plies remaining at the various caches
were brought in and on July ls tho
| Roosevelt left its winter quarters and
was driven out into the channel back Of
Cape Mon.
| 1t fought its wav south in the center
| of the channel and passed Cape Sabine
| on August S. or 30 days earlier than in
| 1885, and 81 DAYS earlier than the British
| expedition in 1876.
| We picked up Whitney and his party
| and stores at Etah. We killed seventy
odd walrus for my Eskimos. whom l
| landed at their homes. We met the
| Jeanie off Saunders island and took over
| Its coal and cleared from Cape York on
| August 26. month earlier than In
| 1906
Announces His Triumph.
| On September 6 we arrived at Indian
| Harbor. whence the message. Stars and
| stripes nailed to north pole was sent
vibrating southwark through the crisp
Labrador air.
| thorough knowledge of the conditions of
| the problem gained in the last expedition
| these, together with a new type of
| sledge which reduced the work of both
| dogs and driver and new type of camp
| cooler which added to the comfort and
| increased the hours of sleep of the
members OF the party. combined to make
| the present expedition an agreeable inn
| provement upon the last in respect to the
rapidity and effectiveness of its work and
| the lessened discomfort and strain upon
| the members of the p>rty
His Capable Aids.
| As to the personnel. i have again been
| particularly fortunate. Capt. Bartlett IL
| just Bartlett-tircless. seepless. enthusi-
astic. whether on the bridge or in tho
crows nest at the head of q sledgs
| division in the field.
Dr. Goodsell. the surgeon of the espe-
| dltion. not only looked after its health
| and his own specially of microscopes but
took his fun share of the field work OF
| the expcdition as well. and was always
| ready for any work
| Profs. Marvin and Mcmillan have se-
cured mass of scientific data. having
made all the tidal and most of the field
work. and their services were invaluable
| in everv wav.
| Borup and Others Praised.
| Rorup not only made the record as to
| ba iGt M Travelled during The Jour
| ney but to his assistance and his expert
knowledge OF Photography - due what
I believe to be the unepualed series OF
| photographs taken by the expedition.
| Henson in the field and Percy as
| steward were the same as ever. inval-
liable in their respective lines.
| Chief Engineer Wardwel also Of
the last expedition. aided by his as
| sistant. Scott kept the machinery up
to a high state of efficiency and has
| given the Roosevelt the force and pow
| er which enabled it to negotiate appar-
| emily impra cticable ice.
| Mr. GuShue the mate who in
| charge Of the Roosevelt during the alb
| sence OF Capt Bartlett and myself, and
| Boatswain Murphy, who was put in
| charge of the station at Etah for the
relief of Cook. were both Trustworthy
| and reliable men. and I count myself
fortunate in having had them in my
| service
Had a Willing Crew.
The members OF the crew and the
| firemen a distinct improvement
| over those of our last expedition. Every
| one of them was willing and anxious
| to be of service in every possible way.
| Connors. who was promoted to be
| bos'n in the absence Of Murphy, proved
| to be practically effective.
| Barnes. seaman. and Wiseran and
| Joyce. fremen. not only assisted Mar
| win and Mcmillan in their tidal and
meteorological observations on the
| Roosevelt but Wlsenan and Barnes
| went into the field with them on their
| trips to Cape Columbia and Condor
| and Cody covered 1000 miles hunting
| and sledging supplies.
| Presents for Eskimos.