Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1909-10-22

The crevasses and pressure lines gave
little trouble at first. but the hard IT.
regularity of the barred ice offered a
dangerous surface for the life of our
sleds. passing through blue gorges
among miniature mountains of sea
ice. On course slightly west of
north we soon sank the bold headland
which raises the northern point OF
Heiberg island.
Camp Is Pitched.
After a run of twentysix miles we
pitched camp on foe berg of unusual
height. There We're many big hum
mocks about. to the lee of which were
great banks of hardened snow Away
from land it is always more difficult
to find snow suitable for cutting build
ing blocks. but here was an abundance
conveniently placed. In the course of
an hour comfortable palace OF crys-
tai was erected. and into 1t we crept
out OF the piercing wind. The first
was closed with good record.
The dogs curled up and went to sleep
without a Gull. as if they knew there
would be no food until the morrow.
My wild companions covered their
faces with their convenient long hair
and sank quietly into comfortable
slumber. but for me sleep was quite
10 w
The whole problem of our campaign
must be again carefully studied and
final plans must be made not only to
reach our ultimate destination. but for
the returning parties and for the secu-
rity of.the things at Annootok.
Impossible to Foretell Return.
1t was difficult at this time to even
guess at the probable line of our re-
turn to land. Much depended upon
conditions encountered in the north
ward route. Though we had left
caches of supplies. with the object of
returning along hansen sound into
Cannon ford and over Arthur Land.
l entertained grave doubts of our abil-
ity to return this way. If the ice
drifted strongly to the east we might
not be given the choice of working out
our own return. In that event we
would be carried perhaps helplessly to
Greenland and must seek return
either along the east coast or the west
coast.
This drift did not offer dangerous
hardship. for the musk oxen would
keep us alive to the west. and to the
east it seemed possible to reach Shan.
non island. where the Baldwin Ziegler
expedition had abandoned large
cache of supplies. 1t appeared not i'm
probable also that large land extern
sion might offer safe return much
farther west.
Francke's Instructions.
Because of this uncertainty Franckt
was instructed to wait until June 5
1908. and if we did not return he was
told to place Koolootingwah in charge
and go home either by the whalers Of
by the Danish ships to the south.
No relief which he could offer would
help us. and to wait for an indetinit,
time alone would have inflicted need
less hardship. This and many othe
instructions were prepared for KOo
lootingwah and Inugito to take back
In the morning the frost in crystals
had been swept from the air. but ther'
remained humid chill which pierced
to the bones. The temperature wal
minus Sc F.. A light air came from
the west. and the sun burned in ,
freezing blue.
After few hours march the ic
changed in character The extensive
thick fields gave place to moderate
sized foes The foes were separated
by zones of troublesome crushed ic
thrown into high pressure lines. whicl
offered serious barriers. but with tn
ice ak and Eskimo ingenuity we man
aged to make fair progress.
The second run on the polar sea wa
with twenty-one miles to our credit
had expected to send the supportin
party back from here. but progress
had not been as good as expected. w
!: could hardly spare the food to fee
their dogs. so they volunteered to pus
! along another day without dog food.
Return of the Helpers.
On the next day, with increasing di
ficulties in some troublesome ice. W
camped after making only sixtee
, miles. Here small snow house wa
built. and from here. after disposing {
a pot of steaming musk OK loins an
: broth. followed by double brew {
tea. our last helpers returned.
With empty sleds and hungry dog
. they hoped to reach land in one Ion
, days travel. But this would make tt
. fourth day without food for their dog
} and in case of storm or moving ic
, other days of famine might easily ia
to their lot. They had. however. a
abundance of dogs and might sacrif1t
few for the benefit of the others. 6
!. we must often do.
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