The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-10-15
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.sESBY JULES VERSE xas<zNa

The doctor became very uneasy
at these multiplied indications of
approaching winter. He knew the
difficulties Sir Ross had to con-
tend with after he left his ship to
try and reach Baffins bay, and how,
after all, he was compelled to re-
turn and pass a fourth winter on
board. 1t was bad enough with
shelter and food and fuel, but If
any such calamity befell the sur
vivors Of theKT Forward, If they were
obliged to stop or return. they were
lost.
The doctor said nothing Of his
anxieties to his companions, but
only urged them to get as far east
as possible.
At last, after 30 days tolerably
quick sailing, and after battling
for 48 hours against the increasing
drift ice, and risking the frail sloop
q hundred times, the navigators
saw themselves blocked In on all
sides. Further progress was i'm
possible, for the sea was frozen in
every direction, adm the Their
mometer was only Is degrees aboxe
zero.
Altamont made a reckoning with
scrupulous precision, and found
they were in n degrees Is minutes
latitude and IS degrees 2 minutes
longitude. ..
"This is our exact position then"
said the doctor 1--WE are in South
Lincoln, just at Cape Eden, and
are entering Jones sound. With a
little more good luck we should
have found open water right to
Baffins bay. But we must not
grumble. If my poor Hatteras had
found as navigable sea at first he
would have soon reached the pole.
His men would not have deserted
him, and his brain would not have
given way under the pressure OF
terrible trial."
II suppose then" said Altamont,
sour only course is to leave the
sloop and get by sledge to the
east coast of Lincoln
The rest agreed.
The little vessel was unloaded
and. the sledge put together again.
All the parts were in good cOndi-
ton, so the next day the dogs were
harnessed, and they started Off
along the coast to reach the ice
field.
At last, on the oath. they set foot
on North Devon.
"Now," said Clawbonny, 1--WE
have only to cross this and get to
Cape Warender at the entrance to
Lancaster sound"
But the weather became fright
full, and very cold. The snow
storms and tempests returned with
winter violence, and the travellers
felt too weak to contend with them.
Their stock of provisions was al
most exhausted, and rations had to
be reduced now to a third, that
the dogs might have food enough
to keep them in working condition.
The nature of the ground added
greatly to the fatigue. North De-
Won Is extremely wild and rugged,
and the path across the Trauter
mountains is through difficult
gorges. The whole party-men and
dogs and sledge alike-were fire.
quently forced to stop, for they
could not struggle on against the
fury of the elements. More than
once despair crept over the brave
little band. hardy as they were. and
used to polar sufferings. Though
scarcely aware of 1t themselves,
they were completely worn out,
physically and mentally.
1t was not till the 30th Of Au-
gust that they emerged from those
wild mountains into plain which
seemed to have been upturned and
convulsed by volcanic action at
some distant period.
Here 1t was absolutely necessary
to take a. few days rest, for the
travellers could not drag one foot
after the other. and two of the
dogs had died from exhaustion.
None of the party felt equal to put