The Cairo bulletin., 1909-10-12

They had partly uncovered themselves,
! but by trace and harness. they were
frozen TO hardened misses. So much
so that few could rise and stretch,
/ which is Il severe torHtent Ia dogs aft
| err storm We freed their traces,
| beat the cementei SHOWS from their
| furs with sticks. and their curling tails
/ and pointed noses told of common graf.
| itude
| As we skirmished about for little
| stretch ourselves fhe sun rose over the
northern blue. flushing the newly driv-
| en- snowSi;I warm tones. The temper
allure during the storm rose to % be-
low. but now the thermometer sank
rapidly below 40 The west WAS still
smoky. and the weather did not seem
quite settled. Ii was too early to start,
so we disrobed again. slipped into the
bags and sought IL quiet slumber,
A few hours later we were rudely
awakened by loud explosive noises
Looking about. nothing unusual was
detected about the igloo. and peep
through the eye port gave no cause
for the disturbance. II WAS concluded
that the ice was cracking from the
sudden change of temperature in quite
the usual harmless manner. and we
turned over 10 prolong the bag com
forts.
Then there came series OF thun-
dering noises. with which the ice quiz
cred, Ahwelah arose and said that
the house was breaking. | turned to
rise and sank into newly formed
crcvasSe, which up to that moment was
hridgcd by snow. 4 man in bag in Il
helpless creature. aud with water be-
low and tumhling blocks of snow from
above pressing one deeper and deeper
the case was far from humorous ut n
temperature Of ~ below
Still, the boys laughed heartily Their
bands, however. were quickly occu-
pied. Ahwrlah grabbed my bag and
rolled me over on snow of doubtful
security. They then slipped into furs
with electric quickDess and tossed tie
things ont on safe Ice
In the extreme cold the water frozc
in shee,s about the bag, and when the
Ice WAS beaten off the reindeer skin
WAS. to my pleasure. found quite dry
A few moments more Of sleep ard we
might all have found resting place
In the chilling deep. That experience
Kept rs ever watchful for the dangers
of the spreading ice in all Gains after
storms.
The ice about was much disturbed.
and numerous black lines Of water
opened on every side, from which
oozed jets of frosty steam The great
difference between the temperature Of
the sen aud That Of the air made n
contrast Of ~ degrees and the omen
spots If ice water appeared To b,, boil,
Ing.
Anxious to move along away from
the troubled angle of lee. the usual
breakfast was sirupli1cd Melting SOME
SNOW. we poured down the icy iquit
M an eye opener and then began Mt
tho half pound howltlcr of pcmuican
5lli with rolh fingers, blue lips and no
possible shelter the stun was unusual
Is hard
To wlcin m the sleds were prepared,
aud Hrdcr The lash the dogs jumped
iuto mCnrss With Il bound The upm
miran somewhat reduced with tir ax.
WAS ground under the molars rs we
went along, The teeth were thus
kept from rhattering. aud The stomach
was fret with durable fuel.
As we advanced the lee improved to
some extent. and with little search
n safe crossing was found over All of
the new crcviccs. though strong west
crly wind carried = piercing cold
Good progress was made. but we were
not allowed Ia foTgcl ~ any inr that
we were Invading he forbidden do
mains af polar environment.
The Bitter Cold
In starting before The end Of The
winter night and ralnping on the open
ier fields IN the hong nortbward march
we ltltl first accustomed our eyes 10 u
frl@fl darkness and then TO ii perpetu-
al glitter With shiyerS fhis proved To
be- the coolest season of thc year We
should have heeu hardened to an kinds
Of arctic torment but man only gains
that advantage when The pulse ceases
ia beat
Far from land. far frnm other life.
there was nothing to arouse warm
Ing spirit Along the land there had
been Gains and gales and an inspiring
contrast. even in the dark days and
nights. hut berc The frg.d world was
fll ~ lis worst The wind which
came rcrsiSteully from the west now
strong, now feeble but always Shlrp--
Inflicted pain - which We never be.
came accustomed
'Fhr kind Of torture most felt In this