The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1909-10-20

LIN. 'ooN IN AthCll US u y.
without the usual barriers of upliflpa
blocks. Over it a direct air line course
was possible. Progress. however, was
quite as difficult as over the irregular
pack. The snow was crusted with
large crystals. An increased friction
reduced the speed. while the surface.
too hard for snowshoes, was also too
weak to give a secure footing. The
loneliness. the monotony, the hardship
of steady. unrelieved travel were now
keenly felt.
1t is not often that mans horsepow-
err is put to the test as ours was. We
were compelled to develop a working
energy to the limit of animal capacity.
Day after day we had pushed along
Mt the same steady pace over plains of
frost and through n mental desert.
AS the eye opened at the end of IN
icy slumber the fire was lighted little
by little, the stomach was filled with
liquids and solids. mostly ~cold-enough
to last for the day. for there could be
no halt or waste of fuel for midday
feeding. We next got into harness
and paced off the days pull under the
lash of duty. We worked until stand
ing became impossible-longer in light
winds, shorter in strong winds. but al
ways until the feet became numb and
heavy.
Then came the arduous task of build
ing a snow house. IN this the eyes. no
longer able to wink, closed. but soon
the empty stomach complained. and it
was filled up again-not with things
that pleased the palate. only hard fuel
to feed the inner fires, while the ear
sought the soft side of ice to dispel
fatigue: no pleasure in mental recrea-
ton. nothing to arouse the soul from
its icy Enclosure.
To eat, to sleep, to press one foot
ahead Of the other, vas u steady vo-
cation. like the horse to the cart, but
we had not his advantage Of an agree
able climate and a comfortable stable
ut night.
Words and pictures cannot adequate
ly describe the maddening influence
Of this snmeness of polar glitter. COM
bined with bitter winds. extreme cold
and an overworkcd body. To me there
was always the inspiration of antici-
patton of the outcome of ultimate sue
cess. but for my young savage com.
panions it was a torment almost be-
yond endurance. Their WEAKNESS was
made evident by a lax use of the whip
and an Indifferent urging of the dogs.
They We're. however. brave and faith
full to the bitter end. seldom allowing
selfish ambitions or uncomfortable
passions seriously to interfere with the
main effort of the expedition.
On the morning Of April 10 a strain
of agitating torment reached a break
ing point. For days there had been a
steady cutting wind from the west,
which drove despair to its lowest
reaches.
No torment could be worse than that
never ceasing rush Of icy air. Ahwe-
lah bent V his sled and refused to
move.
His dogs turned and looked in
quiringly. walked over and stood
by his side. Etukishuk came near and
stood motionless. staring blankly at the
southern skies. Large tears fell from
Ahwelah's eyes and piled a little frost
Of sadness in the blue of his own shad.
ow for several minutes. Not a word
was uttered. but l knew that each felt
that the time had come to free the fet-
tiers of human passions. Slowly Alive.
lab said. "Unne sinig pa-o-ah-tonie
i-o-doria" CIT is we'll to die beyond il
impOSsihle"l
Continued on PaRe7