The news=record. [volume] (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon) 1907-1910, 1909-10-30

"HE expedition was equipped at
Gloucester. Mass. All was ready
on the evening of July 3. 1907.
Ashore boys were testing their
| fireworks for the morrow of celebra-
ion. but aboard. as our vessel. the
John X. Bradley. withdrew from the
pier, all was quiet. There were no
visiting crowds Of curiosity seekers.
| No tooting whistles signalized our de-
Darture.
An arctic expedition had been born
without the usual public bombast.
| There was. indeed. no excuse for
rlamor. Neither the help of the gov
rrnment nor the contributions Of pri-
rate individuals had been sought. The
project was quietly given life and its
| expenses were paid by John r. Brad
ley Its destiny was shaped by the
| writer.
Mr.. Bradley was interested In game
animals of the north. | was interested
| In the game of the polar quest. For
The time being the business concerned
us only. IL the venture proved sue
ressful there would be time enough to
raise the banner of victory. If 1t fail
ed none had the privilege of heaping
upon us the unmerited abuse which
usually comes to the returning polar
traveller.
In Il brief month all had been pre-
pared for the peculiar mission. We
had purchased strong Gloucester fish,
ing schooner fitted with motor, COW
cred for Ice and loaded down with
suitable supplies for a prolonged Pc
riod.
One morning the bold cliffs of Cape
York were dimly outlined In the gray
mist which screened the land. A storm
had carried so much ice against the
coast hat near approach was i'm
possible, and continued winds kept up
II sea which made 1t equally difficulty
TO land on The ice.
In Ice Free Polar Waters.
Though anxious to meet the natives
at Cape York. we were forced to turn
and set course for the next village,
ut North Star bay. At noon the sooty
>'NeoS Ill TIE
through the narrow breaks we saw the
steep slopes and warm color of GRIM
son cliffs resting on the rising water.
Darling through the air were COUNT
less guiliemOts. glills. little auks and
elder ducks. We were In the ice free
north waters. where creatures of the
sea IND a marine oasis ia midst of q
polar desert.
This kind Of coast extends poleward
to the lands end. 1t is the abundant
sea life which makes human habita-
tion just possible here. though land
animals are also important.
The people of the farthest north are
crowded into natural reservation by
the arctic Ice wall of Melville bay In
the south and the stupendous lipe of
cliffs Of Humboldt glacier In the north
Home Of the Eskimos.
Widely scattered IN small villages,
the northernmost Eskimo finds here a
good living. A narrow band of rocky
land between the land ice and the sea
offers grasses upon which feed ptarmi.
gan, hare and caribous.
Numerous cliffs aud islands afford a
resting place In summer for myriads
OF marine birds that seek the small
life of the Icy waters. Blue and white
foxes wander every W here. Seal, walrus.
narwhal and white whale sport in the
summer sun, while the bear, king of
the polar wilds, roams over the sea at
all times.
The yacht lodged the icebergs and
dangerous rocks In the fog about
Cape Athol. then turned eastward to
cross Wolstenholme sound
AS we neared Table mountain,
which guards North Star bay. many
natives came out In kayaks to meet
US, Some were recognized as old
friends. There was Myah. he of many
wives; Ooboiah, who had executed
Angoogibsnh. styled the villain by
Gibson at Kcdclffe House. and Pin
coota, husband of the queen. IN whose
family are to be found the only hy-
brid children of the tribe.
Later. Knud Rasmussen, a Danish
writer. living as u native among the
people, came aboard. With him we
got better acquainted during the win
ter.
Lnie at night visit was made to
the town OF Oomanooi There were
seven triangular sealskin tents, con.
veniently placed on picturesque rocks.
Gathered about these in large num-
bers were men, women and children,
shivering in the midnight chill.
They were odd looking specimens OF
humanity. In height the men aver
aged but ive feet two inches and the |
women four feet ten inches. All had |
broad. fat faces. heavy trunks and |
we'll rounded limbs. Their skin was |
slightly bronzed. Men and women
had coal black hair and brown eyes,
The nose was short. aud the hands
and feet were short. but thick.
There was not much news to ex-
change. After we had gone over the
list OF marriages and deaths the luck
OF the chase became the topic of con-
versntion.
II was period of monogamy.
Myah had exchanged plurality of
wives for larger team of dogs, and
thsre was but one other man In the
tribe with two wives
Women were rather scarce. Several
men were forced 10 fore