The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1909-10-14
DIR. COOK IN ARCTIC COSTUME.

without the usual barriers of upliftcd
blocks. Over 1t direct air line course
was possible. Progress. however, was
quite as difficult as over the irregular
rack. The snow was crusted with
large crystals. An Increased friction
reduced the speed, while the surface,
too hard for snOwshoes, was also too
weak to give Il secure footing The
loneliness, the monotony, the hardship
of steady, unrelicvcd travel were now
kcenly felt.
1t Is not often that mans horsepow-
or Is put to the test as ours was. We
were compelled to develop working
energy to the limit of animal capacity.
Day after day we had pushed along
ut The same steady pace over plains of
frost and through II mental desert.
As the eye opened at the end of an
icy slumber the fire was lighted little
by little, the stomach was filled with
liquids and solids, mostly cold enough
to last for the day, for there could be
no halt or waste of fuel for midday
feeding. We next got into harness
and paced off the days pull under the
lash of duty. We worked until stand
ing became impossible-longcr in light
winds, shorter in strong winds. but al
ways until the feet became numb ana
heavy.
Then came the arduOus task of build
ing snow house. In this the eyes, no
longer able to wink, closed, but soon
the empty stomach complained, and it
was filed up again-not with things
that pleased the palate, only hard fuel
to feed the inner fires, while the ear
sought the soft side OF ice to dispel
fatigue; no pleasure in mental recrea-
tion nothing to arouse the soul from
its Icy inclosure.
To eat, to sleep, to press one foot
ahead of the other, was our steady vo-
cation. like the horse to the cart, but
we had not his advantage of an agree
able climate and comfortable stable
at night.
Words and pictures cannot adequate
ly describe the maddcning influence
of this sameness of polar glitter, com
bined with bitter winds, extreme cold
and an overwOrked body. To me there
was always the inspiration of antici-
patton of the outcome of ultimate sue
cess, but for my young savage com
| panions it was n torment almost be-
| yond endurance. Their WEAKNESS was
made evident by lax use of the whip
and an Indifferent urging - the dogs.
| They We're, however, brave and faith
| ful to the bitter end, seldom allowing
selfish ambitions or uncomfortable
passions seriously to interfere with the
main effort of the expedition,
On the morning Of April 13 a strain
! of agltating torment reached n break
ing point. For days there had been a
steady cutting wind from the west,
which drove despair to its lowest
reaches.
No torment could be worse than that
never ceasing rush of Icy air, Ahwe-
lah bent over his sled and refused to
move.
His dogs turned and looked in
quiringly. I walked over and stood
by his side. Etukishull came near and
stood motionless, staring blanlly at the
southern skies. Large tears fell from
Ahwelah's eyes and piled a little frost
Of sadness in the blue of his own shad-
ow for several minutes. Not word
was uttered but / knew that each felt
that the time had come to free the fet-
ters of human passions, Slowly Ahwe-
lah said, "Unne sinig pa oo-ah-tonie
i-o-doria" (''It is well to die-beyond Is
] impossible'o.