Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1909-11-02
urned over to prolong the bag COM

turned over to prolong the bag COM
forts.
Then there came series Of thun-
dering noises, with which the ice quiv-
cred. Ahwelah arose and said that
the house was breaking. l turned to
rise and sank into a newly formed
crevasse, which up to that moment was
bridged by snow A man in a bag is a
helpless creature, and with water be-
low and tumblipg blocks Of snow from
above pressing one deeper and deeper
temperature of 4S below.
Still, the boys laughed heartily. Their
hands, however, were quickly occu-
pied. Ahwelah grabbed my bag and
rolled me over on snow Of doubtful
security. They then slipped into furs
with electric quickness and tossed the
things out on safe Ice.
In the extreme cold the water froze
In sheets 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 and we
might all have found resting place
in the chilling deep. That experience
kept us 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 sea and that Of the air made a
contrast of 76 degrees, and the open
spots Of ice water appeared to be boil.
ing.
Anxious to move along away from
the troubled angle Of ice, the usual
breakfast was simplified. Melting some
snow, we poured down the icy liquid
as an eye opener and then began at
the half pound bowlder Of pemmican
but with cold fingers. blue lips and nc
possible shelter the stuff was unusual
ly hard.
To warm up the sleds were prepared
and under the lash the dogs jumped
, into harness with a bound. The penn
mican, somewhat reduced with the ak
was ground under the molars as w,
. went along. The teeth were thus
) kept from chattering, and the stomach
was fired with durable fuel.
i AS we advanced the ice improved t,
, some extent, and with little searcl
] n safe crossing was found over all o
J. the new crevices, though a strong west
i erly wind carried piercing cold
e Good progress was made. but we wer
e not allowed to forget at any time tina
t we were invading the forbidden do
: mains Of polar environment.
The Bitter Cold.
In starting before the end Of tn
winter night anG camping on the opel
we had first accustomed our eyes to
frigid darkness and then to a perpetu
al glitter with shivers. This proved t
be the coolest season of the year. w
should have been hardened to all kind
Of arctic torment, but man only gain
that advantage when the pulse cease
to beat.
there was nothing to arouse warm
ing spirit Along the land there ha
been Gains and gales and an inspirin
contrast, even in the dark days. p n
nights, but here the frigid worl sess :,
felt at its worst. The wind. wac
came persistently from the west-no,
strong, now feeble, but always sharp
inflicted a pain to which we never b,
came accustomed.
rTNl,o Lind of tpr.fnra ,,,oct folt Il, ~,
wind and humid air of an arctic pac
. was picturesque mask of ice abor
the face. Every bit of exhaled moi
~ ture condensed and froze either to tt
facial hair or to the line of fox tai
u about the hood. 1t made comic;
VI caricature of us.
H. The frequent turns In this cour.
[e brought both sides to the wind ar
10 arranged line of icicles from evel
re hair offering a convenient nucleu
re These lines of crystal offered plea
It. ing dash of light and color as "
IS looked at each other, but they did n
e, afford much amusement to the inc
K vidual exhibiting them. Such hairs
had not been pulled from the lips al
It, the chin were first weighted, and the
10 the wind carried the breath to the lol
lit hair with which we protected OF
Of heads and left mass Of danglil
d. frost.
IN An Icy Coating.
s. Accumulated moisture from the ey
Of coated the eyelashes and brows IT.
e. humidity escaping about the forehe,
left a crescent of snow above. viii
I'd that escaping under the chin, combine
g. with falling breath, made semicirc
ps of ice. The most uncomfortable iciclt
n however, were those that had form
nd on the coarse hair within the nostri
rs 1t is to free the face of this kind
or decoration that the Eskimos pull
n. facial hair out by the roots; hence
lss real poverty of mustaches and beart
Oh chilaren crv