The gold leaf., 1909-10-14
Last Glimpse Of the Dying Day.

Last 6tlnpSo OF TIC 0yuiS S~Js
During the last days Of brief sun
shine the weather cleared, and at
noon on Oct. "a everybody sought the
freedom of the open for last glimpse
Of the dying day. There was charm
of color and glitter. but no one SEEM
ed quite happy as the sun sank under
the southern ice, for it was not to rise
again for 11S days.
The Eskimos took this as signal to
enter a trance Of sadness, in which
the bereavement of each family and
the discomforts Of the year are enact
ed in dramatic chants or dances.
But to us the sunset Of 1907 was in
spiration for the final work in direct
ing the shaping of the outfit with
which to begin the conquest Of the
pole at sunrise Of 1908. Most expedi-
tions have had the advantage Of the
liberal hand of government or of an
ample private fund. We were denied
both favers.
But we we're not incumbered With
a cargo Of misfits devised by home
lreamers, nor was the project handi-
for white men at best must be regard
ed as amateurs compared with the ex-
pert efficiency Of the Eskimo In his
own environment Our food supply
contained only the prime factors Of
primitive nourishment. Special foods
and laboratory connections did not fill
an important space in our larder.
MT
motor sleds or other freak devices. We
did, however. have an abundance of
the best hickory. suitable metal and
all the raw material for the sled and
Its accessories, which were henceforth
to be linked with OUR destiny.
The sled was evolved as the result
Of careful study Of local environment
and of the anticipated ice surface
northward. We did not copy the Nc
Clintock sled, with its wide runners,
which has been used by most explor-
ers for fifty years. Nor did we aban-
don the old fashioned iron shoes for
German silver strips
What Polar Sled Should Be.
The conditions which a polar sled
must meet are too complex to outline
here. In broad sense 1t seemed that
the best qualities of the best wood
Yukon sled could be combined with
the local fitness of the Eskimo craft.
with tough hickory fiber and sealskin
laShingS TO make elastic joints. With
plenty of nativ. ingenuity to foresee
and provide for the strain of adaptable
ity and endurance. the possibilities OF
our sled factory were very good.
For dog harness the Eskimo pattern
was adopted. but canine economy Is
such that when rations are reduced to
workable limits the leather strips dis
appear as food. TO overcome this dis
aster the shoulder straps were made
OF folds OF strong canvas, while the
traces were cut from cotton log line.
A boat is an important adjunct to
every sledge expedition which hopes
to venture far from it's base Of oper-
alton. 1t is Il matter of necessity even
when following the new coast line, as
Is shown by the mishap of Mylius
Erickson. for If ne had had a boat he
would himself have returned to tell
the story of the Danish expedition to
east Greenland
Need for a boat comes with the
changed conditions of the advancing
season. Things must be carried for
several months for a chance use in the
last stages Of The return: but, since
food supplies are necessarily limited,
delay Is fatal. Therefore when open
re
coneS in the nature Of life pre-
server.
Foolish indeed is the explorer who
ignores this detail OF the problem.
Transport of boat. however, offers
many serious objections Nansen In
troduced the kayak, and most explor-
ers since have adopted the same de-
vice. The Eskimo canoe serves the
purpose very we'll, but to carry It for
three months without hopeless destruc-
ton requires au amount of energy
which stamps the polar venture with
failure
Selecting q 6oat.
Sectional boats, aluminium boats,
skin floats and other devices have been
tried. but to ell there Is the same fatal
objection ot impossible transportation.
1t seems rather odd that the ordinary
folding canvas boat has not been press
ed into this service
We found 1t to f1t the situation ex-
actly. Selecting a twelve foot Eureka
shaped boat with wooden frame. The
Stats, spreaders and floor pieces were
utilized as parts Of sieds. The can
vas cover served as floor cloth for
our sleeping bags. Thus the boat did
useful service for a hundred days and
was never In evidence as q cumber-
some device.
When ut last the craft was spread